The FOBG is a welcoming group of friends and neighbours of the Burnley Gardens, including former and present students and staff of the Burnley Campus, who love gardens and gardening. We are dedicated to supporting the historic Burnley Gardens, and we have a lot of fun in doing so!
Plant sale coming October Saturday 28th 10:30am to 1:00pm.
OCTOBER 2023
The Friends of Burnley Gardens AGM invite you to attend our Spring Propagation Workshop on Saturday the 7th October 2023 at 10AM.
The workshop will commence with a discussion, followed by morning tea, then a walk around the gardens to collect cuttings to use for propagation back at the nursery.
Sascha, Burnley Gardens Manager, is a Burnley Girl from way back! She completed her graduate and post graduate studies in Horticulture and Climate change at the Burnley Campus and has subsequently held many roles on Campus over the last 22 years. Propagation is a big passion for Sascha, and she loves to share her skills in this area.
AUGUST 2023
The Friends of Burnley Gardens AGM was held on Wednesday 16th August 2023 at 6PM.
Following supper, Peter Leigh from Post Office farm, spoke on A Passion for Hellebores.
He told us his story and imparted his detailed knowledge of Hellebores, their breeding and cultivation. We enjoyed beautiful pictures and were able to buy wonderful Hellebores on the night.
The Friends ran a Winter Pruning Workshop with Chris England on Saturday 1st July 2023.
Participants learn’t to prune different types of fruit trees – apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums and citrus. Learn to keep trees healthy and to a workable height and to recognise the different types of growth, and prune for maximum fruit.
JULY 2023
The Friends ran a Winter Propagation Workshop with Sascha Andrusiak on Saturday 1 July 2023.
MAY 2023
The Friends presented two evening lectures by Burnley Students Julia and Paul on Wednesday 17 May.
APRIL 2023
Professor David Karoly gave a talk at Burnley on Thursday 27 April on the important topic The roles of Botanic Gardens and vegetation in climate change impacts and solutions.
MARCH 2023
Into the new year, a really interesting and important talk on an exciting topic: Open Gardens. By Popular demand – this talk was held on Zoom as well as FTF! Watch out for the recording
FEBRUARY 2023
What a perfect way to start the FOBG year! A splendid dinner in the glorious setting of the Wisteria Walk, followed by a delightfully entertaining talk by Bill Bampton of Heronswood, in which we found out what Bill means by his intriguing title “un-gardening” . Thanks to Andrea Bendrups for the photo. And an even bigger thanks to catering manager Dianne Cranston for the dinner!!
We will be uploading our annual program shortly, with lots more terrific talks and activities – watch this space.
Meanwhile our summer edition of our newsletter Papyrus has been emailed to members, or if you didn’t receive it, it is on our Members Only page, which is accessible with a password. Old newsletters are available to all at this link.
LATEST VIDEO
OCTOBER 22
Tradition Innovation in Belgian Landscape Design – A recording of this excellent talk by FOBG President Sandra McMahon IS NOW available for Members. Visit the page Members only and enter the password.
SEPTEMBER 22
Thursday 15th The Friends of Burnley Gardens presented illustrated talks by PhD candidates Zahra Saraeian and Dean Schrieke Australian Annuals for Green Roof Use, and Ecological Succession on Green Roofs
Watch for news of a recorded version
Vale Carol Ferguson
Many of our members would know Carol Ferguson, who was one of the earliest members of FOBG and a tireless and dedicated Committee member for many years.
We received the sad news of her death after a long illness, from her husband Bryce.
Vale, Carol.
Read our latest Graduate of the Month
JUNE
A recording of our June talk ‘Climate Ready Trees’ will be available soon.
FOBG Newsletter – special edition – farewell to Andrew Smith.
Our tri-annual newsletter is normally only available for our financial members. This edition, however is a special tribute and farewell to our Gardens Curator and friend Andrew Smith, on his retirement after 34 years of service to the Gardens, and we felt it should be freely available to the general public. Read this autumn edition.
Our latest newsletter is now available for Members only
Our BONANZA HORTICULTURAL BOOK SALE continues!!
Graham Purdy has bequeathed his wonderful collection of horticultural books to the FOBG for fund raising. They are in very good condition, and most are well known classics of horticultural literature, by well known authors. We are offering them at bargain prices. Committee member Cheryl has catalogued them all (which has been quite a job). Here they are, listed by category and title. Book Sale Or check out our Book of the Week,
PLUS a hands-on sale at the Burnley Big Day Out
– CHECK OUT Andrew’s LAST? Plant of the Week. And don’t forget the latest Burnley Graduate of the Month
NEWSLETTERS
Our latest newsletter is now available for Members only
Old newsletters are available to all at this link.
MEMBERS ONLY
Visit the Members only page for
-The latest edition of our newsletter Papyrus
-See the video of John Delpratt’s talk on restoring flowering grasslands
-David Beardsell’s talk on grafting
-Sonia Ross’s lovely bird video…. and more
To find our old newsletters, click here
* Unsure about using Zoom? Click Zoom instructions for full and easy-to follow instructions
AAFOBG news
Find out what other like-minded groups have been up to. The Australian Association of Friends of Botanic Gardens are now producing a fortnightly newsletter. more
