Activities

Upcoming Talks

  • Annette Giesecke, From Paradise to Pompeii: Near Eastern origins of the ancient Roman garden. Hamilton Gardens, 6–7:30 pm, 27 April

Subject to the resources available, activities may include:

  • Public lectures.
  • Specialist seminars, lecture series, and academic symposia.
  • Research projects.
  • Fellowships or scholarships.
  • Co-ordination and support for books, articles, and other publications.
  • Expert advice.
  • Promotion and co-ordination between national and overseas institutions and scholars.
  • Liaison with funders and supporters.

Past talks:

  • Matt Morris, Common Ground: Garden Histories of Aotearoa, Hamilton Gardens, 24 November 2022
  • Annette Bainbridge, Cultivating Relationships: Colonial Women and their Married Life in the Garden, 1850-1914, Hamilton Gardens. 4 November, 2022
  • Zoë Heine, Community Gardens, Hamilton Gardens. 4 August 2021
  • James Beattie, Willow Pattern, Hamilton Gardens. 8 July 2021
  • Ian Duggan, The History of the Garden Gnome in New Zealand. Hamilton Gardens. 11 November 2020.
  • James Beattie, Chinese Market Gardening in Aotearoa New Zealand, 1870s-1950s. Hamilton Gardens. 7 October 2020.

Below is our President’s Report from June 2022, outlining our activities in the previous year:

The Garden History Research Foundation has consolidated its position as Aotearoa’s leading advocate for garden history. Our global prominence has increased, thanks to increased followers on social media, as well as the upcoming launch of the first book in its Routledge series.

The on-going impact of COVID has curtailed our public lecture series, but we have responded by launching a garden history video series. For all their hard work over the last year, I thank Foundation members: Treasurer Ian Duggan, Gail Pittaway, Annette Bainbridge, Dr. Peter Sergel, Marilyn Yeoman, Judy Holdsworth and Secretary James Cassidy. I also want to thank the support provided to us by the Friends of Hamilton Gardens.

July 2021-June 2022 Activities

  • Journal & Occasional Papers series
  • Garden History Lecture Series
    • COVID-19 lockdown has delayed the start of this series. We held the following lectures over the last year:
      • Zoë Heine, Community Gardens
      • James Beattie, Garden on a Plate
  • We are planning to hold the following public talks from August 2022 (dates TBC):
    • James Beattie, Willow Pattern on a Plate
    • Annette Bainbridge, Women & gardening
    • Matthew Morris, Common Ground
    • Ian Duggan, Garden Gnomes
  • Video channel:
    • Launched in Nov 2021, with ‘Japanese Internment, Garden-Making and Environment’
    • More videos will follow.
  • Passing of Foundation Committee Member
    • We note with sadness the passing of our Foundation committee member, Professor Emeritus Ian Pool.
  • Friends of Hamilton Gardens
    • We continue to appreciate the help and support for the Foundation from the Friends.

Looking to the year ahead, we plan to:

  • develop closer relations with WINTEC, through WINTEC’s journalism students interviewing on film people in garden history.
  • Seek sponsorship for a Garden History Public Lecture Series.
  • continue to expand our national and international outreach through blogs, publications, talks, social media posts, and advocacy.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any ideas or suggestions.

Associate Professor James Beattie (james.beattie@vuw.ac.nz)

Chair, Garden History Foundation

Below is our President’s Report from June 2020, outlining our activities in the previous year:

The Garden History Research Foundation has launched several new initiatives over the last year. For these, I thank the energy and hard work of Foundation members: Treasurer Ian Duggan, Gail Pittaway, Peter Sergel, and Marilyn Yeoman, as well as Secretary James Cassidy. I also want to thank the financial support provided to us by the Friends of Hamilton Gardens.

2020 Achievements

  • Graduate Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Garden History:
    • July 2019, awarded to Zoë Heine (Victoria University of Wellington), to assist with her thesis on: ‘Community gardening’.
    • This was supported through funding provided by the Friends of Hamilton Gardens.
  • Garden History Lecture Series
    • COVID-19 lockdown has delayed the start of this series. Subject to a lifting on assembly and movement, we anticipate speakers at Hamilton Gardens on topics including gnomes, chinoiserie, and much more besides.
  • Bank account opened with SBS.

Looking to the year ahead, we plan to:

  • present a 2020 Graduate Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Garden History.
  • develop closer relations with the Australian Garden History Society, especially over research connections and the sharing of international speakers.
  • further a Garden History Public Lecture Series.
  • publish our first Occasional Papers
  • continue to expand our national and international outreach through blogs, publications, talks, social media posts, and advocacy.
  • open a donate page on our website.

James Beattie

Chair, Garden History Research Foundation