Australian Landscape Conference / ALC Garden Tours
DATE CHANGE FOR THE ALC CONFERENCE?
For some time we have considered changing our conference dates from Spring to Autumn. Since Autumn is not so busy, our conference would no longer clash with other Spring events — for example, the Australian Garden History Society conference, AFL finals, the Spring Racing Carnival and various overseas tours. Also, our attendees would have the added chance to attend the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show while in Melbourne.
If our proposed Spring 2017 conference were deferred in this way it would then be held on 24-25 March (Sat & Sun), 2018.
Please help us to make this decision wisely! Answer the following question as best you can and even if you don’t mind either way, we still wish to know that - so please respond.
Question: How do you feel about changing our conference date to 24-25 March, 2018? Please select your answer below and when an email appears do not change the subject but you may add a comment to the body before sending it -
Itineraries for these two tours are now available and can be downloaded via our website or by contacting Warwick Forge. This is a small tour group so applications should be made promptly.
The Emperor Babur, depicted here laying out the 16th-century Garden of Babur (Baghe Babur) in Kabul, Afghanistan, was the most prolific ‘Garden King’
in history and a truly remarkable person.
Babur conquered northern India and established the Mughal Empire with its broad cultural legacy of architecture, gardens and sophisticated design.
The recently restored oldest known Garden of Babur, is the most important cultural restoration in war-torn Afghanistan and has just attracted its three millionth visitor since the beginning of its restoration in 2008.
On his death in 1544, in accordance with his wishes, his widow sent his body back from India to Kabul to be buried in one of the ten gardens which he had ordered to be built in the city.
Founded on his vision, the Mughal Empire saw an extraordinary growth of splendid architecture and gardens like the Shalimar, Taj Mahal and the Nishat Bagh gardens.
The Nishat Bagh in Kashmir looking towards Dal Lake, Srinagar. Our view is from one of the twelve terraces – said to be based on the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Nishat Bagh was designed and built at the same time as the great formal gardens of France.
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
What’s this?
A new speaker has been recommended for our next conference.
We think he’s wonderful!
Here is one of his projects, regenerating wetlands. Watch this space!
THE GREEK ISLES: Idyllic Landscapes – Myths, Legends and Writers
Our first tour to Greece is departing in May led by Trisha Dixon and Warwick Forge.
This is an exciting new venture and we will report in due course. The tour was booked out but another is planned for 2017.
We are looking forward to sharing beautiful landscapes with the wizard designer Thomas Doxiadis. He sent us this card —
Overwhelming peace and tranquillity living on a Greek island!
This garden is owned by an American lady some ten minutes
from my sister’s house on the isle of Aegina.
PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT CUBA!
Streetscapes of Havana
The huge disconnect with Uncle Sam and the Western World led to Cuba achieving
self-sufficiency and a multitude of self-help programs.
We have enquiries for a tour to Cuba while it still offers untrammelled culturally rich experiences. We are thinking of a tour of about a week to experience something of the wonderful dance, music, scrumptious cuisine, absorbing history, historic architecture, great art, innovative gardens and horticulture, etc. Cuba has a wonderful raw energy that many yearn for!
Such a tour could blend with 1-2 other destinations such as the Galapagos, Colombia or Costa Rica. These three countries have some of the richest and most unique ecosystems in the world plus history and lifestyle to boot!
If such a tour appeals to you – write and let us know — warwick@bloomings.com.au
DAN PEARSON
Who can ever forget that wonderful presentation he provided for our first conference in 2002? What an amazing garden maker with his wonderful feel for evolving the garden and choosing the perfect plant for the perfect spot?
Well, Dan has just announced, "..the launch of a new online magazine featuring his writing. ‘Dig Delve’ will feature stories about gardens, horticulture, plants, landscape, nature, food growing and eating, and will also look at inspirational growers, producers, farmers, makers, cooks, florists, artists and craftspeople".
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