8 December 2024
Christmas gift ideas
A book is a gift you can open again and again. So said Garrison Keillor, that wry, wise American...
27 November 2024
Townsend of the Ranges
Most Australians have heard of mainland Australia’s highest mountain, Mt Kosciuszko, but few know...
20 November 2024
The Fairer Side of Buxton by Clare Gleeson
OUT NOW AND AVAILABLE AT THE AGHS ONLINE SHOP $65 (includes postage within Australia) Alfred Buxton...
19 November 2024
Ross gardens in spring
One of the benefits of membership of Australian Garden History Society (AGHS) is the opportunity to...
8 November 2024
A Short History of Flowers
Michaela Hill reviews A Short History of Flowers, The stories that make our gardens by Advolly...
9 October 2024
AGHS Annual Report 2023-2024
The Australian Garden History Society is pleased to provide you with the AGHS Annual Report 2023-24...
4 October 2024
Another lady plant collector: Annie Richards of South Australia
Roger Cross has brought into the limelight yet another wonderful Australian lady plant collector:...
2 October 2024
October 2024 issue of Australian Garden History
The October 2024 issue of Australian Garden History is now available. Details of the articles...
22 September 2024
Boulevard of broken dreams
Max Bourke, AM reviews Experts in the World Heritage Regime – Between Protection and Prestige by...
19 September 2024
Winner of the QUT essay prize
The Australian Garden History Society is delighted to announce the winner of the essay competition...
1 September 2024
Vale John Dargavel
The Australian forest and environmental history communities have lost one of their pioneering...
1 September 2024
The colorful history of plant pathology in Australia
A special edition of Historical Records of Australian Science, edited by Andrew Geering (University...
25 August 2024
A botanical wonderland in Hamilton, New Zealand
The Time Traveller’s Guide to Hamilton Gardens by Peter Sergel, photographs by Grant Sheehan Phantom...
10 August 2024
Gardening bohemia – revisiting the Bloomsbury group
Members of the Bloomsbury Group during a stay at Garsington Manor. From left to right: Ottoline...
31 July 2024
How to grow and process your own herbs
The Medicinal Garden, Treat, feed and soothe straight from your garden by Caroline Parker...
30 June 2024
Walking in Burnley Gardens
John Dwyer reviews Burnley Gardens: Their Design and the People who loved them, by Michele Adler...
19 June 2024
Tales of arboreal obsession
Amy Stewart, The Tree Collectors, Tales of Arboreal Obsession, Text Publishing, Melbourne...
22 May 2024
Bob Crowder: a New Zealand organics pioneer
Stuart Read reviews Bob Crowder: a New Zealand organics pioneer, by Matt Morris, Otago University...
8 May 2024
FUTURE DIRECTIONS DISCUSSION PAPER
This brief paper has been prepared at the request of the NMC at its meeting on 4 December 2023...
21 April 2024
Read this book: it may just change your life as a gardener!
There is a lot of fascinating information contained in this book. Did you know that morning glory...
20 February 2024
2024 Annual National Conference
44th AGHS Conference Hesperia: Looking West Bunbury, Western Australia Friday 18th, Saturday 19th...
16 February 2024
Historic Gardens of Perth: a handsome first
John Viska & Lisa Williams (eds), Historic Gardens of Perth: European settlement to Modernism...
15 February 2024
Food and travel
This week’s review comes to you from Dr Jacqueline Newling, an historian, gastronomer and...
12 January 2024
Brave the Wild River
Rosemary Purdie reviews Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of...
8 January 2024
Ancient Australian Wollemi pine growing in Ukraine
Australian Ambassador to Ukraine, HE Bruce Edwards (second from right), inspecting the Wollemi pine...
8 January 2024
Napoleon’s Garden Island
Book review by Tim Gatehouse In Napoleon’s Garden Island – lost and old gardens of St Helena, South...
18 December 2023
AGHS Annual Conference – Hobart and Ipswich session recordings
The AGHS Annual Conference is a highly anticipated event. While we wait for the 2024 National...
6 December 2023
Eden unearthed: well worth a visit
Stuart Read reviews the Eden Unearthed: sculpture exhibition, Eden Gardens & Garden Centre, 307...
28 November 2023
The World of Mab Grimwade
Sandra Pullman reviews Mab, The World of Mab Grimwade by Thea Gardiner (The Miegunyah Press, Imprint...
24 November 2023
Fevered Planet – how disease emerges when we harm nature
Dr Kim Loo, general practitioner, and member of Doctors for the Environment Australia responds to...
22 November 2023
Dr John Gray OAM – a remarkable ‘man of the trees’
Magna Carta Place, Canberra Parliamentary Triangle, one of John Gray’s landscape design...
16 November 2023
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria scientist names new rhododendron species
A botanist at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Dr Alastair Robinson, has described a beautiful new...
6 November 2023
Future directions of the Victorian Heritage Register – Invitation to have your say!
Since 1974, the Victorian Heritage Register has protected the heritage places and objects that are...
9 October 2023
The crucial role of seeds in natural and human history
Fiona McMillan-Webster, The Age of Seeds, Thames and Hudson, 2022 Reviewed by Francesca Beddie...
30 August 2023
Visions of Nature by Jarrod Hore
Reviewed by John Dwyer, QC, PhD This book is disappointing in a number of ways. Its intent was ‘to...
12 August 2023
UPDATED! Call for proposals: National ‘Landscapes At Risk: Watch & Action’ List
‘Landscapes At Risk: Watch & Action’ List At National Management Committee meeting in June...
25 July 2023
Historic Gardens of Perth
The West Australian Branch is pleased to announce that Historic Gardens of Perth: European...
4 July 2023
Succulentomania
Caroline Ball, A Splendour of Succulents & Cacti: Illustrations from an Eighteenth-Century...
22 June 2023
Baron Ferdinand von Mueller’s letters available online
Letters of love and love lost, and of exciting expeditions are among the letters that Baron...
17 June 2023
Becoming a botanist – reflections by Carrick Chambers
Stuart Read reviews Becoming a botanist, by Carrick Chambers, with Claudia Chambers, hardback...
1 June 2023
Personal stories of plants
Poppy Fitzpatrick reviews The Plant Thieves: Secrets of the Herbarium (NewSouth, 2023) by Prudence...
22 May 2023
The history of early vineyards and viticulture in the Sydney basin
Vineyard, Parramatta, 1840 painting by Conrad Martens, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South...
9 May 2023
University of Canberra Culture and Creativity Seminar – Routledge Handbook of Cultural Landscape Practice: What’s in it (for me)?
Cultural landscapes, which in the field of heritage studies and practice relates to caring for and...
4 April 2023
Replacement of Lombardy Poplars at the National Library of Australia forecourt
Considering community feedback, associated with the heritage values of the Lombardy Poplars in the...
3 April 2023
A win for TROVE
The Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, has announced that the Government will provide the National...
25 March 2023
AGHS statement opposing further encroachment on the Adelaide Parklands
We, the Australian Garden History Society, believe the South Australian Government’s intention to...
16 March 2023
Catching the light
Trevor Nottle reviews John Glover, Patterdale Farm and the Revelation of the Australia Landscape by...
9 March 2023
Keep a diary, dear horticulturists
Karen Pyke reviews The Hidden Horticulturists: The untold story of the men who shaped...
25 February 2023
Backyard Mangoes
In something a little different for the book blog, below is an article on mangoes, reproduced with...
14 February 2023
A mid-century garden on the Nepean River
‘Colour, light, space and texture were essential to Margo Lewers’ art and design philosophy’. Tempe...
29 January 2023
Fifty years of the UK’s Garden History free online
The UK Garden Trust’s journal Garden History was first published by the Garden History Society in...
27 January 2023
Helping Ukrainian scientists
For the last nine months, AGHS member, Dr Greg Johnson, has been liaising with plant pathologist...
30 December 2022
Kew’s gardener on HMS Investigator
Peter Good was one of a remarkable team assembled by Joseph Banks for the voyage of the HMS...
15 December 2022
A Faustian bargain
Max Bourke, AM reviews The Sacrificial Valley – Coal’s Legacy to the Hunter, by John Drinan, Bad...
6 December 2022
Memoir, plant compendium, poetry collection and more: the ramblings of a generous plant hunter
RAMBLINGS OF A RARE PLANT HUNTER by Marcus Harvey Reviewed by Trevor Pitkin I often wonder when I...
28 November 2022
Rosemary’s Gardening Life
Rosemary Simpson, a member of AGHS since the beginning, has written the story of her gardening life...
23 November 2022
AGHS launches its first climate change position statement
“It’s time those of us who care for gardens take a stand against climate change,” said AGHS’s...
16 November 2022
New Zealand’s botanical heroes revealed in a history of Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush
Clare Gleeson reviews AGHS member, Bee Dawson’s beautiful history, Ōtari Two hundred years of...
27 October 2022
Mothering in Crisis: Family, Disaster and Climate Change: FREE EVENT
“Mothering in Crisis” is a Melbourne Climate Futures CRX Project headed by Dr Carla Pascoe Leahy and...
9 October 2022
UPDATED: Avenues of Honour and other significant plantings – Australia-wide list
Honour & Memorial Avenues / Roadside Plantings; Lone Pines / Arbor Day Plantings –...
6 October 2022
The real Miss Willmott
Miss Willmott’s Ghosts by Sandra Lawrence, Blink Publishing, 2022 Reviewed by Clare Gleeson Who...
5 October 2022
Goronga, a hill station garden
Goronga is a farming property in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, 55 kilometres from Melbourne...
26 August 2022
Across Bass Strait. Inter-Colonial Trade in Meat and Livestock by Jane Lennon, Anchor Books Australia, 2022
Review by Rosie Mackinnon, co-chair, Tasmanian branch of AGHS This is an historical account of how...
25 August 2022
The Mick Jagger of the plant world
Tim Entwisle, Evergreen. The Botanical Life of a Plant Punk, Thames and Hudson, 2022, review by Max...
15 July 2022
Is the pen mightier than the trowel?
No! Neither the pen nor the trowel is mightier; instead, both are needed for understanding gardening...
8 July 2022
Scientific gentlemen of the Baudin expedition
Eds Jean Fornasiero, John West-Sooby, ‘Roaming Freely Throughout the Universe’, Nicolas...
30 June 2022
Winter webinar: Is the pen mightier than the trowel in garden history?
Have you booked yet for the winter webinar? Go to Is The Pen Mightier Than The Trowel In Garden...
8 June 2022
Exploring the tree continent
Book review by Max Bourke AM I seem to be making a habit of this. Last year I got very excited about...
5 April 2022
100 years of Australian native plants: the Maranoa Botanic Gardens Florilegium by Margaret Castle
The Maranoa Botanic Garden is a hidden gem in Balwyn not far from Melbourne’s city centre. Recently...
11 February 2022
Harry Turbott: New Zealand’s First Landscape Architect
Garth Falconer, Harry Turbott: New Zealand’s First Landscape Architect, Blue Acres Publishing, 2020...
30 January 2022
Summer reading
Here in Bundanoon, summer has been elusive. The sun has had to compete with mist and rain; the weeds...
18 January 2022
Common Ground – Garden Histories of Aoteoroa
Common Ground – Garden Histories of Aoteoroa by Matt Morris, Otago University Press, 2020, 276 pages...
5 January 2022
Wonder: 175 Years of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (Hardie Grant Books Richmond, Melbourne, 2021)
As a Melbournian, it was a pleasure to review this amazing book, Wonder 175 Years of Royal Botanic...
22 December 2021
Eden Unearthed: Art in the Gardens
Stuart Read reviews a sculpture exhibition at Eden Gardens & Garden Centre, 307 Lane Cove Road...
8 December 2021
Plants of the Simpson Desert
As a supplement to her article ‘Major plant collectors in the Simpson Desert, 1879–1979’, in...
9 October 2021
Book review: a history of food
As editor of both Australian Garden History and the Professional Historians Association’s...
5 October 2021
New book: Illustrated Plant Glossary
The Illustrated Plant Glossary (CSIRO Publishing, 2021, $69.99) by Enid Mayfield is a comprehensive...
27 September 2021
Illustrations from an 18th-century botanical treasury
Do you want to know what a florilegium is, or a herbal, and would you like to acquire a piece of an...
19 September 2021
Goronga plant list
In the October 2021 issue of Australian Garden History, Tim Gatehouse writes about the history of...
14 September 2021
Remarkable Gardens updated: Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden
The latest addition to the Remarkable Gardens list is Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden, featured...
13 September 2021
Plant hunting in the Pacific
Alistair Watt’s article, Charles Moore. Plant Hunting in the South Pacific. 1850. is...
13 September 2021
Silent Space Movement
This article by Liz Ware, garden writer and historian, member of the Garden Media Guild and a former...
11 September 2021
AGHS Advocacy
From its inception, the Australian Garden History Society set out to be a conservationist...
9 September 2021
Finding the Mother Tree: book review
Simard, Suzanne, Finding the Mother Tree – Uncovering the Wisdom and Intelligence of the...
16 April 2021
Spirit of the Garden: book review
Trisha Dixon has written an extraordinary book straight from her heart. Her beautiful descriptions...
16 February 2021
Wandella Woods Arboretum: a year after the fires
In the early hours of New Year’s Eve 2019 a massive bushfire ravaged the town of Cobargo in...
1 February 2021
Picconia excelsa in Australia and New Zealand
Palo blanco or Canary Island olive trees (Picconia excelsa) in Australia and New Zealand: to date 38...
30 July 2020
Remarkable Gardens UPDATED April 2021
The AGHS is keen to find out from you which ten gardens in your region, state or territory – public...
29 July 2020
National E-News
Latest issue July 2020 Previous issues April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December...
9 July 2020
Dig In! with TROVE
Gardeners have long built and re-built communities. Great swathes of land and some important...
1 June 2020
Flowers. Passion. Pain. Nation.
With a title such as that, surely an exhibition for our times. The April issue of Australian Garden...
9 April 2020
Upgrade to Station Street, Bowral
The Southern Highlands Branch of AGHS has not gone into hibernation because of coronavirus. A...
29 August 2019
More Oral Histories Now Online
See the latest additions to the AGHS National Oral History Collection! This is a very special...
3 April 2019
Amazing trees on National Trust of Australia (Victoria) register
Jessica Hood was interviewed ABC’s 7.30 on 1 April 2019 talking about this and other amazing...
10 June 2017
Council supports Australian Garden History Society
Armidale Regional Council has approved funding of $43,656 to the Australian Garden History Society...
7 March 2017
ACT Branch: Planting Memories for the Centenary of ANZAC
The ACT Riverina Monaro Branch received an ANZAC Centenary Local Grant to honour all the men from...
25 January 2017
Garden Restoration Project in the News
Montague Island Kitchen Garden Restoration was a recipient of the Society’s Garden Restoration...
24 October 2016
CAL Payments
Many AGHS members have written articles for the Society’s Journal and other publications over...
24 September 2016
Kindred Spirits Fund
On her death Lady Law-Smith bequeathed to the Australian Garden History Society the publication...
20 March 2014
Heritage Gardens Queensland Survey
In Queensland an opportunity arose to carry out a state wide survey of historic gardens and assess...
20 March 2013
ACT Branch: The ‘English Garden’ and Yarralumla Nursery
The ‘English Garden’ and Yarralumla Nursery The English Garden and Yarralumla Nursery are two of...
20 March 2012
A National Review of Inventories of Historic Gardens, Trees, and Landscapes
In 2011/12 the Society commissioned heritage architect and planner Dr Timothy Hubbard and...
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