5.3 HORTICULTURE

Background

The cultivation of the Australian flora and the presentation of that flora to the public have been major features of the Gardens since its inception. The Gardens is committed to high-quality presentation of a wide representation of the Australian flora, and the living collections are the Gardens's most public face.

The cultivation and display of the entire Australian flora is a task beyond the capacity of any single institution. Progress towards this goal requires the cooperative efforts of botanic gardens and other organisations around Australia.

In many parts of Australia there are no appropriate facilities for cultivation and display of native plants. Proposals to establish a network of botanic gardens, each one responsible for the cultivation and conservation of its regional flora, have been advanced by groups such as the Royal Australian Institute of Parks and Recreation and the Australian Flora Foundation. The Gardens has supported such proposals and, where possible, assisted the proponents with advice on planning and development.

The Gardens has promoted the cultivation of Australian native plants and their use in horticulture and landscaping, working with the Society for Growing Australian Plants, the Australian Flora Foundation, the Royal Australian of Institute Parks and Recreation, and other similar groups. It has played a major role in the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority, a body established to register significant cultivated varieties of Australian plants, and provides the national office for the Authority. Membership of the Authority is drawn from staff of the major botanic gardens, the Society for Growing Australian Plants and private horticultural experts. The Authority works closely with the Plant Variety Rights Office in matters related to cultivars of Australian plants.

Management prescriptions

Objective

The objective is to foster cooperative endeavours with other organisations promoting the cultivation of Australian flora.

Implementation

The Gardens will continue to support and play an active role in the work of the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority. Facilities will be provided to enable the Authority's national office to continue operating from the Gardens in Canberra and staff will be encouraged to participate in the Authority's activities.

Liaison will continue with organisations involved in promoting the cultivation and sustainable use of the Australian flora and cooperative efforts will be developed where the organisations' aims and those of the Gardens coincide.

The Gardens will continue to support proposals for the establishment and development of botanic gardens in regional Australia, which, through the cultivation and display of the local flora, have potential to contribute significantly to regional plant conservation, environmental education and land-care activities.