So much is happening in the gardens with Spring around the corner. The daffodils have emerged, the Pinetum hedge has been planted, the labels are appearing and further tree plantings are planned when restrictions allow. In this newsletter, we discover a remarkable curator from the past and learn about visitors who are presently enjoying a bounty of pine cones! 

Garden Update
With the appointment of our Head Gardener and a new Horticulturist, we're pleased to report that there's a lot of progress happening in the gardens. We will introduce our new garden staff in the next newsletter.

New plants have arrived and are ready to go in the ground! There are three areas of focus being the perennial plants near the gates, hedging along the boundary of the Pinetum and coastal plants to echo the planting along the Esplanade. Many plantings will be fenced with security to ensure they can establish without disruption.

New labels for our significant trees and plants will be appearing (more details below). When the plantings and labeling are finished, there are plans to conduct garden tours for interested Friends and members of the public when safe to do so.

Plant Labels
Visitors to the Gardens can expect to see plant labels going into the ground in the coming weeks. The labels will be around the pond, in the main path and on the open air bandstand. Tree labels throughout the gardens will be installed in September. More soon!
A big thank you to Loraine Callow, Program Development Officer, for bringing the labelling project into fruition!

Rowdy Visitors
There is much shredding of pine cones going on in the Gardens! The big Canary Island, Pinus canariensis near the office and machinery shed is a favourite snack bar at the moment as well as the Pinus halepensis and Pinus Pineacea in the Pinetum. Read more about our visitors here.
(Photo courtesy: Ian Rae)

Trove Treasures
Garden treasures are not always about plants but the people who worked and cared for the gardens in the past. Below is a photograph taken in 1912 of curator, Bill Crowe (right) with Harry Stitt with their prize roses. (Photo courtesy: Eileen Schelleman and Carl Tracey). Click on the time portal to learn more about the influence that Bill Crowe had upon the design and upkeep of our gardens.

Thank you to Jill Hocking who researched this article as part of her work with the Trove Team. If you'd like to join in and help correct articles about the gardens in the National Library digitised collection (Trove) contact Loraine.
Time Portal

The Alfred Clark Statue
This year the Alfred Thomas Clark statue celebrates 130 years of watching over the Williamstown Botanic Gardens. Surrounded by mature Moreton Bay figs (Ficus macrophylla) and situated in the centre of the gardens, the statue carved in Carrara marble by Enrico Lucchinelli, was unveiled at a public ceremony on Saturday 25th July, 1891 in front of a crowd of 300 people. The event was widely reported in papers of the day noting that Mr Clark was a well-respected businessman and politician. 

The work was sculpted in Italy from a photograph and funded through public subscription.
 
Mr Clark (1845-1888) served as the representative for Williamstown in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria from 1871 to 1887 and founded the Williamstown Advertiser  newspaper in 1874. Alfred T Clark died in 1888 at sea aboard R.M.S Oceana, near Colombo on his way to England. 
 
The statue was restored by an expert conservator in 2007 to repair and replace parts of the statue that incurred damage over the years and the surrounding fence was reinstated using photographic evidence and helped by the discovery of the location of remnants of the original fence posts still in the soil. 

2021/2022 Membership Fees
A gentle reminder that your membership fees are now due.
You can pay with direct debit (please place your surname in the description) or at our AGM.
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Stay Safe and Connected
Send your suggestions for articles and photos for the newsletter to us via email.
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The Friends will be conducting a Plant Stall in the foyer of Coles Williamstown on Saturday 9th November from 9am until 1pm. Why not stock up on some nice gardening gifts for Christmas or treat your own garden to something new! 

Celebrated every May across Australia and New Zealand, Botanic Gardens Day is an invitation to rug up and visit your favourite botanic garden this autumn. Join us at Williamstown Botanic Garden for free activities on Sunday, 26 May 2019, 11.00am to 3.00pm.
 
11.00 am
Curator Chat
Get up to date with works planned for the gardens in a chat with WBG Curator, Shelley Wood.
 
12.00 noon
Postcard Tour
Explore the Gardens on a Postcard Tour. Learn about the early 1900’s craze for postcard sending and collecting and discover what these images and messages can tell us about the gardens.

1.30 pm
The Amazing Case of Dr Ward and Other Stories
Enjoy a botanic story with acclaimed, local storytellers Jackie Kerin and Sarah Depasquale. Join us as they take us back in time with the Amazing Case of Dr Ward and Other Stories” to meet a curious fellow who created an invention that changed the world! 
 
All day
Nature, Reading, Art and a Cuppa
Discover our nature table, get cosy in our reading corner or get creative making your own collage garden art. Relax and enjoy a cuppa and chat with the Friends of Williamstown Botanic Gardens (us!)

Momentum is gathering for our Paint the Gardens Art Competition which will be held on Sunday 28th April and we've organised a delightful day for all to enjoy with entertainment, refreshments and activities for children.

We'd like to remind potential artists that the closing date for registering your artwork is 22nd April and we hope that you or your artistic friends have the opportunity to be involved. Please share!

​OPEN
First Prize: $500
Highly Commended:  $150 + $50 voucher 
People's Choice:  $150 + $50 voucher 

YOUNG PERSON
​First Prize: $150
2 x Highly Commended: $50 voucher(s)

TO ENTER: Please check our Conditions for Entry and contact us with the following information:
​Name, email, contact number, title, size, medium and if you can supply an easel on the day.

We look forward to seeing your entry!

The Spring school holidays are only two weeks away and we need volunteers to set out and put away our very popular Reading Corner. It's a great way to get involved and a joy to see children quietly immersed in reading and nature.
You only need to volunteer for a day or two by coming in around 9am and bringing out the books and cushions then returning around 3pm to put them away. If you're not already, why not become a member of the Friends of Williamstown Botanic Gardens for more opportunities, guest speakers and visits to other gardens.
Contact us on williebotgardens @ gmail.com