Cactus and Succulent Garden at the Botanic Gardens

The Cactus and Succulent Garden  of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens are located on the grounds of Palm House. 

The Palm House is an exquisite, painstakingly restored Victorian glasshouse imported from Bremen, Germany in 1875. It is thought to be the only one of its kind still in existence – must-see at Adelaide Botanic Garden.

The Palm House was designed by German architect Gustav Runge and the sophisticated engineering techniques used in its construction make it a benchmark in glasshouse design. The hanging glass walls are similar to those used in today's city buildings and were very advanced for the time. This sophistication, and Adelaide's dry climate, probably account for the building's survival.

In 1986 corrosion of iron glazing bars made the Palm House unsafe for public use and it was closed. A conservation study carried out in early 1991 recommended full restoration and after a successful public appeal, and a donation from the federal government, this was carried out.

Roll on another 27 years to 2018, and further works were required to treat salt damp and corrosion, and to prune plants to allow light to reach smaller plants. After an eight month closure, the heritage-listed building is open again for all to enjoy.

The Palm House now features a wonderful collection of plants from the island of Madagascar. The plants require warm and dry growing conditions, which also aids in the conservation of the building.

The new Cactus and Succulent Garden at the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide provides lots of ideas for water wise gardening.

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The ongoing drought and tough water restrictions have brought about a culture change among gardeners, now more keen than ever to embrace the concept of water wise gardening.

Plants that are able to survive desert air temperatures of up to 49 degrees Celsius and soil temperatures of 65 degrees Celsius will surely make it through even the toughest of Australian summers.

Cacti and succulents, the desert plants of Africa and the Americas, have evolved similar features to survive in places with too much sun and too little water.

Plants from both continents feature in the Cactus and Succulent Garden at the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide.

Originally planted in 1922, the garden was temporarily relocated in 1993 to allow for the restoration of the Palm House.

The garden has now been moved back and has been officially launched as part of the Botanic Gardens 150th celebrations.

Eventually we make our way toward the North Terrace Entrance to the Botanic Gardens.

New Daily Walk Record and Dahlias

Today, 24 April, I miscalculated.  I gave Carol a choice of a short walk through the Botanical Gardens with a shopping return through town or a 3.8 mile adventure to the South Parklands to visit the Japanese Gardens returning through town.  She decided on the short walk.

4.4 miles later we dragged ourselves back to our apartment; and I don't understand why it was that length.

Along the way we did enough to feed at least four blog posts.  For the sake of this post, I'll show the Dahlia Garden at the Botanic Garden.

The Dahlia Garden is also on the east side but sits alone in a big open area, frequented by lovers and picnicking families.

The dahlias are in peak bloom.

 

 

 

 

 

ANZAC DAY 2020

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served". Observed on 25 April each year, Anzac Day was originally devised to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli Campaign, their first engagement in the First World War (1914–1918). 

This is the third Anzac Day we've spent in Australia.  All are moving.  This the most moving of all.  The day is typically observed with tens of thousands of Australian's marching in parades and tens of thousands more attending the parades.  They are held throughout Australia.

Aussie's wake at 0600 to pay their respects. The solemn understanding of the day's meaning is being passed down to the children.  The theme remains "Lest We Forget". In Australia, the population takes it to heart.  Feelings are genuine from the elderly to the children. 

This year the nation has invented many creative new ways to show their respect, yet maintain social distancing.  Citizens wake at 0600 and observe with a candle at the end of their driveway.  They are conducting virtual observances. Regardless, the are observing.

How serious do they take it? Thousands go to the expense of flying halfway around the globe to Turkey for the observance at 

In Turkey the name "ANZAC Cove" was officially recognised by the Turkish government on Anzac Day in 1985. In 1934, Kemal Atatürk delivered the following words to the first Australians, New Zealanders and British to visit the Gallipoli battlefields. This was later inscribed on a monolith at Ari Burnu Cemetery (ANZAC Beach) which was unveiled in 1985. The words also appear on the Kemal Atatürk Memorial, Canberra, and the Atatürk Memorial in Wellington: 

Those heroes that shed their blood
And lost their lives.
You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side
Here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers,
Who sent their sons from far away countries
Wipe away your tears,
Your sons are now lying in our bosom
And are in peace
After having lost their lives on this land they have
Become our sons as well.

^{Why is this significant.  Ataturk was the Ottoman commander at Gallipoli.  His troops were the ones who butchered the Anzacs when their British commanders treated them as second class citizens and cannon fodder. Attaturk recongnized the bravery of the Anzac bravery in the face of their suicide mission.}

^{It is too bad that we in the US have forgotten our veterans, treat Veteran's Day as a shopping holiday and no longer appreicate the sacrifice made by our forefathers. The Aussies and Kiwis have respect.  We have greed and self-interest.  America, I hardly know ye!}

Flying Foxes

On one of our walks through the Adelaide Botanic Park, we came across strange things hanging in the trees.

 

As the weather warms up, you might notice Adelaide’s Grey-headed Flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) becoming more active. These flying-foxes, also known as fruit bats, have not always been residents of Adelaide. Grey-headed Flying-foxes have been recorded intermittently in South Australia for many decades, with a permanent camp only becoming established in Adelaide from 2010. Since 2010, Grey-headed Flying-fox numbers increased substantially, with a peak of around 22,000 in 2018, and down to 17,000 in January 2019.The Grey-headed Flying-fox is a relatively new resident of Adelaide; some even refer to them as refugees as they moved to South Australia in response to food shortages in their natural range on the East coast. They arrived here in 2010, setting up a colony in the Adelaide Park Lands and can often be seen in the city and inner suburban skies throughout the warmer months.

 

A highly intelligent, social and caring mammal, the Grey-headed Flying-fox is a keystone species, meaning many plants rely on them to spread pollen and seeds. 
They appear to kill the trees where they sleep and nest.

 

 

National Rose Trial Garden of Australia

The National Rose Trial Garden of Australia is located in the northeast corner of the Adelaide Botanical Gardens. Of the many times we've weaved our way through the gardens and since it is tucked away in the far corner of the gardens, this is the first time we've discovered this area.  Obviously, we don't read the maps; we typically just weave our way through and discover what we find.

The Adelaide International Rose Garden takes visitors on a heady journey that's a delight to the senses. As you wander the garden you're drawn through a series of colourful spaces, each cleverly revealing a rose collection from a different style of garden.

 

 

 

The overall structure and geometry includes a sunken garden, a circular garden and several pergolas, in perfect visual counterpoint to the adjacent Bicentennial Conservatory.

The garden displays over 2,500 roses, including areas devoted to Australian bred roses, single roses, heritage roses and pillar roses. A walkway in the garden highlights roses selected for specific Australian causes (Olympic Gold, The Children's Rose). Mixed companion plantings add lots of seasonal colour.

 

 

Together with the National Rose Trial Garden – which began in 1996 to help the rose industry establish which roses not yet for sale in Australia are best suited to our climate – the International Rose Garden is a great favourite with national and international rose lovers alike.

The roses are beautiful.  What was supposed to be a quick walk with the primary purpose of getting us to a quick stop at the music store and dollar store turns into a long time walking through the rose garden.