Flower show in Australia to be attended by 150,000 visitors

Essence of Australia at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2014 presented by the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne has teamed up with Tourism Victoria, Tourism Northern Territory, Qantas and leading UK tour operator Trailfinders to present the ‘Essence of Australia’ show garden. The Garden will showcase native Australian flora and be seen by an estimated 150,000 people attending the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in London from 8 – 13 July.

The Royal Botanic Gardens’ Director and Chief Executive, Prof. Tim Entwisle, said the garden will inspire inbound tourists from UK and Europe to visit the Australian Garden and show people just how beautiful and diverse Australian flora can be.

“Participating in such a popular garden show also gives us a chance to highlight stunning Australian plants suitable growing in the UK and promote the conservation work of the Gardens to an international audience.”

THE ESSENCE OF AUSTRALIA DESIGN

The overall Essence of Australia garden design takes inspiration from the Rainbow Serpent – an iconic creature from Aboriginal culture which is often seen in Aboriginal art and continues to be an influence today. The Rainbow Serpent features in Aboriginal dreamtime stories, credited with forming the mountains, ridges and gorges as it emerged from beneath the ground to cross the landscape.

The Essence of Australia garden will be constructed in the most environmentally conscious way possible. Most of the construction can be recycled, or reused to reduce wastage. All materials will be sourced in the UK to reduce the environmental impact and all plants in the garden will be donated to Kew Gardens.