Welcome to the sixth and final part of the Raising Rarity series (well for now) with my special guests RBGV Dr Meg Hirst and Mandy Thompson. Many of Australia's rare plant species are only found in ecosystems that are seriously threatened by climate change, habitat loss, fragmentation, and genetic isolation. We are blessed with a stunning array of natives in Victoria, but with so many challenges facing our flora how can we get involved to protect our native plants? That's what the Raising Rarity Program by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) seeks to do, in raising public knowledge and awareness of Victoria’s rare and threatened wildflower species by cultivating them so we can bring them into our gardens. It's quite a novel approach to assess the horticultural potential of rare species and provide opportunity for home gardeners to enjoy these plants while contributing to the ongoing conservation of these species in their gardens. In case you haven't visited yet, RBGV Australian Garden in Cranbourne features stunning vistas and maintained gardens, honouring Australian flora with a natural bushland experience alongside the Australian Garden. Celebrating the beauty and diversity of Australian landscapes. It also serves as a centre for important plant research, seed collection and cultivation. Over the last few weeks, we’ve learnt about some of the key species and got to know the team behind the program, this week we dive a little deeper to understand what’s happening behind the scenes and the challenges a long project like this brings. Watch the video above where Raising Rarity Founder Meg Hirst and Mandy Thompson, Team Leader of Nursery Horticulture, share about their roles and what it takes to get a plant to sale, starting with collections in the wild. And I’m gladly behind the camera for this one! Don’t forget the spring plant sale on the 22nd -23rd of October, come along and take some of the Raising Rarity species home! Since I was a child, nature has fascinated me. I’ve always been curious about every animal, plant, insect, forest, or waterway and that hasn't changed as I've grown up. Our lives are filled with amazing moments, both spectacular and ordinary, that are framed by nature. We gather those we love in our favourite natural places (parks, beaches and rivers) to celebrate and share, as people have done for thousands of years. Every time I walk out my door, I discover a world filled with adventure, excitement, inspiration, and discovery. Sir David Attenborough said it best "An understanding of the natural world is a source of not only great curiosity, but great fulfilment." But I don’t have to be out in the bush to feel like this. I find nature strips and gardens a real delight, you’ll often find me peering into someone's front garden or checking out the plants on the fence line. I’m just passionate about nature and I as I deepen my connection to it, I hope to encourage you to deepen yours, to share the beauty I see around me. It’s one of the reasons I became an artist. I truly believe that to save our natural world we must fall in love with it. Because when we fall in love with a flower, plant, or animal we become its champion. We take steps to understand what it needs, it’s habitat and what else is in its ecosystem. Most of all we are driven to share what we love, and that really is the key to projects like this, spreading awareness. The more we learn about the amazing world around us the more we can protect and nurture it. The devastating fires of 2019 in our alpine regions (where most of the Raising Rarity species reside), coupled with the temperature changes in their habit, means rare species are facing much bigger challenges than before. Identification of these species at risk of extinction and a focus on conservation efforts for those that are most seriously threatened, are important drivers in plant conservation science. Climate change predictions are that the weather will get wilder and fires more severe, so the Raising Rarity program is more important than ever, by cultivating these rare and threatened plants we can ensure they continue to be enjoyed in gardens by everyone and the research will help populations in the wild. The Raising Rarity team accomplish this by working with rare species that they believe have the potential for use in horticulture. They then collect seeds or cuttings from their research plants, setting them up in the nursery in containers, which then get transplanted in the Research Garden located within the Australian Garden at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) Cranbourne. Pop by when you next visit the gardens and see how the plants are doing! In creating this series I have got to know the Raising Rarity team pretty well, I hear the passion in their words, see it in their faces and the dedication they have to peruse their work is nothing short of inspiring to me. I'm very grateful for the time I spent with Meg, Russell, Matt, Caitlin, Mandy and Kaishan. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and work with us. And I'm especially thankful for their patience with me, as I've never filmed an interview or done anything like this before. I hope you have enjoyed these videos and blog as much as I have, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so please comment below. I'll be back in a months time with some coverage of the plant sale, update on my home research project and a highlight of the Botanical Illustrators group I'm part of. Are you a keen gardener or someone that would like more native plants around your home? I'm launching a home research project from the Spring Plant Sale, to show how well the Raising Rarity plants are doing in our gardens. You can get involved here! Awareness is so important to this program, please do subscribe, comment and share this with friends, thank you. OK now the fun stuff you can get involved with over the coming months: What's on at Cranbourne: Spring Plant Sale Sat 22nd and Sun 23rd October 2022 - 10.00am to 4pm A special feature of this year’s sale will be the RBGV’s Raising Rarity plants. Raising Rarity Tours Sat 22nd Oct- Embark on a tour through the Cranbourne Gardens and expand your knowledge about the wonderful world of rare plants. What's on at Melbourne: Climate Notes Sat 22nd Oct - An emotive, interactive exhibition and performance work that explores and communicates how we feel about climate change through music, letter writing and moving image. Botany Bootcamp Sat 24th Oct - Sat 26 Nov - Join Dr Meg Hirst from the Victorian Conservation Seedbank and landscape architect Georgia Warren and work up a sweat as they take you down the garden path. You will receive your very own botanist’s magnifying hand lens to take home. I'm on a mission to raise $2,000 (or even more as they are so close) in funding to help Raising Rarity meet their $20K goal and I would love your help! I am releasing 4 special edition, hand signed prints this year for sale with all profits donated to Raising Rarity. You can buy 2 of these prints now with proceeds going to Raising Rarity Rare plants are often under threat, but not for long if you help save them! The program Raising Rarity has an innovative approach that uses horticulture to acquire knowledge about rare species. Engaging communities to increase awareness and understanding so everyone can work together on protecting these delicate ecosystems. You can learn more here: www.fame.org.au/projects/raising-rarity **This is not a paid collaboration, the project was my idea, and I am volunteering my time, energy, and art to support the wonderful program and highlight the team of passionate people working hard behind it. Thanks so much for following along! Your support means so much to me. Please like, comment and share with other gardening enthusiasts, nature lovers and plant lovers so they learn about this wonderful native species 💚 Thank you!

Welcome to Wild at Home Part 5 with special guest Matthew Henderson RBGV “Those who have trekked through the subalpine wildflower displays over summer in Victoria’s high country, will attest to just how spectacular these rich, colourful tapestries are. One such plant is Veronica Nivea or the Snow Speedwell.” My special guest Matt Henderson is part of the Raising Rarity Horticulture team at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) He will be sharing another rare plant from the Raising Rarity program and his experience of going on a research and collection trip with the Victorian Seed Bank and why it’s important for all of us to get behind programs like Raising Rarity. Watch the video above, then read to the end for things to do and get involved with! Today we are imagining ourselves in Victoria's beautiful subalpine regions from Mt Baw Baw and Mt Buffalo Plateaus, Lake Mountain and Falls Creek. Have you visited any of these areas? Like many people you probably only visit these areas in snow season, but Matt will be the first to tell you that early summer is the best time to visit then these regions are alive with wildflowers! Matt shares that "Those who have trekked through the subalpine wildflower displays over summer in Victoria’s high country, will attest to just how spectacular these rich, colourful tapestries are. Although many of these plants are covered in snow during the winter months, some can happily survive away from these alpine conditions. One such plant is Veronica nivea or the Snow Speedwell. This low-growing herbaceous shrub has attractive fine foliage adorned with spikes of purple flowers on display throughout most of the year. These traits combined with its general appearance challenge what many would consider a native plant should look like, as it could easily be placed in a cottage garden as well as native gardens. It is a great source of nectar for insects and butterflies 🦋" This small, herbaceous shrub responds well to pruning after flowering, as pruning off spent flowering stems promotes bushier habits. Flowers from spring to summer, these beautiful little purple delicacies have masses of small purple flowers that attract insects and butterflies to your garden which helps with pollination. The fine foliage is a vibrant green and adorned with small purple to white flowers. Perfect as a border or anywhere in a cottage garden. Why is this species at risk? The climatic range of where the Snow Speedwell naturally occurs is beneath snowfall, it's at risk of rising temperatures that directly affect alpine ecosystems. Raising Rarity has been researching how this species performs outside of its natural climate and is trialling its success in suburban gardens. Climate change is altering the diverse tapestry of our subalpine ecosystems. A surprisingly, adaptable plant which challenges people’s perceptions of what a native plant should or could look like. Healthy ecosystems and rich biodiversity are fundamental to life yet habitats of many species are being impacted by climate change. In Australia the climate is expected to become significantly warmer. CSIRO scientists predict that by 2030 average temperatures will rise above 1990 levels by around 0.7–0.9°C in coastal areas, and around 1–1.2°C in inland regions. On a continent already as warm as Australia, such an increase could have major ecological impacts as ecosystems can be significantly impacted by even slight variations in the global average temperature. Due to the interconnectedness of ecosystems, the extinction of a species may have an impact on a variety of ecosystem functions. I hope you enjoyed listening to Matt as much as I did, he painted a wonderful picture of the habitat of this beauty (make sure to watch the video above) and why we should get behind the Raising Rarity project. Thanks so much for joining me Matt! Learn more about Matt's work in the Forest Garden at Cranbourne here: Forest Garden Join me for Part Six next week Thursday 22nd September for my final interview in this series (for now!), I'll be speaking with Dr Megan Hirst, Raising Rarity Founder and Mandy Thomson, Team Leader Nursery Horticulture. Awareness is so important to this program, please do subscribe, comment and share this with friends, thank you. OK now the fun stuff you can get involved with over the coming months: What's on at Cranbourne: Spring Plant Sale Sat 22nd and Sun 23rd October 2022 - 10.00am to 4pm A special feature of this year’s sale will be the RBGV’s Raising Rarity plants. Raising Rarity Tours Sat 22nd Oct- Embark on a tour through the Cranbourne Gardens and expand your knowledge about the wonderful world of rare plants. Are you a keen gardener or someone that would like more native plants around your home? I'm launching a home research project from the Spring Plant Sale, to show how well the Raising Rarity plants are doing in our gardens. You can get involved here! What's on at Melbourne: Climate Notes Sat 22nd Oct - An emotive, interactive exhibition and performance work that explores and communicates how we feel about climate change through music, letter writing and moving image. Botany Bootcamp Sat 24th Oct - Sat 26 Nov - Join Dr Meg Hirst from the Victorian Conservation Seedbank and landscape architect Georgia Warren and work up a sweat as they take you down the garden path. You will receive your very own botanist’s magnifying hand lens to take home. I'm on a mission to raise $2,000 (or even more as they are so close) in funding to help Raising Rarity meet their $20K goal and I would love your help! I am releasing 4 special edition, hand signed prints this year for sale with all profits donated to Raising Rarity. You can buy 2 of these prints now with proceeds going to Raising Rarity These are true reproduction prints on thick 300GSM paper with lightfast professional inks will help you bring nature inside and create a warm inviting space. Rare plants are often under threat, but not for long if you help save them! The program Raising Rarity has an innovative approach that uses horticulture to acquire knowledge about rare species. They also engage with communities to increase awareness and understanding so everyone can work together on protecting these delicate ecosystems. You can learn more here: www.fame.org.au/projects/raising-rarity **This is not a paid collaboration, the project was my idea, and I am volunteering my time, energy, and art to support the wonderful program and highlight the team of passionate people working hard behind it. Thanks so much for following along! Your support means so much, please like, comment and share with other gardening enthusiasts, nature lovers and plant lovers so they learn about this wonderful native species 💚 Thank you!

Welcome to Wild at Home Part 4 - Guest blog by Dr Megan Hirst Have you ever fallen in love at first sight. That instant connection, butterflies in your belly and you want to know everything about it? Yes, I said it haha because I'm talking about flowers! I'd say if you are reading this blog, you know exactly what I mean. You revel in the delights that nature brings and celebrate nature through your work or like me, creativity. (More about how this series has inspired me at the end). I'm very proud to introduce you to a guest blogger this week, Dr Megan Hirst, Seed Researcher, Raising Rarity Founder and Botany Bootcamp leader! Meg splits her working week between the RBGV in the Victorian Conservation Seedbank and at Deakin University in the extreme plant ecology lab under the guidance of Dr Susanna Venn. Meg is a committed teacher, researcher and horticulturalist. Combined with her education, employment and research training she has extensive practical experience growing, tending and studying plants in both scientific public garden and experimental settings. You can watch the video here or by clicking on the image above! Over to you Meg... "Hi there, I've enjoyed this series so far and hope you have too! Let me tell you a little about what I do and introduce one of my favourite plants. Plants sustain us and all terrestrial ecosystems yet >20% of plants on earth are threatened with extinction. There are many strategies in place with amazing work being undertaken in plant conservation. However what troubles me is the limited opportunities for the community to learn about plants. The less we know about plants the less likely we are to act for their conservation. Botanic Gardens generally are well positioned to act for nature. Therefore it is important that they are appropriately funded to undertake a vital role in botanical education. Those of us who work in Botanic Gardens want to engage the community with knowledge to care for rare and endangered species. The Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria plays a leading role in the conservation of plants through biodiversity research, management and education programs designed to protect rare and threatened plants. The Gardens connect over two million visitors to nature, inspiring them to act for nature in their own lives. The Raising Rarity project is designed to engage home gardeners in playing an active role in the protection of Victoria’s rare and threatened plant species within their own garden space, so taking the plants to the people so to speak. We want our project to be facilitated at a large scale and the popularity of these plants become welcome additions to suburban gardens providing a meaningful opportunity for the community to provide sanctuary and care for these precious rare and threatened plants. Working in the Victorian Conservation Seedbank is a mix of lab and field work, so really the best of both worlds, for example, getting up close with plants in the wild and seeing how they coexist with other species, and testing their germination responses in the lab. Tadgels Brachyscome (Brachyscome tadgellii) is one such plant. In nature, it is found growing high above the tree line in the Victorian alpine region. It is a vulnerable species (as many plants unfortunately are in the alps) and this is due to habitat loss and the threatening processes under a changing climate, such as less snow, warmer winters, and drier summers. It is a clumping perennial herb with quite a variable leaf shape, ranging from thin and linear to almost succulent, thick, and lobed. The large white flowers (technically inflorescences) appear throughout spring, summer, and autumn. Used ideally at the forefront of a mixed border or in drifts in a perennial border. This plant will require additional water in the warmer months. Cut back the flowerheads after seed collection. A few things you may not know about me... I was on a reality TV show the Singing Office…which is weird as I am tone deaf I am prone to anxiety (panic) attacks and have found the art of running as the best way to deal with it My primary school career ambition was to be a dentist. Being out in the field doesn't come without risks... I lost that broad brim hat in a high alpine wind not long afterwards and am still on the lookout for it whenever I go back there :) Selfie taken at Buckety Plains on the Bogong High Plains, Victoria I absolutely love this picture! It is on the summit of Mt Cope with Russell Larke and Danny White. We had the best day seed collecting, and I think it shows. Notice the new hat?" A huge thank you to Meg for her generous spirit, time, enthusiasm and generally being an awesome human! I really enjoyed my time with Meg and could have easily chatted all day. I'm sure you will find her as captivating as I do. Meg runs Botany Bootcamp at the RBGV with her friend Georgia Warren and together they introduce basic botany, and garden design along with a little exercise and a lot of fun to get participants motivated about plants and acting for nature. It kicks off this month so get booking! Hear what Costa Georgiadis has to say about it - watch it here Meg along with the team at RBGV are so passionate about their work and bringing these threatened rare species to our gardens, but they can't do it alone and need your help! Come to our Raising Rarity plant sale on Saturday 22nd October in conjunction with the Cranbourne Friends spring plant sale. Awareness is important, please share this program with friends and if you are an educator and would like Meg to speak at your school, please contact her via LinkedIn. I'm on a mission to raise $2,000 (or even more as they are so close) in funding to help Raising Rarity meet their $20K goal and I would love your help! I am releasing 4 special edition, hand signed prints for sale with all profits donated to Raising Rarity. The first print being released on Saturday 3rd September, is for this beautiful Tadgels Brachyscome (Brachyscome tadgellii). If you would like early access to these prints please subscribe to my list. These are true reproduction prints on thick 300GSM paper with lightfast professional inks will help you bring nature inside and create a warm inviting space. Rare plants are often under threat, but not for long if you help save them! The program Raising Rarity has an innovative approach that uses horticulture to acquire knowledge about rare species. They also engage with communities to increase awareness and understanding so everyone can work together on protecting these delicate ecosystems. You can learn more here: www.fame.org.au/projects/raising-rarity **This is not a paid collaboration, the project was my idea, and I am volunteering my time, energy, and art. Thanks so much for following along! Your support means so much, please like, comment and share with other gardening enthusiasts, nature lovers and plant lovers so they learn about this wonderful native species 💚 Thank you!