The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is Australia’s largest botanic garden and specialises in growing and showcasing Australian native flora.
The Wattle Garden spreads over 36,000 square metres and showcases over 260 species of Acacia (AKA Wattles), which will bloom throughout August and into September in a sea of golden hues.
Acacia pycnantha, the Golden Wattle, has been the national emblem of Australia since 1988 and has been a culturally important plant for the nation for far longer.
In Australia today, wattles are more commonly used for garden plantings, but they have healed and sustained Aboriginal and colonial Australians in many fascinating ways, and were used by the early settlers to make wattle and daub huts.
Over one hundred different wattle species were used by different Aboriginal groups for food, medicine and tools and weapons.
Their seeds were collected and ground into a flour to be eaten as a paste or cooked on hot ash as a damper.
The medicinal properties of some acacias were used to treat headache, skin complaints, aches and pains, infections, rheumatism, colds and toothache.
A multipurpose group indeed!
Visit the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan to see these wonderful trees in bloom, including on September 1, which is national wattle day.
Stop past the Visitor Information Centre to get some friendly pointers and purchase your very own wattle foods, such as their macadamia and wattle seed muffin mix.
The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan is open between 8am and 5pm and entry is free.
Visit the Garden’s website here for more visitor information and find out what else is happening this spring.
