THIS weekend is the final one for Blue Mountains Botanic Garden’s Wild about Waratahs Festival, which finishes on Monday, October 3.
The annual celebration of the fabulous floral icon features art exhibitions honouring the native flower, and spectacular profusions of the flowers in a cut bloom competition and in arrangements.
You can go on the waratah walk, see a botanical illustrator’s exhibition and children’s art competition and buy your own waratah, flannel flower or Wollemi pine.
There are also two Waratah Workshops with Gordon Meiklejohn on Saturday, October 1 in the Wollemi Room. Choose from 10.30am – 12pm or 1.30pm – 3pm. Cost: $15. Learn to strike waratah cuttings and nurture them. The art exhibition, ‘Floristic Fusion – The Art and Science of Botany’, is by natural history illustrator Tanya Hoolihan, with prints available to buy. She will also give a workshop on botanical illustration on October 9, 10am–3pm. Cost: $100. Entry is free. It’s open 9.30am-4.30pm. Contact the garden on 4567 3000 or email tomah@rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Make a restaurant booking on 0421 552 746.