Australian National Botanic Gardens facts for kids
The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) are a special place in Canberra, Australia. They are like a huge outdoor museum for plants! These gardens are managed by the Australian Government.
The ANBG holds the biggest collection of living native Australian plants in the world. Its main goals are to study and share information about Australia's amazing plant life. The gardens also keep many resources for scientists and help grow native plants that are in danger of disappearing in the wild.
Contents
History of Australia's Botanic Gardens
How the Gardens Started
The idea for a National Botanic Garden came about in 1933. A large area on Black Mountain was chosen for the gardens. In September 1949, the first trees were planted. Important people like Prime Minister Ben Chifley and Sir Edward Salisbury from Kew Gardens helped plant them.
Official Opening and Size
The Gardens officially opened in October 1970. Prime Minister John Gorton was there for the big event. The Gardens cover over 90 hectares (about 222 acres) on Black Mountain. Around 40 hectares (about 99 acres) are currently used for the Botanic Gardens. There are plans to develop the rest of the land when money is available.
Exploring the Plant Collection
What You Can See
The gardens are set up in different sections. Plants are grouped together if they are related or if they naturally grow together in the wild. There are more than 5,500 different types of plants growing here! Some of the cool displays include:
- Rainforest Gully: This area shows plants from the rainforests of Eastern Australia. It's like stepping into a real rainforest!
- Rock Garden: Here you'll find plants that grow in many different places, from hot deserts to cold mountain areas.
- Sydney Region Flora: This section features plants that grow on the sandstone rocks around Sydney.
- Mallee Plants: "Mallee" is a special name for eucalypt trees that have many thin stems. This area shows these unique trees and the shrubs and grasses that grow with them.
- Banksias, Waratahs, and Grevilleas: These are all beautiful flowers from the Proteaceae plant family.
- Callistemon, Leptospermum, and Melaleuca: These plants belong to the Myrtaceae family and are often called bottlebrushes or tea trees.
- The Eucalypt Lawn: This lawn has about 20% of all the different eucalypt species found in Australia.
- Wattles: These are plants from the Acacia genus, famous for their bright yellow flowers.
Research at the Gardens
The Australian National Herbarium
The Australian National Herbarium is located at the National Botanic Gardens. A herbarium is like a huge library of dried, pressed plant specimens. Australia's largest collection of these specimens is kept here! The Herbarium works with the CSIRO. Together, they form the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research. This research area is not open to the public.
Australia's Virtual Herbarium
The Australian National Herbarium is helping to create Australia's Virtual Herbarium (AVH). This is an online record of plant information. It includes details for six million plant specimens, showing where they grow, pictures, descriptions, and tools to help identify them.
Plant Databases and Library
The Gardens also manage several big plant databases. One is called "What's its Name?". It's an easy way to find information from the more complex "Australian Plant Name Index" (APNI). The APNI lists all the scientific names ever used for Australia's plants. There's also a large collection of photographs of plants available.
The Gardens' library has many important books, magazines, and maps about plants. Students and the public can visit the library by making an appointment.
Related pages
See also
In Spanish: Jardín botánico nacional de Australia para niños
