We were excited to see the Sensory Garden officially open on 17 December 2020, when Peter Kelly, former Chair of the Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Trust Fund, the project’s major donor, shared the honour of cutting the official ribbon – a length of vine – with RBGV Chair, Ms Chris Trotman. RBGV Director and Chief Executive, Professor Tim Entwisle also officially launched the RBGV Melbourne Gardens Master Plan 2020-2040 at the same time.
Donors and other guests were given a tour of the new garden by Landscape Architect Andrew Laidlaw and horticulturist Terry Smyth, and it was pleasing to see plants contributed by the Growing Friends nursery as part of the landscaping. The garden gives visitors a place of quiet contemplation overlooking the water of Central Lake as well as a place to enjoy the different sensations of colour, scent, sound and texture, from the rustling of bamboo to the scent of thyme under foot.
The FRBGM Trust Fund grant of $200,000 towards the Sensory Garden helps to complete the Melbourne Gardens’ Fern Gully Restoration Project. This has been a major area of financial support from the Trust Fund over several years, with previous grants going towards the Fern Gully Boardwalk ($300,000), rainforest misting ($52,000) and the Fern Gully Rest House restoration ($75,000).
The Friends are proud to have been able to contribute to the redevelopment of this important precinct within the Melbourne Gardens.
