Garden breathes new life

By Chris Brown
Friends of the Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens have used funding to help revegetate part of the gardens.
“They have revegetated an old walking track that was closed, using indigenous plants potted on site,” Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens divisional director, Chris Russell said.
The friends received $2,200 from Landcare partner, SP AusNet. The money was used to get the old track in a suitable condition for planting and for plant production materials needed for the revegetation.
The track was revegetated during a working bee. This was a community activity that brought together volunteers who care about the gardens.
Mr Russell said he values a community that leads to improvements in the gardens.
“We value the opportunity to have a community that results in the improvement in the gardens,” Mr Russell said.
The friends of the botanic gardens are people who value the gardens and want to support it in some way, Mr Russell said.
SP AusNet, a Victorian energy provider, has been a Landcare partner for nine years.
It has funded wildlife corridors, wetlands, planting days, and direct seeding.
Landcare Australia’s CEO Brian Scarsback said, “Our partnership is very valuable to communities right across the state, with groups and projects in both the city and the bush benefiting from SP AusNet funds.”
The Cranbourne Botanic Gardens were established in 1970. They cover more then 300 hectares.