Events

  Discover the beauty of Hellebores in this Botanic Art Workshop with Amanda Blake-Sutterby. Learn to capture their nodding blooms, rich tones, and lasting “petals” in a workshop suitable for beginners to intermediate students, this is a rewarding creative challenge focused on the pleasure of the process.  Hellebores are shade-loving perennial plants, and they are prized for their elegant nodding blooms, leathery green foliage and their ability to brighten up our winter gardens. The petals are actually sepals, which is why the blooms last so long. The true petals are the tiny nectar producing structures inside the flower. Hellebores have for generations been very popular in Botanical Illustration and make a perfect winter workshop subject. Morning Tea, and a comlimentary frame provided to complete your finished artwork. The workshop will be held in the Geelong Botanic gardens large meeting room at the rear of the gardens. MEMBERS $165  NON-MEMBERS $195 MATERIALS LIST  CLASS OUTLINE   CANCELLATION POLICY    

Meet your guide at the front steps. Take a stroll through the newest area in the GBG, which was constructed during Covid 2020. Unique plants & trees are the key feature of this beautifully landscaped section. Many of these specimens from the region of the Pacific are endangered due to the threat of deforestation & climate change. A place for contemplation with seats to enjoy the gardens, as well as rocks to invite children to play happily.

Movie Night, The Rose Maker, followed by a French Bastille Day-themed supper. The Rose Maker is a gentle, feel-good story about Eve, a once-celebrated rose grower, trying to save her fading farm. With nothing left to lose, she hires three unlikely misfits—and somehow, they start to change everything. It’s charming in the quietest way: watching imperfect people stumble, connect, and slowly bloom alongside the roses they’re trying to grow. By the end, it’s hard not to feel a little hopeful—like even the messiest situations can still turn into something beautiful. 🌹

The pollination of plants is integral to their reproduction and survival.  Come and hear about the differing ways native plants are pollinated.  They provide habitat for local native fauna to encourage pollinators such as small birds, butterflies, native bees, lizards, frogs and bats.   Meet your guide at the front steps.

Come and meet the newly elected Committee of Management, enjoying supper after the AGM and guest speaker Tim Sansom, RBG Executive Director of Living Collections andEnvironment. AGM at 5.30, Guest Speaker at 6.15 pm and Supper at 7.00 pm. Free Event, RSVP for catering, please indicate any dietary requirements.

Come and join the Friends of Geelong Botanic Gardens as we enjoy a guided stroll along the beautifully reclaimed eastern bank of the Hovell Creek in Lara. A project that began in the 1970s, Kevin Hoffman dedicated decades to beautifying the area opposite his home overlooking the creek, creating a tranquil sanctuary for wildlife and visitors. Vibrant ground covers, flowering shrubs, native trees, and sculptures attract birds and wildlife, creating a place to wander, reflect and reconnect with nature.  Kevin’s legacy lives on through the work of Friends of Kevin Hoffman Walk. The Friends will host us, providing morning tea followed by a guided walk along this widely acclaimed native trail. This dedicated group continues Kevin’s restoration of the neglected riverbank into a place of tranquil beauty and serenity, extending the extensive collection of beautiful Australian natives for 900 metres along the bank, creating a very special place for all to enjoy. Morning tea is included in the ticke price, please indicate any dietary requirments. After the walk, you may wish to join us for a buy-your-own lunch at Millars Café, a delightful café with views overlooking a lake teeming with birdlife, right in the heart of Grand Lakes Estate in Lara. Meals are good value and the café is licenced. We will reserve a table so please advise our office staff if you will be joining us, when you book your ticket. While in the area you might like to visit nearby Serendip Wildlife Sanctury’s newly established sensory garden (100 Windermere Road). It is free of charge and a wonderful addition to the sanctuary, featuring five different garden “rooms”, each focusing on a different sense and designed for easy disability access. Or you might like to visit Roraima Nursery, also in Lara (20 Swan Street). It will be closing over the next 12 months but is still well stocked with treasures, with 50% discount on all stock. Members $25 Non members $30 **Maximum 40 people**

China had the first Botanical Garden in 138 BC, an enormous park with 2,000 different plants and hot houses. 2nd emperor Yang Di in Sui dynasty (581-618AD) built the largest gardens in history and searched far and wide for rare and beautiful plants. 2,000 years of Chinese horticultural endeavour enrich gardens all over the world.  Join me on a walk on 13th September at 2.00 to see how many of our plants have Chinese origins! Meet your guide at the front steps.