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Rainforest to desert under moonlight 
Imagine wandering through the cool misty rainforests of Queensland before stepping into Australia’s Red Centre to enjoy a silver-service dessert under the stars – an experience not many people had the opportunity of doing, until recently.
For four nights only the Australian National Botanic Gardens brought two iconic Australian landscapes to life as part of Canberra’s Enlighten festival.
“This was more than just an after dark experience of the Gardens. It was a chance for Canberrans and visitors alike to escape the city, surround themselves by nature and become the first to experience the Red Centre Garden at night,” Gardens’ Event Manager Jennifer Salkeld said.
“Being part of Enlighten really gave us the opportunity to showcase some of the Gardens’ highlights in a very different way but also give our guests a special VIP experience.”
Visitors to the Gardens were greeted with a pre-tour aperitif before embarking on a night time guided journey, starting with the beautifully lit Rainforest Gully. They then continued their way to the Red Centre Garden and were immersed by a special lighting display, the striking red landscape and enchanting sounds of the didgeridoo – finishing off with a delicious silver-service dessert.”
To keep up to date with the Gardens’ programs and events, visit the Gardens’ What’s On webpage or join the Gardens’ event distribution list by emailing julie.akmacic@environment.gov.au
Win a painting for Mother's Day
Tell us what your mum's favourite place to be in the Gardens is and why for a chance to win this beautiful painting by renowned botanical artist, Katrine Scott-Findlay .
Post your response onto the Gardens Facebook page or email.
Winners will be announced on Facebook or via email on Monday 5 May, just in time for mum's special day.
All email entries will be posted onto Facebook.
Image: Botanical painting by renowned botanical artist, Katrine Scott-Findlay
A passion for lichens
Welcome to Dr Cecile Gueidan, the newest member of staff at the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, a joint venture between the Director of National Parks and CSIRO Plant Industry .
Cecile is originally from France and as an undergraduate student worked as an environmental officer and specialised in the bio-monitoring of air pollution using lichens.
Cecile became passionate about these amazing symbiotic organisms and went on to study them during her postgraduate work.
Her research to date has focused on various aspects of systematics, including taxonomy, classification and the evolution of lichens and related fungi. Cecile's new position is as a research scientist at the Australian National Herbarium and she is looking forward to exploring the large collection of native lichens kept in the cryptogam herbarium at the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
She is also interested in the biology and reproduction of lichens from biological soil crusts, which are microbial- and cryptogam-dominated ecosystems that play a major role in protecting soils against erosion in the arid areas.
100 things to do at the Gardens this Centenary year
As Canberra celebrated its 101st birthday, the Australian National Botanic Gardens celebrated our own milestone – we fulfilled our promise and compiled ‘100 things to do in the Gardens’ on Facebook.
“It took us the whole Centenary year to compile the list, but here it is, the entire summary of 100 things visitors can do here in the Gardens,” the Gardens’ marketing manager Julie Akmacic said.
“Discover the Gardens’ diverse birdlife, host a party, be amazed by what’s in flower, hug a tree – there’s something for the adventurer, the observer or the relaxer all year round.
“It’s a great legacy from the Centenary year and a resource to inspire visitors for years to come.”
For a detailed look at the ‘100 Things to do in the Gardens’ Facebook campaign with images, visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/100-Things-to-do-at-the-Australian-National-Botanic-Gardens/133390320157657
#100 HUG A TREE |
#99 BE SURPRISED BY WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND |
#98 SEE THE ELUSIVE MACLEAY SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY IN THE RAINFOREST GULLY |
#97 EXPERIENCE THE CONTRAST OF AUSTRALIA'S COOL RAINFOREST AND ARID RED CENTRE AT NIGHT DURING THE SPECIAL ENLIGHTEN PROGRAM |
#96 CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY |
#95 SEARCH FOR THE YETI TREE |
#94 EXPLORE AND RELAX TO THE SOUNDS OF THE ROCK GARDEN WATERFALL |
#93 GATHER THE KIDS AND HEAD DOWN TO THE POPULAR WEEKLONG SNAKES ALIVE! REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN EXHIBITION IN JANUARY |
#92 SPEND TIME WITH FRIENDS |
#91 BE AMAZED BY THE BEAUTY OF BARK ON THE EUCALYPT TREES |
#90 BRING YOUR MUMS AND BUBS GROUP FOR A GREAT DAY OUT |
#89 ENTERTAIN YOUR HOLIDAY VISITORS |
#88 EXPLORE THE WESTERN MALLEE SECTION |
#87 TRAVEL AROUND OZ IN AN HOUR |
#86 TAKE THE FLOWER TO TOWER WALK |
#85 WANDER THROUGH THE PROTEACEAE SECTION AND EXPLORE THE ASTONISHING BEAUTY, VARIETY AND DIVERSITY OF FLOWERS AND LEAVES |
#84 COME AND VISIT THE THORNY DEVIL IN THE RED CENTRE GARDEN |
#83 HAVE YOUR END-OF-YEAR PARTY CELEBRATION |
#82 MEET A VOLUNTEER GUIDE AT THE VISITOR CENTRE AND DISCOVER THE WONDERS OF THE GARDENS |
#81 EXPLORE THE MYRTACEAE SECTION |
#80 FIND THE PERFECT GIFT AT THE BOTANICAL BOOKSHOP |
#79 BOOK A TWILIGHT FOREST ADVENTURE |
#78 DISCOVER SOME OF THE 60 SPECIES OF BIRDS THAT LIVE IN OR VISIT THE GARDENS WITH THE FRIENDS' BIRD BROCHURE |
#77 SEE PLANTS FROM THE SYDNEY REGION - EXPERIENCE THE EXTRAORDINARY DIVERSITY OF THE FLORA OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AND SYDNEY SANDSTONE REGION |
#76 VISIT THE ROCK GARDEN AND SEE SOME OF THE SMALLEST, MOST INTRICATE PLANTS IN THE GARDENS |
#75 GO POND DIPPING AND DISCOVER THE WATER'S MICROSCOPIC LIFE ON A SCHOOL PROGRAM |
#74 FIND A QUIET SPOT AND MEDITATE |
#73 GET MARRIED |
#72 SEE THE WEDDING LILY IN BLOOM DURING SUMMER |
#71 VOLUNTEER - DEVELOP AND SHARE YOUR SKILLS |
#70 SEE FLANNEL FLOWERS IN BLOOM DURING SUMMER |
#69 EXPLORE THE GARDENS' CLIMATE WATCH TRAIL |
#68 HAVE A TROPICAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TROPICAL GLASSHOUSE |
#67 ENJOY THE ANNUAL EXHIBITION OF PHOTOS TAKEN IN THE GARDENS DURING FEBRUARY AND MARCH |
#66 SEE THE SPECTACULAR GYMEA LILY, DORYANTHES EXELSA, IN BLOOM DURING SPRING |
#65 DINE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS SURROUNDED BY THE BEAUTY OF AUSTRALIAN PLANTS |
#64 GET NATIVE PLANTS FOR YOUR HOME GARDEN AT THE GROWING FRIENDS PLANT SALE IN AUTUMN AND SPRING |
#63 SEE XANTHORRHOEA - GRASS TREE FLOWER SPIKES BLOOM DURING SPRING |
#62 QUIZ YOURSELF AND SEE HOW MANY AUSTRALIAN PLANTS YOU CAN IDENTIFY |
# 61 IMAGINE YOURSELF IN AUSTRALIA’S RED CENTRE AS YOU STEP INTO THE RED CENTRE GARDEN |
#60 WANDER THROUGH THE GRASSY WOODLAND GARDEN |
#59 CELEBRATE THE GARDENS’ BIRTHDAY ON THE 20TH OCTOBER |
#58 CELEBRATE OUR BUSH CAPITAL AND THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS AS NATIONAL TREASURES DURING THE GARDENS’ BUSH CAPITAL CELEBRATION OPEN DAY |
#57 BRING YOUR YOGA MAT TO THE GARDENS AND PRACTICE YOUR POSES IN THE BEAUTIFUL GARDEN SURROUNDS |
#56 CELEBRATE INTO THE NIGHT DURING THE GUM TREE HOP DINNER DANCE |
#55 CUDDLE UP WITH A LOVED ONE ON A PICNIC BLANKET |
#54 EXPERIENCE AN AUSSIE SPRING |
#53 SEE KING ORCHIDS, DENDROBIUM SPECIOSUM, IN FULL FLOWER ALONG THE MARGIN OF THE GARDENS' RAINFOREST GULLY DURING SPRING |
#52 GET OUT THE CAMERA AND BE INSPIRED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE GARDENS AND AUSTRALIA'S PLANTS |
#51 SEE THE SPECTACULAR FLORAL EMBLEM OF NEW SOUTH WALES IN BLOOM DURING SPRING |
#50 BECOME A BUDDING ARTIST OR DEVELOP YOUR BOTANICAL ART SKILLS BY JOINING THE FRIENDS’ BOTANIC ART GROUP |
#49 TAKE A GUIDED SPRING FLOWER WALK AMONG THE COLOURS, SHAPES AND TEXTURES OF AUSTRALIAN SPRING FLOWERS |
#48 HAVE BREAKFAST WITH THE BIRDS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER |
#47 GET A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT OUR COOL TEMPERATE ORCHID RESEARCH COLLECTION WHEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC |
#46 ENJOY THE CULTIVATED CHAT PROGRAM AT FLORESCO IN THE GARDENS |
#45 CELEBRATE FATHER'S DAY WITH A PICNIC ON THE EUCALYPT LAWN |
#44 SEE THE BEAUTIFUL EPACRIS PURPURASCENS DURING SPRING |
#43 CELEBRATE WATTLE DAY AND THE DIVERSITY OF AUSTRALIA’S ACACIA ON 1ST SEPTEMBER |
#42 TAKE AN AFTERDARK TOUR OF THE GARDENS ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH |
#41 MARVEL AT THE DIVERSITY AND FIERY COLOURS OF GREVILLEAS DURING WINTER |
#40 IGNITE YOUR IMAGINATION DURING NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK IN AUGUST |
#39 FIND OUT SOME FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT PROMINENT GARDENS IN CANBERRA AND AUSTRALIA - AT A FRIENDS’ THURSDAY TALK |
#38 DISCOVER SOME OF AUSTRALIA'S UNIQUE CONIFERS |
#37 APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT FLOWER ALL YEAR ROUND |
#36 DISCOVER WHO LIVES HERE |
#35 CELEBRATE NAIDOC WEEK |
#34 CURL UP WITH A DOONA AND A GOOD BOOK DURING BUSH MAGIC STORYTIME IN WINTER |
#33 BE 'TURNED ON' TO THE COLOUR, LIGHT AND ATMOSPHERE OF NATURE IN THE GARDENS DURING A THEMED WALK |
#32 TAKE A RIDE ON THE FLORA EXPLORER EACH SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND PUBLIC HOLIDAY AT 1PM |
#31 SEE THE FLORAL EMBLEM OF VICTORIA DURING WINTER |
#30 TAKE A WINTER BIRD WALK |
#29 SHRUG OFF THE WINTER BLUES AND SEE THE VIBRANT WINTER COLOURS IN THE GARDENS |
#28 LEAVE THE OFFICE BEHIND AND BRING YOUR LAPTOP TO THE GARDENS |
#27 BE AWESTRUCK BY OUR ANCIENT TOWERING GRASS TREES |
#26 CELEBRATE FASCINATION OF PLANTS DAY ON 18 MAY |
#25 DISCOVER THE WORLD OF EUCALYPTS ON OUR EUCALYPT DISCOVERY WALK |
#24 BE AMAZED BY VERTICORDIA PENNIGERA IN AUTUMN |
#23 TREAT YOUR MUM TO A UNIQUE DINING EXPERIENCE FOR MOTHER’S DAY |
#22 BRING THE LITTLE ONES ALONG TO BUSH MAGIC STORYTIME FOR A STORY AND CRAFT IN THE GARDENS |
#21 DISCOVER WHAT'S IN FLOWER EVERY WEEK OF THE YEAR WITH IN FLOWER THIS WEEK |
#20 EXPERIENCE AUTUMN COLOURS AUSTRALIAN STYLE AND EXPLORE THE DIVERSITY OF BANKSIA'S GROWING IN THE GARDENS |
#19 SPEND YOUR AUTUMN HOLIDAYS IN THE GARDENS |
#18 GET A GREEN THUMB AT OUR GARDENING 101 WORKSHOPS |
#17 HAVE A CHAT TO A GARDENS’ RANGER |
#16 HAVE FUN WITH FAMILY AND ENJOY A PICNIC UNDER THE TREES ON THE EUCALYPT LAWN |
#15 SEE THE SPECTACULAR COLOUR OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S ICONIC FLORAL EMBLEM, STURT'S DESERT PEA, SWAINSONA FORMOSA, IN BLOOM DURING SUMMER |
#14 EXPERIENCE THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND SMELLS OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS BY NIGHT ON A STARGAZERS AFTERDARK TOUR |
#13 APPRECIATE ART AND VISIT ART IN THE GARDENS WITH FRIENDS EXHIBITION DURING MARCH TO APRIL |
#12 CELEBRATE CANBERRA'S 100TH BIRTHDAY AND SEE THE CORREA ‘CANBERRA BELLS’ IN BLOOM IN MARCH |
#11 GRAB YOUR UMBRELLA AND EXPERIENCE THE VIBRANT COLOUR, SOUND AND SMELL OF THE RAIN AS YOU WANDER THE GARDENS' PATHS |
#10 HEAD TO THE EUCALYPT LAWN AND SEE IF YOU CAN SPOT THE FAMILY OF TAWNY FROGMOUTHS IN THE CANOPY |
#9 BE AMAZED BY THE FLOWERING SWAMP LILIES IN SUMMER |
#8 COOL DOWN IN SUMMER AND FEEL THE MIST ON YOUR FACE AS YOU WANDER THROUGH THE RAINFOREST GULLY AND SEE RAINFOREST PLANTS FROM TASSIE TO QUEENSLAND |
#7 SEE YOUR FAVOURITE LATEST RELEASE, CLASSIC AND ARTHOUSE FILMS WHILE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS DURING SUNSET CINEMA |
#6 SEE THE BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN BANKSIAS FLOWER IN AUTUMN |
#5 BE ENTERTAINED BY A SELECTION OF SHORT FILMS AND MUSIC DURING FLIX IN THE STIX |
#4: RELAX WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT THE GARDENS' SUMMER CONCERTS DURING JANUARY |
#3 SEE THE MAGNIFICENT CORYMBIA FICIFOLIA 'DWARF ORANGE' IN FLOWER ALONG THE MAIN CONCOURSE OUTSIDE OF THE VISITOR CENTRE IN SUMMER |
#2 CHECK OUT OUR RESIDENT EASTERN WATER DRAGONS SUNNING THEMSELVES BY THE GARDENS PONDS AND WATERFALLS - ALL SPRING AND SUMMER LONG |
#1 RELAX WITH A CUPPA AND YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK ON ONE OF THE DECK CHAIRS ON THE CAFE LAWN |
Art in the Gardens with Friends 
The popular Art in the Gardens with Friends botanical art exhibition is back for its seventh year at the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
Until 21 April, visitors can explore a collection of botanical paintings and drawings. For the first time, this year’s exhibition will include fired ceramic wall pieces.
“This fascinating annual exhibition is back - a true showcase of the wonderful talent of the Friends Botanic Art Group,” the Gardens’ General Manager Peter Byron said.
“This year we’ll see a superb collection of pieces created using oils, watercolour, pastel, pencil, graphite and ceramics.
“With most pieces available for sale, there are some great gift ideas here for Mother’s Day!
“A selection of hand painted cards and bookmarks will also be on sale and there will be a chance to win the beautiful painting ‘Lilly Pilly’ by Cornelia Buchen-Osmond in the art raffle.
“If you can wait until the final weekend of the exhibition – over the Easter long weekend - there will be an Easter art sale with reduced prices on some pieces.”
The exhibition is a tribute to the love of art and native plants, and the artworks on display portray Australian plants found at the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
Many of the artists will be on hand throughout the exhibition to talk about their work and about the Friends’ Botanic Art Group who have organised the exhibition.
The Art in the Gardens with Friends botanical art exhibition is on display from
9.30 am to 4.30 pm daily in the Gardens’ Visitor Centre until Easter Monday 21 April. Entry is free.
Win a walk with Alex Sloan and share your story on 666 ABC Canberra's Capital Constitutional 
If you love bushwalking, have a special connection to Canberra or make a difference to this city through what you do, then jump onto the 666 ABC Canberra website (abc.net.au/canberra) and SAY IN 50 WORDS OR LESS why you should do Capital Constitutional with Alex Sloan.
Capital Constitutional embraces walking and at the same time is 666 ABC Canberra Radio talkback at its best. It’s a walk and talk style interview that introduces a local person to the listener, on location in and around Canberra.
The best and most interesting entry will be selected for the opportunity to do Capital Constitutional with Alex in 2014.
The conversation will be broadcast on 666 ABC Canberra in 2014 and placed on 666 ABC Canberra’s website.
A one-on-one chat with 666 Afternoons ABC Local Radio presenter, Alex Sloan, Capital Constitutional is weekly easy listening on 666 ABC Canberra about local people, their knowledge, interests and lives.