Fabulous Ferns cover

Tasmanian Flora Collection

Celebrating our plants

This new section at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens (RTBG) celebrates plants found growing in Tasmania specifically. The aim of the interpretation was to educate people on why Tasmanian plants are special, how they came to evolve, our Indigenous plant species and how easy it is to grow them in your own garden.

A plant identification system was developed, special species were highlighted and stories told. Writer Fiona Rice worked with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community to showcase certain plants and their traditional uses. Cathy McAuliffe Design worked with Fiona to create innovative and attractive interpretation panels that would slowly be integrated with the specialist plantings, headed by David Reid, Horticultural Coordinator at RTBG. Small signs hang from specially created hooks, easily pushed into the ground. Larger signs were created using hardy outdoor resistant materials.

A gold design winner at the 2022 Dieman Awards.

Illustration detail, fernDieman Award 2022

Indigenous signShaping Tasmania signWelcome to the Tas Flora Collection signInterp sign at RTBGSmall hanging garden sign