The Growing Friends

Congratulations to the Growing Friends who are celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year!


Join the Growing Friends. This group is just part of an exciting range of activities and events the Friends run for their members. The Friends support the Botanic Gardens providing financial and volunteer support for projects and events. Love the Gardens? Join the Friends! 

  • The Growing Friends are a group of  volunteers who work regularly in the Friends’ Nursery to propagate a range of plants, many being rare or unusual varieties. Most come from stock in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. The plants are sold at Member only nursery sales or the large Autumn and Spring Growing Friends' Plant sales in the Gardens, to raise funds to support projects in the Gardens.
  • To join the Growing Friends, members need to be able to commit to working most Fridays in the Nursery for approximately 5-6 hours. There is a waiting list, so apply early if you anticipate being available.
  • If you are interested in joining the Growing Friends or any of the Friends' volunteer committees download a Volunteer form or contact the Friends' office. Volunteers do need to be members of the Friends so Join Now to get involved.

Volunteer Application Form
(Adobe PDF File)

The Nursery

  • The Friends' Nursery is located next to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne works yard. Enter via E Gate and follow path down to RBG works yards.
  • Staffed by members of the Growing Friends group, it stocks a large range of shrubs, perennials, bulbs, succulents and other plants, both Australian and exotic.  
  • Each month the Growing Friends will showcase a special plant from their Nursery.
  • Member only plant sales are conducted at the Growing Friends' Nursery.
  • The recent changes to Myrtle Rust Control Protocol mean that the Growing Friends Nursery will be open for Friends to buy plants on the morning of the first Friday of each month, except when it clashes with the public sales in April and October.
  • Friends may visit the Nursery each and every Friday morning to look at the beautiful plants, to check out what is being grown, and hence will be available in the near future, and if they wish, seek advice from the Growing Friends on plants and\or plant problems.
  • Entry by membership card.
  • Purchase a Gift Voucher in the Online Shop, redeemable at Nursery Sales or Plant Sales.

 

Map of Nursery Location
(Adobe PDF File)