Daylesford's begonia collection was stared by French born curator W. Gascoigne in 1885. He was an experienced horticulturalist. The plants were grown again in the 1930s in a new glasshouse. Curator Bill Greville obtained 45 plants from the Ballarat City Council, 30 from Queens Park in Essendon, and soon haad 250 tubers including a (lost) one named 'Daylesford'. When Alf Headland was appointed part-time caretaker in 1956, he found tw tubers in the wood shed and became expert in their cultivation. He continuted well into his retirement when Greg Rae too over. In 1988 the conservotory was named to honur Alf Headland's work.Hot house in the Wombat Gardens with a Begonia display.wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees, begonia, begonia house, begonia conservatory

A small conservatory at the Eureka Stockade Gardens housed begonias which did not quite 'make the grade' to be shown at Cuthbert House at the Botanical Gardens. Visiting this hothouse was sometimes a way to 'beat the crowds'. Mrs Strange's photograph shows these begonias were still worth seeing. Mrs Bon Strange and her husband Bert were well known Ballarat residents. When Mrs Strange died some years ago, her extensive slide collection was sorted through and those relevant to Ballarat were gifted to the Ballarat Library.conservatory, begonias, begonia festival, eureka stockade

Digital image of photographconservatory pre-1995, begonia festival, flower beds

Yields information about the city of Ballarat late 1940's or early 1950's through a set of photographs and has a strong association with well known photographer - Frank Hurley.Folder of postcards or photographs of the City of Ballarat, photographs by Capt. Frank Hurley, late 1940's or very early 1950's. Series of 7 colour photographs on one side and five black and whites on the other. Colour - Arch of The Avenue of Honor, Ballarat from Black Hill showing gold workings, Eureka Stockade, The Begonia Conservatory Botanic Gardens, Sturt St between Grenville St and Lydiard St, the floral clock with the Town Hall in the background, The Ballarat Hospital and Autumn in the Botanic Gardens. Has a title "City of Ballarat", with a folder tab at the top. Black and white photographs "Ballarat Monument to the Golden Age (The gold monument), Sturt St looking west from the town hall, The City Hall, Ballarat Looking NE from the City Hall with the post office in the foreground and the "The flight from Pompeii - Botanical Gardens" Printed by John Sands and Co.trams, tramways, ballarat, postcards, sturt st, town hall, floral clock, eureka, botanical gardens, hospital, post office, black hill, floral clock

Slide. Bendigo Views. Begonias and other plants in the Conservatory.slide, bendigo, bendigo views, bendigo views

Cuthbert House, erected in 1959 as a display house for the famous Ballarat begonias. It replaced the earlier Keel House. The conservatory was not open to the public, but the flowers could be viewed through the windows. It was replaced in 1995 with the current Robert Clark Conservatory. The former Lakeside Hospital can be seen in the background. Mrs Bon Strange and her husband Bert were well known Ballarat residents. When Mrs Strange died some years ago, her extensive slide collection was sorted through and those relevant to Ballarat were gifted to the Ballarat Library. greenhouse, botanical gardens, lake wendouree, lakeside hospital, hothouse, ballarat, conservatory, begonias

john garner collection, ballarat botanical gardens, gardens, ballarat, keel house, begonias, conservatory

john garner collection, ballarat botanical gardens, gardens, ballarat, courier, conservatories, 2007

Issued and postmarked 5th March 1960 for the eighth Ballaarat Begonia Festival.The Begonia Festival started at Ballarat in 1953 and is still celebrated in March every year, in 1960 a new conservatory was opened to display the begonias and what was then the largest electric floral clock in the world was opened. The mail was delivered to the Ballarat Town Hall by an Ansett helicopter.festivals, floral, philately, begonias