A SPRING AFTERNOON with FRIENDS Tuesday 7 October 2025 12.30 pm -  4.00 pm ITINERARY PROVIDED AFTER BOOKING In this year of our 40th anniversary, members have generously offered to contribute to the Friends who have come to mean so much to them over the years. Friends members and their carer, or special other, are invited to a relaxing afternoon enjoying afternoon tea and a plant sale, at the Belmont home of Anthea and Chris Williams. Two of Anthea’s neighbours would love to share their much loved garden collections with us as well. It will be a welcome opportunity to enjoy the Spring weather and purchase from a stall full of plants donated by members, with proceeds to the Friends.  Lynne Clarke would also like to open her garden to those who wish to begin the afternoon with a stroll through her Highton garden. It is a fascinating collection of edible produce and sustainable, mainly native planting, which reflects much thought and love of the environment. The afternoon is a FREE event for Members, but please RSVP for catering and address details, by contacting the Friends’ office ph. 5229 0071   A small plate to share for afternoon tea would be appreciated. Do as much or as little as you like on this special day for members. Towards the end of the year a final members’ event will be held in Geelong Botanic Gardens, with more details to be announced. Times: 12.30 pm:                Lynne’s garden  1.45 pm:                  Arrive at Anthea’s from 1.45 pm, followed by a Garden tour from 2.00 pm. 2.30 pm-4.00 pm.:   Afternoon Tea and Plant Sales

FULLY BOOKED. Carpool with friends to enjoy a delightful afternoon, meet in Anglesea, and drive to the site (carpool) and join the Friends for a fascinating walk and talk, led by guides from the Angair conservation group, as they introduce us to the variety of heathland plants, rare and beautiful wildflowers that enchant visitors in early Spring. Meet at Anglesea Memorial Hall, 1 McMillan St Anglesea. Your ticket will include a donation to Angair to support their programs.  You will receive an itinerary with all the information you need, after booking your ticket. You may wish to catch up for a cuppa and chat afterwards, at the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie near Bellbrae.  Cost: $15 members and  $20 non-members.  Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited. There will be some uneven ground on the walking paths.               

Meet at the Front Gates Sunday 14 September, 2.00 pm at the Front Gates   This walk will be a fascinating exploration of plant development and survival over time, including the period when dinosaurs walked amongst them. We will look at connections between plants on other continents as they evolved from their Gondwana origins. The Geelong Botanic Garden has a good collection of “Gondwana” plants, and we will seek them out and discuss where else they can be found in Australia and other locations in the global environment.

Geelong School of Botanical Art Inspired by Nature 9 Exhibition 10-24 September 2025 Sunday to Friday 10 am – 4 pm The Gordon Gallery, 2 Fenwick Street, Geelong   The Geelong School of Botanical Art invites you to explore Inspired by Nature 9. A botanical vision of science and artful beauty, this exhibition of original artwork by our skilled tutors and students draws inspiration from living plants and natural history.   The artwork ranges from grand portrayals of flora to intricate depictions of plant life, all executed with remarkable technique and skill. The exhibition will present a blend of contemporary and traditional botanical art, offering a comprehensive exploration of the structural botany of plants and showcasing individual artistic expressions through the varied use of watercolour, coloured pencil, graphite, pen, and gouache.   Notably, all artwork on display will be available for purchase, making it an excellent opportunity for art collectors or individuals looking to enhance their living spaces with beautiful botanical creations.   For more information: Friends of Geelong Botanic Gardens 03 5229 0071 info@friendsgbg.org.au

Come and meet the newly elected Committee of Management, enjoying supper after the AGM and guest speaker John Bentley, President of Melton Botanic Garden. AGM at 5.30, Guest Speaker at 6.15 pm and Supper at 7.00 pm.  Free Event.

The oldest Botanical garden was in China in 138 BC when Emperor Wu had 2,000 different plants in hothouses. Over 2,000 years of Chinese horticultural endeavour enrich gardens in the rest of the world. Come and see how many of our plants had origins in China. Meet your guide at the front gates.

As the 14th July is ‘Bastille Day’ the Friends are going to celebrate with a French Supper and a movie, The Secret Garden.  Come along and enjoy the Bastille Day Menu: Mushroom Vol-au-vents , Quiche Lorraine, Vegetarian Quiche, French Onion Soup with Baguettes, Blue Cheese Canneles, Goats Cheese and Tomato Tarts, Savoury Croissants, Macaron Raspberry Sponge Biscuits,  Profiteroles, Chocolate Éclairs and Fruit Flan. The venue this year will be the Newcomb Library Theatrette (upstairs from the Newcomb Library, there is a lift for easy access) the corner of Queenscliff and Wilsons Rd. The Secret Garden is the enchanting classic story by Frances Hodgson Burnett, telling the story of a prickly and unloved 10-year-old girl, born to wealthy British parents in India. When they die suddenly, she is sent back to England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven (Colin Firth) at Misselthwaite Manor, a country estate deep in the Yorkshire moors. With only the household maid for company Mary begins to uncover many family secrets, particularly her sickly cousin Colin who has been secretly shut away since birth. Mary discovers a wondrous garden, locked away and lost within the grounds of Misselthwaite. She befriends local boy Dickon and, through his knowledge of nature and the garden’s restorative powers, together these misfit children restore and delve deeper into the mysteries of the garden – a magical place of adventure that will change their lives forever.

Meet your Guide at the Front Gates Geelong' Botanic Garden has three centuries of gardens. Join your Guide and explore how the political, social and scientific trends of the times influenced their development. Discover how the trends of the times affected their layout and design, and how they still speak to us today.

TICKETS NOW SOLD OUT. We have great pleasure in inviting you and your friends to the Friends of the Geelong Botanic Gardens  Annual winter lunch on Tuesday 17th June 12-3pm at Mt Duneed Estate. The cosy venue will be the Vineyard Room with panoramic views across the vines towards the Barrabool Hills. Head Chef Daniel Duve will prepare a gourmet two course lunch followed by tea or coffee. Drinks will be available at bar prices. The venue provides generous onsite parking, with disability access.                                                                  Following lunch our guest speaker will be Caroline Davies. 'GARDENING IN POTS' Before her current inner-Melbourne garden, Caroline Davies had five larger gardens, over the years, with the majority of plants in the ground. For the past twenty-six years her focus has been on contained plants. Initially she was influenced by the pot gardens in Greece filling flights of steps, ledges on walls, balconies and window-sills. With her long association with the Mediterranean Garden Society, her preference was for drought-tolerant plants, but her collection is eclectic ranging from Vireya rhododendrons and shrubby begonias to cyclamen and snowdrops. Closely connected are the links with gardening friends, places in the wild where such plants grow, and the challenges associated with their culture. It is an addiction which fills her later years with joy and a retreat from the present turbulent world. Caroline ran wildflower and garden tours for some 30 years with her late husband, David Martin. Caroline was the past President, 2016-2022, of the Mediterranean Garden Society. During the lunch our fabulous raffle will tempt you to purchase tickets with the draw at the conclusion of proceedings. Bookings have now closed. Please contact the office for further information Ph: 03 5229 0071 Email: info@friendsgbg.org.au.  

VOLUNTEERS SOUP LUNCH GUEST SPEAKER: JOHN ARNOTT In appreciation for our wonderful volunteers, ALL PAST AND PRESENT VOLUNTEERS are invited to celebrate the gift of volunteering and friendship. FREE EVENT RSVP for Catering Purposes Please - due by Friday 16 May Please Inform the Friends of any dietary requirements. If you are, or have been, a Friends' volunteer and would rather RSVP to the office, please contact the Friends Office on 03 5229 0071 or info@friendsgbg.org.au

Car-pool with friends for a great day out in late Autumn, visiting Friends patron Stephen Ryans’ private rambling “Tugurium” garden at Mt Macedon, commencing with a delicious morning tea before the tour.  At 12.00 pm a home-style 2-course lunch at the Macedon Horticultural Society Hall, followed by tours of two more glorious private gardens, will complete a wonderful day for garden lovers. All-inclusive ticket and all welcome. An itinerary will be provided on booking.

PLANT NURSERY LOCATED at the Rear of the Geelong Botanic Gardens Looking for something different and priced well below major retail outlets?  Come and be tempted by our Salvias, Pelargoniums, Australian Plants, Perennials, Grasses and Succulents, sourced from our beautiful Botanic Gardens.  Access can be arranged from Nursery for pickup of large plant purchases.   Entry is from the Gardens only.