What's On

September

Sunday 11: Themed Guided Walk - 'Chinese Plants in our Garden' 2.00 pm
China had the first Botanical Garden in 138 BC, an enormous park with 2,000 different plants and hot houses.2^nd emperor Yang Di in Sui dynasty (581-618AD) built the largest gardens in history and searched far and wide for rare and beautiful plants. 2,000 years of Chinese horticultural endeavour enrich gardens all over the world. Join your Guide at the GBG front steps to see how many of our plants have Chinese origins. Meet your guide at the front steps, gold coin donation.

October

Sunday 9: 'Australian Plants in Flower', 2.00 pm
Many Australian plants are displaying their glorious best in spring. Pollinators are active then, seeds are set and the plants go into retirement mode for the heat of summer. October is a wonderful time to experience all the colorful and more delicate blooms of the Australian plants in our Gardens. Meet your guide at the front steps, gold coin donation.

Monday 10: Through the Garden Gates, 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
Visit four gardens in the Leopold/Barwon Heads area, with afternoon tea and plant sale at the final Garden, a delightful day exploring a garden not usually open to the public. Members $40, non-members $30 Book Here

November

Sunday 13: Themed Guided walk - 'Geelong's Long Green Spine' 2.00 pm
Come for a guided walk through the center of Geelong, to see mature trees and recently-planted garden beds. Explore why a garden is sunken, visit pines from Gallipoli, see plants in full spring bloom, look at the imaginative use of diverse, and unusual, plants in the middle of the shopping area and enjoy the peak of the rose flowering season. Meet your guide at the front steps, gold coin donation.

Tuesday 15: Yarra Valley Coach Tour to Alowyn Gardens and Antique Perennials Nursery and Show Garden, 7.45 am sharp -5.45 pm
A big day in the Yarra Valley with the first stop at Antique Perennials – growers of garden collectables, rare and unusual perennials, grasses, and alpines. Then on to Alowyn Gardens with its amazing formal garden areas – a perennial border, silver birch forest, an edible garden of generous proportions, a parterre garden built along with 17thC design principles, and a number of display gardens and a sunken garden. These are all tied by a 100m long wisteria and rose-covered archway. There is a café here or BYO picnic lunch to enjoy. Members $75, non-members $85 Book Here

December

Friday 2: Friends' Christmas Picnic and Drinks 5.30 pm - 7.30 pm
Members and their guests can enjoy the beginning of the festive season with a BYO picnic on the Visitor Facility lawns, with entertainment, a raffle, and a Silent Plant Auction. Tea and Coffee provided. Free event, members only.

WEEKLY PLANT SALES

The Friends’ Plant Nursery is open every Wednesday from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm showcasing a wide selection of plants sourced from the Geelong Botanic Gardens.

Located at the rear of the GBG.

WEEKLY GUIDED WALKS

Every Wednesday at 11.00 am, and Sunday at 2.00 pm.

For more information, or to make a booking, contact the Friends’ office on 5222 6053 between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm Monday to Friday.

Teahouse @GBG Bookings can be made by phone at 0413 706 535.

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Members recently enjoyed a Cooking Demonstration with Gwen Anderson and absolutely enjoyed the luncheon which followed. (Photos: Annie McGeachy)

Through the Garden Gates

The Friends have held these very popular self-drive garden tours, visiting private gardens in the areas:

2012 - the Bellarine
2013 - the Surf Coast
2014 - Geelong
2015 - the Bellarine
2016 - Golden Plains
2017 - the Bellarine
2018 - the Bellarine
2019 - the Surf Coast

In 2019, the tour revisited the Surf Coast region and visited four stunning gardens in the Freshwater Creek, Moriac and Bellbrae areas – offering an incredible variety of design and location.

Afternoon Tea was included in the ticket price - and this was again a delicious event, held at Bellbrae. At Bellbrae, there was a Plant Stall (plants from gardens of Growers and Friends).

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