Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, state-supported botanical garden in Sydney, Australia. Officially established in 1816, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is the oldest botanical garden in the country. It is also the most spectacularly sited, occupying more than 30 hectares (74 acres) along the shores of Sydney Harbour. The garden has about 27,000 plants under cultivation.

Much emphasis has been placed on planting the native species of Australia, particularly the woody ones, and hence, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s collections of Australian trees are extensive. Many exotic varieties, however, have also been planted. Other specialties are palms, cycads, ferns, and orchids. The National Herbarium of New South Wales, situated at the garden, contains approximately one million reference specimens. Although the herbarium has worldwide representation, it specializes in the plants of New South Wales and other areas of Australia. Its principal publication is Telopea, formerly entitled Contributions from the New South Wales National Herbarium.

(Read Britannica’s essay “How Botanical Gardens Save Plants with Science.”)