Download Media release Date: Tuesday 12 February Autumn in Your Gardens

Media release
Date: Tuesday 12 February
Autumn in Your Gardens at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden
Throughout autumn the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust's three month festival Autumn in Your
Gardens celebrates gardens and plants as inspiration for the arts and conservation. As the autumn leaves
start falling, the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan and the Blue
Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah all come alive with over 60 separate events.
The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah sits on a basalt peak 1,000 metres above sea level in
the World Heritage listed Greater Blue Mountains. The Garden is home to thousands of species of cool
climate and southern hemisphere plants. Autumn is one of the most popular times of year to visit the
Garden as autumnal tones of oranges, reds, yellows and browns create a vibrant and breath-taking
landscape. Visitors can enjoy the turning leaves of the Garden’s maples, as well as viburnum, beriberis,
cotoneaster and proteas.
This year the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden is hosting a full program of events to celebrate Autumn in
Your Gardens. We kick off with the ever popular and educational ‘Plants With Bite!’ festival in
conjunction with the Australasian Carnivorous Plant Society. A celebration of carnivorous plants, Plants
With Bite! is in its ninth year and includes film screenings, informative talks, carnivorous plant displays and
sales, and carnivorous fun for kids. Welcome to the insect’s nightmare as a simple foraging expedition
becomes a fight for survival! Once the hapless insect comes into contact with the sticky leaves or mouthshaped trap of the carnivorous plant, their fate is often sealed.
Falsely perceived by many as valueless, swamps and wetlands are under threat from urban development.
The Australian Conservation Agency estimates over 50 percent of Australia’s wetlands has been lost.
Through displays like the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden’s Bog Garden and events such as ‘Plants with
Bite!’, visitors can experience the unique ecology of swamps and thereby develop an appreciation for
ensuring their ongoing existence.
Following on from the success of FourPlay last year, our annual outdoor concert ‘Garden Grooves’ this
autumn headlines The Crooked Fiddle Band. Intertwining folk traditions with modern evolutions this
Sydney-based acoustic four-piece (double-bass, violin, drums and guitar/bouzouki) spurs the dance floor
into a post-apocalyptic hoe down. Following some mammoth tours of European and UK festivals, The
Crooked Fiddle Band return to our shores with new tunes written besides fjords and lakes in Finland and
Norway. The wild settings gave the band's already ecstatic and twisted high-energy tunes an expansive
cinematic edge. From whirling dances to intense battle-scene climaxes, their music has been described by
Brian Eno as "...completely surprising: the music is original and quixotic, and yet has the strength of some
deep and strong roots. I can't say I've ever heard anything else like it!” Don’t miss The Crooked Fiddle
Band on Saturday 23 March. Tickets only $25. Book online at www.yourgardens.com.au
Autumn will also see a delightful new exhibition of Barbi Lock Lee’s celebrated ceramics, featuring native
birds and delicate designs. Themed around ‘Afternoon tea at the Garden’ Barbi’s works will feature cake
stands, milk jugs and traditional teaware with a vintage twist for the discerning Devonshire tea enthusiast.
And don’t miss the autumn food and wine fair TomahROMA which attracted record numbers last year!
Enjoy fresh local produce and crafts whilst reducing food miles. This year there is a special theatrical treat
with an environmental message that young children will love… ‘Tree Tales’ will be performed by the Eaton
Gorge Theatre Company with two interactive performances where the children will become trees and gain
an insight into the importance of trees to our environment.
For information and online bookings visit:
www.yourgardens.com.au/
www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/tomah
Autumn in Your Gardens festival – Blue Mountains Botanic Garden program
All autumn
Sat 2 March – Sun 10 March
Plants with Bite!
Carnivorous Plant Fair
Learn how these intriguing plants have adapted to nutrient deficient environments by feeding on meat. The
Visitor Centre will house a spectacular carnivorous plant display with information and documentary film
sessions and plants available for purchase.
9.30 am – 5.00 pm daily. Free entry.
Saturday 23 March
Garden Grooves presents The Crooked Fiddle Band
Join us for an afternoon of wild entertainment in our Formal Garden as Garden Grooves presents The
Crooked Fiddle Band. Intertwining folk traditions with modern evolutions, this Sydney-based acoustic fourpiece spurs the audience into a post-apocalyptic hoe down with ecstatic and twisted high-energy tunes and
an expansive cinematic edge. On the Formal Lawn 2pm-4pm. Tickets $25 bookings essential.
Saturday 16 March – Sunday 19 May
Afternoon Tea at the Garden by Barbi Lock Lee
Visit this delightful new exhibition of Barbi Lock Lee’s celebrated ceramics, featuring native birds and
delicate designs. Themed around ‘Afternoon tea at the Garden’ Barbi’s works will feature cake stands, milk
jugs and traditional tea ware with a vintage twist for the discerning Devonshire tea enthusiast.
9.30 am – 5.00pm. Free entry.
Saturday 27 April
TomahROMA food and wine fair
A celebration of nature’s bounty set against the spectacular deciduous colours of our cool climate Garden.
Come and enjoy all the day has to offer like; local produce, gourmet delights, wine tasting, live music, free
guided walking tours through the Garden plus plants for sale.
9 am – 4 pm. Free entry.
Tree Tales children’s theatre at TomahROMA
Join Bloss the Ghost Gum and Iron the Iron Bark Tree during this fun interactive performance as they sing
songs and recite poetry illustrating the importance of trees to the environment.
Tree Tales – two sessions available: 11am – 12 noon and 1pm -2pm with roving characters in between
sessions. $15 per child. Suitable for children aged 3-12 years. Bookings essential.
For information and online bookings visit:
www.yourgardens.com.au/
www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/tomah
CONTACT US
Louise Clifton
Manager Visitor Services and Marketing
The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah
Ph: (02) 4567 3014
[email protected]