Australian Garden History Society

CURRENT ISSUE of the AGHS JOURNAL

Australian Garden History

Volume 20 Number 4

April/May/June 2009

In members letterboxes now!

30th Annual National Conference

Geelong, Victoria

16-18 October 2009

Conference, lectures and post conference tour are booked out. Limited places still available for the Optional Day.

Geelong is the setting for this year’s AGHS conference. From the 1850s it has been a bustling and lively city, a disembarkation point for those seeking their fortunes on the Victorian goldfields and from even earlier days, a gateway to the rich pastoral lands to the west.

This year’s conference entitled ‘Cultivating Australia Felix’ explores the theme of pastoral expansion and a series of distinguished speakers will examine the pastoral legacy, the gardens and homesteads built in the area opened to European settlement after the journeys of Major Thomas Mitchell in 1836.

The theme will be explored in three ways – through artists’ recording of the settled and natural landscape, through oral history, especially by descendants of significant properties – a rare opportunity to hear them first-hand– and through on-site visits. A highlight is a day in the heart of the Western District, exploring the distinctive volcanic landscape and visiting historic gardens and properties not open to the public.

The conference venue is the Geelong Conference Centre, Eastern Park, adjacent to Geelong’s historic Botanic Gardens.

View conference brochure.

Optional day: Monday 19th October. Limited places available.

Post Conference Tour
20-22 October - Booked out

The Post Conference Tour will continue the theme of the conference, celebrating the pastoral properties, homesteads and gardens of the volcanic plains of the Western District.

John Viska Essay Prize 2009

The West Australian Branch is offering a prize of $500, one year’s membership to the Society, and an opportunity for publication in the national journal, Australian Garden History or online on the Society's website.

The prize will be given for a completed research paper contributing to the knowledge and/or management of Western Australia’s garden heritage.

The aim of the award is to encourage research in Australian garden history by new and emerging scholars, and to recognize excellence in the related writing.

Further details and application form.

AGHS Branches

The AGHS has eight state/regional branches across Australia.

To find out what’s happening in your region visit the branch pages.

Read what is happening in the Sydney and Northern New South Wales branch in its newsletter Branch Cuttings.

The Victorian branch's Winter Lecture Series 2009 promises to be an informative and interesting series. More information...

Gardens of Eden

New Publication on Special Offer to AGHS Members

Gardens of Eden: Among the World's Most Beautiful Gardens by Holly Kerr Forsyth

Published by The Miegunyah Press

RRP $59.99 AGHS Members $48.00

Bestselling author Holly Kerr Forsyth ushers you through a botanical wonderland. With more than 500 photographs, this book is a celebration of the ideals and aesthetics that govern the creation of gardens in many cultures.For more information and to purchase see flier.

For more special book offers to AGHS members see the publications page on our website.

Studies in Australian Garden History

Volume 2

Edited by Max Bourke and Colleen Morris

Seven fully refereed articles make up a diverse, and stimulating collection of current research into the history of gardens, gardening, landscapes and culture – articles as diverse as the War efforts at vegetable gardening, to the “War of the Roses” in Canberra, from pictorial studies in the nineteenth century of the Dandenong Ranges to literary reflections of gardens.

To obtain your copy complete the purchase form, or call or email the AGHS office. Cost: $20.00 plus postage.

Call for input into a Research Register

One of the joys of AGHS is finding other members with like minds and interests. For some time the English Garden History Society has maintained a register of members's research interests, an invaluable tool to inform what research has been done, or is underway, on a wide range of garden history themes and topics and encourage sharing of ideas.

Members are free to search the register at www.gardenhistorysociety.org . Note the variation in methods (or even whether) researchers can be contacted by. The AGHS has been discussing with the English GHS the feasibility of combining the Register with additional entries from Australian members. This has advantages in making it a more representative international coverage of garden history, allowing cross-comparison of themes.

From consulting the Index of Australian Garden History it appears there is a wide range of completed research AGHS members have shown interest in since 1980. Recent themes arising have been 20th century garden history (as opposed to 19th or 18th), modern landscape design, native plant use, migrant, kitchen and community gardens.

The most sensible way to make this work is by each AGHS Branch nominating a mediator for members in their region/ state. This will be member's first contact, and the mediator will follow up enquiries for additions or alterations, check member's research interests are genuine, and pass them on to the GHS's coordinator who will amend the register. Contact your branch contact for more information on this matter.

Gardens of Memory Project

Do you have memories of a garden that has been a special place for you? Garden history is not confined to large, grand or famous gardens. It includes the history of front gardens and back yards of suburbs, towns and farms all over the country.

The Gardens of Memory Project is a response to the changing way we use gardens.

We would like to find out what your garden, or a garden that was important to you, was like when you were growing up. In this way we will be able to capture a snapshot of gardens and how they were used and planted during much of the twentieth century.

For more information about the project and how to participate click here

Recent Issues of Australian Garden History

January/February/March 2009

October/November/December 2008

July/August/September 2008

May/June 2008

Index opens up past issues

It's now easy to find an article, garden, or other gem in past issues of Australian Garden History with the Index to Volumes 1-15 of Australian Garden History.

Compiled by AGHS member Kirstie McRobert, this comprehensive index covers Australian Garden History from 1989-2004.

A printed version is available for $20.00 (including postage) from the AGHS office.

Don't despair if you find an article but don't have the issue. Back issues can be purchased using the purchase form or by contacting the AGHS office.

Associate YOUR name with the AGHS Website - see Sponsorship Guidelines

Contact Details

Head Office

Gate Lodge

100 Birdwood Avenue

Melbourne Victoria 3004

Phone: 03 9650 5043 or Tollfree 1800 678 446

Fax: 03 9650 8470

General Information: info@gardenhistorysociety.org.au

Journal: editor@gardenhistorysociety.org.au

Webmaster: info@gardenhistorysociety.org.au

CURRENT ISSUE of the AGHS JOURNAL Australian Garden History Volume 20 Number 4 April/May/June 2009 In members letterboxes now!
30th Annual National Conference Geelong, Victoria 16-18 October 2009 Conference, lectures and post conference tour are booked out. Limited places still available for the Optional Day. Geelong is the setting for this year’s AGHS conference. From the 1850s it has been a bustling and lively city, a disembarkation point for those seeking their fortunes on the Victorian goldfields and from even earlier days, a gateway to the rich pastoral lands to the west. This year’s conference entitled ‘Cultivating Australia Felix’ explores the theme of pastoral expansion and a series of distinguished speakers will examine the pastoral legacy, the gardens and homesteads built in the area opened to European settlement after the journeys of Major Thomas Mitchell in 1836. The theme will be explored in three ways – through artists’ recording of the settled and natural landscape, through oral history, especially by descendants of significant properties – a rare opportunity to hear them first-hand– and through on-site visits. A highlight is a day in the heart of the Western District, exploring the distinctive volcanic landscape and visiting historic gardens and properties not open to the public. The conference venue is the Geelong Conference Centre, Eastern Park, adjacent to Geelong’s historic Botanic Gardens. View conference brochure. Optional day: Monday 19th October. Limited places available. Post Conference Tour 20-22 October - Booked out The Post Conference Tour will continue the theme of the conference, celebrating the pastoral properties, homesteads and gardens of the volcanic plains of the Western District.
John Viska Essay Prize 2009 The West Australian Branch is offering a prize of $500, one year’s membership to the Society, and an opportunity for publication in the national journal, Australian Garden History or online on the Society's website. The prize will be given for a completed research paper contributing to the knowledge and/or management of Western Australia’s garden heritage. The aim of the award is to encourage research in Australian garden history by new and emerging scholars, and to recognize excellence in the related writing. Further details and application form.
AGHS Branches The AGHS has eight state/regional branches across Australia. To find out what’s happening in your region visit the branch pages. Read what is happening in the Sydney and Northern New South Wales branch in its newsletter Branch Cuttings. The Victorian branch's Winter Lecture Series 2009 promises to be an informative and interesting series. More information...
Gardens of Eden New Publication on Special Offer to AGHS Members Gardens of Eden: Among the World's Most Beautiful Gardens by Holly Kerr Forsyth Published by The Miegunyah Press RRP $59.99 AGHS Members $48.00 Bestselling author Holly Kerr Forsyth ushers you through a botanical wonderland. With more than 500 photographs, this book is a celebration of the ideals and aesthetics that govern the creation of gardens in many cultures.For more information and to purchase see flier. For more special book offers to AGHS members see the publications page on our website.
Studies in Australian Garden History Volume 2 Edited by Max Bourke and Colleen Morris Seven fully refereed articles make up a diverse, and stimulating collection of current research into the history of gardens, gardening, landscapes and culture – articles as diverse as the War efforts at vegetable gardening, to the “War of the Roses” in Canberra, from pictorial studies in the nineteenth century of the Dandenong Ranges to literary reflections of gardens. To obtain your copy complete the purchase form, or call or email the AGHS office. Cost: $20.00 plus postage.
Call for input into a Research Register One of the joys of AGHS is finding other members with like minds and interests. For some time the English Garden History Society has maintained a register of members's research interests, an invaluable tool to inform what research has been done, or is underway, on a wide range of garden history themes and topics and encourage sharing of ideas. Members are free to search the register at www.gardenhistorysociety.org . Note the variation in methods (or even whether) researchers can be contacted by. The AGHS has been discussing with the English GHS the feasibility of combining the Register with additional entries from Australian members. This has advantages in making it a more representative international coverage of garden history, allowing cross-comparison of themes. From consulting the Index of Australian Garden History it appears there is a wide range of completed research AGHS members have shown interest in since 1980. Recent themes arising have been 20th century garden history (as opposed to 19th or 18th), modern landscape design, native plant use, migrant, kitchen and community gardens. The most sensible way to make this work is by each AGHS Branch nominating a mediator for members in their region/ state. This will be member's first contact, and the mediator will follow up enquiries for additions or alterations, check member's research interests are genuine, and pass them on to the GHS's coordinator who will amend the register. Contact your branch contact for more information on this matter.
Gardens of Memory Project Do you have memories of a garden that has been a special place for you? Garden history is not confined to large, grand or famous gardens. It includes the history of front gardens and back yards of suburbs, towns and farms all over the country. The Gardens of Memory Project is a response to the changing way we use gardens. We would like to find out what your garden, or a garden that was important to you, was like when you were growing up. In this way we will be able to capture a snapshot of gardens and how they were used and planted during much of the twentieth century. For more information about the project and how to participate click here
Recent Issues of Australian Garden History January/February/March 2009 October/November/December 2008 July/August/September 2008 May/June 2008 Index opens up past issues It's now easy to find an article, garden, or other gem in past issues of Australian Garden History with the Index to Volumes 1-15 of Australian Garden History. Compiled by AGHS member Kirstie McRobert, this comprehensive index covers Australian Garden History from 1989-2004. A printed version is available for $20.00 (including postage) from the AGHS office. Don't despair if you find an article but don't have the issue. Back issues can be purchased using the purchase form or by contacting the AGHS office. Associate YOUR name with the AGHS Website - see Sponsorship Guidelines
Contact Details Head Office Gate Lodge 100 Birdwood Avenue Melbourne Victoria 3004 Phone: 03 9650 5043 or Tollfree 1800 678 446 Fax: 03 9650 8470 General Information: info@gardenhistorysociety.org.au Journal: editor@gardenhistorysociety.org.au Webmaster: info@gardenhistorysociety.org.au

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