Friends’ botanical efforts rewarded

FRIENDS of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens have been presented with Handbury Awards from the Australian Association of Friends of Botanic Gardens.

Val Richards was awarded for her botanical art initiatives, while the Friends Growers Group was celebrated for their work in the FBBG nursery.

“Val is an exceptionally talented and renowned botanical artist who has created guided and inspired the Friends Botanical Art Group to record, paint and exhibit many plant species from the Ballarat Botanical Plant Collection, notably recently the begonias,” said FBBG president Julie Bradby.

“Their new project is to paint and record the new fernery collection. Botanical art is a science as well as a beautiful art form and goes back centuries informing early botanists, herbalists, doctors and plant collectors in their quest to discover new species to heal the sick and beautify our lives.

“A tradition worthy of celebration, appreciation and Australia-wide acknowledgement.”

The Friends Growers Group are being honoured for making an exceptional contribution to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens behind the scenes.

“This award is an initiative to acknowledge the wonderful work of volunteers within Friends of Gardens groups Australia-wide,” Mrs Bradby said.

“The nursery team have successfully run a plant nursery at the Gardens enabling the Friends to do their work to support the Gardens, the visitors and the local community to enjoy, gain benefits, and learn from our Gardens.

“Given the Friends of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens donated $200,000 to the Gardens Fernery and Landscaping Project, this is a highly significant and worthy award.”

Awardees were celebrated at a special morning tea at the Robert Clark Centre last week.

“They are worthy, highly successful groups of people who are active and willing to give back their exceptional skills into our community,” Mrs Bradby said.