BGANZ Botanic Gardens Open Day 2017

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Sun 28 May 2017

Botanic gardens are found in most towns and cities. They are for the public's enjoyment and house many exotic plants along with native species found in the local area. For the second year, The Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens is hosting BGANZ (Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand) Open Day on Sunday 28th May 2017.



Friends of GCRBG were the driving force behind the establishment of the botanic gardens in 1998. Regular events and workshops are held for the gardening enthusiast or just those who would like to know where to start. Times for these events can be located on their website.

Families are often seen enjoying a picnic or barbeque in the botanic gardens or watching their children play safely in the adventure playground. A map of the botanic gardens can lead you around walking trails which are suitable for all fitness levels. You may prefer a stroll along the boardwalks and around the lake.



This year, Friends of the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens (GCRBG) are uniting with the City of Gold Coast to provide an event which will showcase the cultural, scientific and educational aspects of the garden. The event is free of charge and will be running from 10.00am to 2.00pm on the day. However, the gardens are open from 5.00am and close at 7.00pm daily.

This year visitors can enjoy many activities including the following.

Guided Walks

Several guided walks will be undertaken on the day to showcase Bushfoods and Indigenous Plant Use as well as endangered plants and these will be conducted by members of the GCRBG who have extensive knowledge in the variety of plants and trees on those walks. Questions are encouraged, so don't hold back on any query you have



Herbarium Activities

A walk through the herbarium will educate you on the different species of plants, how they are dried, mounted and stored in boxes under their Family names. For instance, I found out only recently that the pineapple that I love to eat is part of the Bromeliaceae family. Inside the Herbarium is a collection of every plant in the garden and part of the GCRBG's scientific work is developed here. The herbarium also supplies material to the Queensland Herbarium at Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens.

Native Bees

There are a number of Friends members who are native bee enthusiasts. Visitors may find a few hives around the gardens where the bees have taken residence in a hollow log or have been separated from the original hive. Bees are very important for our ecosystem as one-third of the food we eat is pollinated by them.

Nursery

The nursery's focus is on reinstating rare and endangered plants into the gardens and back into the environment, as well as selling plants to the public. It also runs holiday activities for the children that include propagation and taking home a seedling that the child has grown. With a growing interest from the public, the nursery is including bush tucker and general herbs, as well as a range of native flowering plants suitable for GC gardens.



Botanica

This is another activity which runs on the second Friday of each holiday vacation. There are two components to the activity children can enjoy - either Quest or Craft. Botanica Quest is where the children follow a mission with specified objectives while Botanica Craft is where children, along with the assistance of volunteers, enjoy a number of craft activities. It is necessary to book this event prior to school holidays to avoid disappointment. Botanica will be run on the Open Day.

Refreshments including gluten free treats will be available for purchase on the day from the Friends Centre. The Friends Centre is staffed by volunteers who are more than happy to give you maps, discovery trails for children and discuss what options there are for you to enjoy during your visit to the gardens. There is a reference library on site in case you are looking for a particular plant or species. You may like to pick up a free information sheet on plants located in the gardens or follow one of the self-guided walks.

Other features in the garden are:

The Mangrove to Mountains Walk which includes
The Butterfly Garden
Freshwater Wetlands
Open Eucalyptus Woodland
Gum Tree Corridor
Montane Rockery and Rose garden
Regional Tree Collections
Story of our Country and Bushfoods Garden
Horticulture Display Gardens



Friends Centre Displays

• The Butterfly Garden
• The Rose Garden
• The Sensory Garden, where the smell and touch of plants and flowers are divine
• Eucalyptus Open Woodland
• Freshwater Wetlands
• Mangroves to Mountains Walk
• Horticultural Display Gardens
• Montane Rockery
• Special Trees
• Kids Playground
• Birds

It's quite easy to fill in a whole day at the gardens and still want to return again and again. The Open Day will give you a chance to talk to like-minded people, escape learn and be inspired in the wonder of nature while your kids enjoy all there is on offer in the fresh air.

#benowa
#family_attractions
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#near_gold_coast
#open_days
#things_to_see
#workshops
#may
!date 28/05/2017 -- 28/05/2017
%wngoldcoast