My Climate Change Garden

Australian plants are enjoying a UK summer in a spectacular display outside the British Museum in London as part of the Australian Walkabout Season organised with Kew Gardens from April to October.

This wonderful display showcases the rich biodiversity of Australia, and how these fragile systems are under threat from land usage and climate change.This is particularly important as Australia has one of the world’s greatest concentrations of geographically restricted species (known as endemics). 90% of Australian plants are only found in Australia.http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/australian_season/australia_landscape/plants_and_objects.aspx

Walkabout Australia takes you on on a journey from eastern Australia’s coastal habitat, through the arid red centre, to the western Australian granite outcrop featuring unique and highly endangered plants. The display features 12 ‘star’ plants in the landscape and make connections between the habitat and the British Museum’s collection. It also highlight Kew’s work in Australia and links between the British Museum, Kew and global communities.

The Australia Landscape is the fourth landscape in a five-year partnership programme involving the British Museum and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which celebrate the shared vision of both institutions to strengthen cultural understanding and support biodiversity conservation across the world.

Swathes of strongly coloured Swan river daisies (Brachyscome iberidifolia) and Everlastings (Rhodanthe) add colour throughout the landscape that also feature the quirkily named tall kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos flavidus).

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/australian_season.aspx

There are some great events supporting the Australian Walkabout season which highlight its art, culture and the serious environmental issues facing Australia in the future.

Landscape; longing and livlihoods will investigate the tensions between exploitation and preservation of Australian landscapes and the economic, spiritual and cultural value of both the landscape and its biodiversity. This takes place on 6th September at 18.30 at the British Museum.http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/events_calendar/september_2011/landscape_longinglivelihoods.aspx

It includes many high profile speakers such as His Excellency John Dauth, Australian High Commissioner and Professor Marcia Langton, Foundation Chair in Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne. http://www.culture-communication.unimelb.edu.au/study/indigenous-studies