New Shoots: botanical writing workshop
learning to flourish on the underside
of things. The fern is steady, unafraid
of the dark, pushing through stem, bark
~ Eileen Chong, excerpt from 'Fern'.
Award-winning poet, Eileen Chong led a botanical writing workshop as part of Seniors Week at the Australian Botanic Garden, adding the growing ecosystem of our New Shoots project. Inspired by the native plants and history of the Gardens and the PlantBank, participants were guided through a range of writing activities by Eileen that aimed to create personal connections with nature.
In learning about the tireless work of the PlankBank in horticultural research and conservation, especially of endangered and endemic species, in relation to the crtically endnagered Cumberland Plain Woodland, participants were able to gain an appreciation for native species under threat - and to celebrate this connection in creative ways with beautiful poetic offerings.
The Poems
View student poetic offerings here »
