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Jane Edmanson OAM
Jane Edmanson OAM


ABN:53 715 421 623
Inc#: A0045077Z

Use Garden Explorer to discover the plants and features in the garden on your smart phone, mobile device or computer
Join the Friends to help maintain our Target 400 plus membership level

Mission: To enrich the community and the environment by fostering, promoting and supporting the development and activities of the Melton Botanic Garden - Volunteer and join us!
"Botanic gardens are institutions holding documented collections of living plants for the purposes of scientific research, conservation, display and education." -  International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation 

Location (The garden is open 24/7)
Melton Botanic Garden
- Public Car Park is at 40 Lakewood Boulevard. See BROCHURE
Plant Nursery and Depot - 21 Williams St (near corner of Tullidge St and Williams St).
see Google Map or Melways Map 337 Ref: C10 and D10.
Getting there by public transport.

Monthly Meetings
Next Meeting: 7.30pm Wednesday 13 March 2024
Speaker: Karen Southerland, Edible Eden Design
Topic: Quandongs and how to grow them.

Meetings are open to the public.
Meetings March to November at Botanica Springs Community Centre, 249 Clarkes Rd, Brookfield VIC 3338
For information on FMBG meetings contact John Bentley: 9743 3819
If any meetings are by Zoom, a meeting link will be emailed to all current financial members.

Plant Nursery
The plant nursery is open 9.30am-12.30pm Tuesday, Thursdays, and 2nd & 4th Sundays.
We apologise if closed, as we may need to close due to inclement weather (heat, rain, wind etc.) or having insufficient volunteers to open.
Nursery Manager, Anne Langmaid 0405 440 956.
The nursery is usually open for sales only 10am to 1pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, 2nd and 4th Sundays. Except over the Christmas School Holiday Break.
Address: 21 Williams St, Melton, 3337.
Nursery sales closure of about 6 weeks over Christmas/New Year school holidays.
Latest list of Plants For Sale (February 2024)

Guided Tours of the Melton Botanic Garden
Take a self-guided tour using Walking Maps Australia and see tour on the MBG Garden Explorer website.

Next public guided tours:
1) National Sustainable Living Festival - Garden tour 10am Sunday 11th February 2024 - Bookings essential 9743 3819
2) National Eucalypt Day - Own exploration of the Dryland Eucalyptus Arboretum Saturday 23 March 2023 - Use FMBG online resources to discover the eucalypts in the Melton Botanic Garden
3) Reconciliation Week - 10am June - Postponed to 2025
4) NAIDOC Week - 10am July - Postponed to 2025
5) Seniors Festival - 10am-noon Wednesday 2nd October 2024 (To be confirmed)

Book your group for a guided walk: see plants that tolerate a dry climate and low water conditions. The usual guided walk is about an hour to an hour and a half. Highlights are the natural features, the dryland eucalyptus arboretum, the indigenous plantings, Bushfoods Garden, the Koori Student Garden designed and planted by Koori students from Melton primary and secondary schools, the Main Lake, Sensory Garden, Victorian Volcanic Plains Garden, West Australian and South Australian and Southern African and the garden beds in development (Mediterranean Garden).
Information: JohnBentley 03 9743 3819 / 0412 762 531

Library Resources - list of books etc.

FMBG on Facebook

 

Grow the Garden Days

 

FMBG Vounteers 2022

 

Friends

 

SteveP Southern African Garden

 

Winners 2013 & 2016

and category Winner 2016 & 2018


| BEA_2016

 


News and Events

MBG Plant Species
Use Garden Explorer to view the plants and features in the garden on your smart phone, mobile device or computer
Lists ofthe garden's plant species with links to information sources about the species -> Click on Plant Species to see the developing list.
Dryland Eucalypts of the MBG - A garden guide (Version 2 Aug 2019) (5MB download - higher quality version available on request 23MB)
MBG Guide to the Plants of WA/SA Garden Beds (PDF download 5MB).
If you would like to be part of our IrisBG plant collection records team to audit and record the plants in garden please contact us.

MBG Amphitheatre
The Amphitheatre is available for use. Contact council (9747 7200) if you wish to have an event there.

Garden Updates
The Eastern Australian Dryland Garden is being planted from May 2021.
The Southern African Garden has more planting being done in some of the beds.
The Mediterranean Garden was built and planted in 2017. We continue to add and refresh plantings.
The Mixed Garden Beds North area is in the northern section of the garden. The beds are: a Mediteranean Garden, a Californian, Central and Southern American Garden, a Western Australian and South Australian bed, two Eucalypt beds, an Eastern Australian Dryland bed, an Indigenous Grassland area and the Southern African bed.
Indigenous plants can be enjoyed along the Lake Walk for 1km arounds the lake.
The Lake Island is having more grasses added to improve the bird habitat and to provide a seed source for birds.

Volunteer to help build, enhance and maintain the Botanic Garden
Everyone is welcome to join in with any group or activity
(Volunteering Information)

Grow the Garden Days - 4th Sunday every month 10am to noon - planting, watering, muching and weeding etc.

Regular Volunteer Groups (we also have a Centrelink Volunteer Program Tuesday to Wedesday 8am-1pm.):
Bushies
Work in the Bushfoods Garden every Tuesday 8am-noon. John Bentley, Project Manager (9743 3819)
Creekers
This group meets every Thursday 8am-noon and work on Ryans Creek rehabilitation - Contact: Alan Partridge
East Enders
Volunteer in the Eastern Australian Dryland Garden. Tues, Wed and/or Thurs. Contact John Bentley.
Gumnuts
Gumnuts work in the Eucalyptus Arborteum or the Western Australian/South Australian Garden Tuesdays and Wednesdays 8am-noon - Contact: John Bentley or Michael Marshall
Lakers
Lakers work around the Lake 2nd, 3rd and 4thd Tuesdays every month - Contact: Jill Bentley (9743 3819)
Safaris
Work in the Southern African Garden on Wednesdays - Contact: Steve and Ella Parker
Sombreros
Work in the Californian, Central and South American Garden - Contact: John Bentley (9743 3819)
Southerners Team
Generally work in southern gardens that are north of Ryans Creek and the lake and west of the lake wall - Contact Ian Barnes
Sun-Seekers
Mediterranean Garden Group - 8.00am-noon Tuesdays Contact: John Bentley (9743 3819)
Victorian Volcanic Plains (VVP)
We have a number of VVP garden beds you can volunteer to help in. Contact: John Bentley (9743 3819)
Odd Jobbers
Odd Jobbers undertake various handyperson jobs at the Depot and in the garden - Usually every Tuesday and Thursday 8am-noon or when required - Contact John Bentley (9743 3819)
Nursery Team
Meet at the Plant Nursery inside the Depot to sell, tend and propagate plants - Tuesday 9am-noon Contact: Anne Langmaid
Admin Team
Assitant with adminstration tasks at the depot. Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Some tasks can be done from home. Contact: Janet Dyke
Plant Collection Records Officers Team
Assist with recording plants, adding photos, features, tours, information etc onto the FMBG plant database IrisBG. Contact John Bentley or Jennifer Peters. See Garden Explorer for the public interface with the data.
Tweeters
Bird watching and bird surveys. Dates are advised by email and social media - Contact Margaret Smith or Jill Bentley

FMBG Depot - 21 Williams Street, Melton (near corner of Williams and Tullidge Streets)

Clean Up Days
2nd Sunday of every 2nd month 10am to noon
(Feb, April, June, August, October)
Also Clean Up Australia Day is on the first Sunday in March at 10am.
Melton Botanic Garden - Meet at the Depot - 21 Williams St (Cnr Williams and Tullidge Streets)

Membership Renewal - due 30th June annually (See: Membership fees)

City of Melton Budget 2015-2023 commitment to development of the MBG by the Friends
July 2023 - $36,500 allocated in the Melton City Council budget 2023/2024 for development of the Garden
July 2018 - $35,000 allocated in the Melton City Council budget 2018/2019 for development of the Garden as recurrent base funding to 2023
July 2017 - $35,000 allocated in the Melton City Council budget 2017/2018 for development of the Garden
July 2016 - $50,000 allocated in the Melton City Council budget 2016/2017 for development of the Garden
July 2015 - $35,000 allocated in the Melton City Council budget 2015/2016 for development of the Garden

Melton Botanic Garden on ABC Gardening Australia -
The Melton Botanic Garden has featured on national television in ABC Gardening Australia:
2022 Series 33 Episode 8 - The MBG Southern African Garden on 8 April 2022 with Jane Edmanson,
2018 Series 29 Episode 17 - The Eucalyptus Arborteum and Gumnuts featured on 18 May 2018 with Jane Edamanson.
2014 Series 25 Episode 10 - The Melton Botanic Garden on 24 May 2014 with Jane and Costa.

Awards:
"Protection of the Environment"
- Keep Victoria Beautiful Sustainable Cities Award 2018
"Best Environmental Development NPO Western Melbourne" - Australian Enterprise Awards 2017, APAC Insider Magazine
"Resource Recovery and Waste Management" - Sustainable Cities Keep Victoria Beautiful Award 2016 jointly with Melton City Council
"Best Access and Inclusion" - City of Melton Business Excellence Awards 2016
"Best Community Enterprise Business"- City of Melton Business Excellence Awards 2015
"Victorian Compost User Demonstrating Innovation and Advocacy in Amenity Markets" - Australian Organics Recycling Association 2015
"Best Community or Not for Profit Organisation"- City of Melton Business Excellence Awards 2014
"Community Action and Leadership" - Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria Sustainable Cities Award 2013
"Best Community or Not for Profit Organisation"- Melton Business Excellence Awards 2012
"Leaders in Sustainability"- Melton Business Excellence Awards 2011


   

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