Last week, a special event was held to officially open Garden 4 of Central Valley.
The Central Valley Gardens are an iconic part of the Arboretum and form the spine leading to the heart of the Arboretum, the Visitors Centre. Hardy plant species are selected for these gardens to thrive in the Canberra climate and are also chosen to provide a mix of foliage and flowers.
Dr Agnes Walker has so generously offered the gift of a garden, choosing the Camellia (Camellia x vernalis 'Yuletide') for planting within the triangular shaped garden bed. Agnes chose this evergreen shrub to provide year round greenery within the garden, that offer pops of bright pinkish-red as they flower.
Dr Agnes is a much-valued member of the Arboretum community, contributing as a volunteer now for over 10 years and welcoming many thousands of visitors with her guided walks.
The garden launch changed dynamically on the morning due to high winds in the Canberra region. The morning started with the unveiling of the official plaque and ceremonial watering of the plants. Attendees were then invited to the Terrace Room for official opening proceedings.
Speeches began with a Welcome to Country by the Arboretum Indigenous Tourism Officer, Richard Allan.
Acting Executive Branch Manager Stuart Jeffress welcomed attendees, thanking Agnes for her generous living gift recognising it as "a valuable step in bringing life to the Arboretum vision". Agnes was then invited to say a few words about the new garden.
Through Agnes' speech, she referenced the inaugural Arboretum Magazine published in 2013 she brought to show, telling the story of the Arboretum rising from the ashes of the devastating bushfires of 2003, and how Garden 4 is very special to her "because it celebrates the Arboretum having finally managed to reach 'Phoenix Status''.
The Camellias were planted in 2023 and Agnes recalled she "greatly enjoyed seeing the little plants growing and beautifully flowering during their first winter". Following Agnes' speech, she was presented with her very own Camellia plant to take home in recognition and thanks of her generosity and impact to the Arboretum over her many years of service.
Garden 4 is nearby the Visitors Centre, just down from the playground and is accessed via a gentle sloping paved zig-zag path.
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