Garden moves

By Glen Atwell
CRANBOURNE’S Australian Garden is packing its bags and jetting to a prestigious flower show on the other side of the world – well sort of!
The award-winning exhibition, a popular feature at the Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens, will be replicated at the Chelsea Flower Show later this month.
Television gardener Graham Ross, who appears on Better Homes and Gardens, will display the Australian Garden as part of his Spring Gardens of Victoria exhibition.
The stand will feature the dramatic Red Sand Garden, one of the highlights of Cranbourne’s botanic gardens.
Mr Ross, who runs Ross Garden Tours, said he was delighted to be sharing the world stage with the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne. “The Australian Garden is a standout example of what Australian landscapers and horticulturists do best – promote this country’s fantastic plants in settings like no other,” he said.
Chris Russell, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, said the link between Mr Ross and the Australian Garden made sense.
“The Australian Garden is about showcasing Australian flora and landscapes and Ross Garden Tours is about introducing wonderful public and private gardens to garden owners, it is a perfect fit. Being a part of an exhibit at this show offers us the opportunity to reach garden lovers who may be planning or considering trips to Victoria,” Mr Russell said.
Visitors to the Australian Garden stand during the flower show will have the chance to win a holiday for two adults, including return flights from London, accommodation and experiences at some of Melbourne and Victoria’s leading tourist attractions and regions.
The Ross Garden Tours and Australian Garden stand will be one of 600 exhibitors and the Chelsea Flower Show will feature 50 gardens and more than 100 floral exhibitors in the Great Pavilion.
The Royal Horticultural Society organises the Chelsea Flower Show and has done so since its inception in 1852, when it was held in the Society’s gardens in Kensington, London.
About 157,000 visitors are expected to pack the five day show, held between 20-24 May.