Celebrating BGANZ Botanic Gardens Week
This week, we’re proud to join the celebrations for Australian Botanic Garden Week, led by our long-time friends and partners at BGANZ. Since 2016, we've been fortunate to be part of this vibrant and passionate community, first as Botanical Software and now with Hortis and Species360.
Over the years, we’ve made many new friends, visited some breathtaking places, and connected with truly inspiring people. One of our proudest moments came in 2021, when we were honoured to win the BGANZ Plant Records Working Group tender. Many BGANZ members were the first to log into Hortis as beta testers—and for that, we owe a heartfelt thank you to Tex Moon and all the other BGANZ members who supported us from the very beginning.🙏
Since those early days, more than 30 botanical gardens across Australia and New Zealand have joined the Hortis community. A significant number of these are regional botanic gardens—often unsung heroes of conservation. With around 100 regional gardens in Australia, these living collections are frequently maintained by dedicated teams of council staff, community groups, and passionate volunteers. Regional botanic gardens play a vital role in the global conservation community, contributing valuable data that supports international, science-based biodiversity targets. While some may have smaller collections, they often include rare and threatened plant species that can play an essential role in biodiversty conservation.
It’s been a privilege to support this diverse and committed community for nearly a decade. At Hortis, our mission is to make it easy for plant collection holders, regardless of size or resources, to manage their data and unlock new opportunities for impact and collaboration. Every record matters, and every garden has a role to play in the story of biodiversity.
As part of our Conservation Stories series, we’d like to spotlight two remarkable examples of community-led conservation from the BGANZ community:
- North Coast Regional Botanic Garden at Coffs Harbour for its work with the threatened Syzygium glenum.
- Shoalhaven Heads Botanic Garden, where a dedicated group of volunteers is helping to protect critically endangered species with inspiring local action.
Watch our first Conservation Stories clip below from Shoalhaven Heads Botanic Garden, and discover how community-driven efforts are making a real difference.
To the BGANZ community, Cassandra Nichols, and all those working tirelessly behind the scenes, thank you. Your work not only supports the enjoyment and awareness of our natural world but also safeguards the future of biodiversity for generations to come.
Here’s to the gardens, the people, and the plants that bring us together.🥳
More Resources
- North Coast Regional Botanic Garden at Coffs Harbour Public Collection Site.
- Shoalhaven Heads Botanic Garden Public Collection Site.
