History Festival at the Gardens

Date posted: 29 April 2016

South Australia's History Festival is upon us once more (1-31 May) and history buffs can learn secrets about the state's botanic gardens (Adelaide, Mount Lofty and Wittunga) with three intriguing guided walks (gold coin donation). These walks are thanks to the wonderful Friends of the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide.

Forest to Farm to Fabulous

Date: Daily, Wednesday 11 May to Sunday 15 May
Time: 11am to 12:30pm
Where:Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, departs from lower carpark (off Lampert Rd, Piccadilly). Download a map.

Follow the history and transition of the land upon which Mount Lofty Botanic Garden sits. Good walking shoes essential.

Richard Schomburgk - gardener, scientist, educator

Date: Daily, Wednesday 18 May to Sunday 22 May
Time: 2 - 3:30pm
Where:Adelaide Botanic Garden, North Terrace. Departs from Visitor Information Centre, Schomburgk Pavilion (download a map).

The Palm House, Museum of Economic Botany, Victoria amazonica, the shade of Ficus (Murdoch) avenue... have you ever experienced these wonders of the Garden? These are just a few of the legacies of the Botanic Gardens of South Australia's second director, Richard Schomburgk (1811-1891). Take this guided walk to discover the man's many contributions to the Garden and to the colony of South Australia.

Naming Plants: Why? And how?

Date: Daily, Monday 23 May to Sunday 29 May
Time: 1:30 - 3pm
Where:Wittunga Botanic Garden, Blackwood. Meet at the Shepherds Hill Road carpark (download a map).

Why do we use Latin names to describe plants? Can common names be confusing? Get the answers to these questions and many more during this Wittunga guided walk, diving into the rich history of plant names.