Davis, Mervyn Twynam   (1916 - 1985)

Born on 22 November 1916 at St. Kilda, Vic.; died 22 April 1985 in Melbourne, aged 68 years.

She studied horticulture at Burnley Horticultural College (dux in 1946) following service with the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force as a transport driver.

She worked as a jobbing gardener before employment at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens as a technical assistant from 1949.

In 1951 she moved to Melbourne Botanic Gardens, where she worked as a herbarium assistant until 1956.

During this time she commenced work on the botanical 'Collectors and Illustrators' project which, many years later was published as 'Australian Plants: Collectors and Illustrators, 1780s-1980s', by J.H. Willis, D. Pearson, M.T. Davis and J.W. Green (1986). This publication is the forerunner of this CHAH website.

In 1956 she went to England and studied Landscape Architecture at King's College, Durham.

The following year she spent three months on a fellowship at the International Agricultural Study Centre, Wageningen University, Netherlands.

Becoming an individual member of the International Federation of Landscape Architects for Australia on her return, she set out to establish a local institute. Largely as a result of her initiatives, this was achieved when the AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS was formed in 1967.

From her return in 1959 until 1963 she worked for architects and engineers and as a consultant, designing the landscaping for the Sports Complex, Monash University (Vic.), and for the Perth Airport (1962).

The success of these works led to her appointment the following year as technical officer in landscape architecture, Commonwealth Department of Works, the first person to occupy this posttion, where she became responsible for projects in Australia and New Guinea.

Large-scale works included the Hobart. Launceston, Tullamarine, and Canberra airports, the Naval Depot at Cockburn Sound, Dockyards at Williamstown, East Sale RAAF Base, and Broadmecadows Arny Establishment, in addition to many smaller ones.

She died in Melbourne on 22 April 1985 and is buried at the Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbourne.

Source: Extracted from:
Aitken & Looker (eds.) 'The Oxford Companion to Australian Gardens', 2002, Melbourne
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/1710272
Portrait Photo: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/1710272

Collecting localities for 'Davis, M.' from AVH (2024)

Data from 436 specimens