Ballarat Botanical Gardens, Fernery

The Ballarat Botanical Gardens Fernery is the latest in a long tradition of grand horticultural buildings in botanic gardens – and one of the last continuously functioning ferneries in Victoria. The Victorian era mania for plant collecting saw botanic gardens established across the globe, and fed a craze for the establishment of lavish ferneries and palm houses. The majority of Australian structures are now gone, the timber buildings falling victim to changing fashions and decay. The latest Ballarat Botanical Gardens’ Fernery is an interpretation by Balance Architecture of its original 1887 structure.  The landscaping by apl seeks to capture the passion and drama of these historic buildings and landscapes, while creating a garden which works for a contemporary audience and scientifically functioning botanic garden. Stage 1 landscape works were completed in March 2024 with funding from the City of Ballarat, Friends of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation and DEECA.

Project Summary

Lead Designer:
Andrea Proctor
Client:
City of Ballarat
Budget:
$740,000 made up of $340,000 from City of Ballarat, $150,00 DEECA, $200,000 Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens and $50,000 Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation
Team and collaborators:
andrea proctor landscapes
Australian Quality Landscaping (landscapers)
City of Ballarat (client and funding)
Friends of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens (donor)
​Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation (donor)
DEECA (funding through the Growing Victoria's Botanic Gardens Grants)
BGANZ
Tamsin O'Reilly (visualisation)
Cardno (engineers)

Features

  • Landscaping to forecourt of Wendouree Parade with fern frond paving pattern
  • Established tree fern grove
  • Bluestone seats
  • Plant 'chandeliers'
  • Tree ferns and dramatic foliage species
  • Planting external to the building to be a mix of contemporary and historical species, all climate suited
  • Planting inside the building develops a collection of Australian native ferns and epiphytic plants
  • Seasonal displays of begonias and other plants
andrea proctor landscapes
 horticulture | landscape architecture | heritage   
www.andreaproctor.com.au        [email protected]      +61 411 037 886
we are grateful to laidlaw & laidlaw design for allowing us to share projects we completed together