AFTER postponing the Australian National Botanic Gardens’ 50th anniversary program launch in early January because of hazardous air quality and ongoing fire danger, the gardens went indoors this morning (March 5) to celebrate its proud history, as steady rain fell.

From March to December the gardens will host more than two dozen events to celebrate their golden anniversary, beginning with the popular “Summer Sounds” event starting this weekend with top 40 hits of the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and today.

The Botanic Gardens executive director, Dr Judy West, said the milestone would be marked with year-long activities and exhibitions featuring week-long festivals, music, cinema, giant sculptures, wildlife and art, targeted to all ages

The program, she said, would include the Banksia Festival, a musical composition for the Canberra International Music Festival Concert, commissioned by the gardens, and “The Garden Party”, Australia’s first outdoor exhibition of giant Megafauna that roamed the country thousands of years ago.

This anniversary year will also see construction of the Ian Potter National Conservatory commence, with the new attraction due to open in 2022.

“The gardens is a sanctuary in the heart of Canberra and has grown into one of the capital’s most cherished institutions, where scientific excellence works to conserve our nation’s beautiful and unique flora in an elegant space,” Dr West told those present this morning.

The Australian National Botanic Gardens, known initially as the Canberra Botanic Gardens, was officially opened in October 1970 by Prime Minister John Gorton and in the same year a misting system was installed in a dry gully at the foot of Black Mountain to artificially increase humidity, allowing for the establishment of the Rainforest Gully.

The gardens now support a collection of more than 70,000 native plants, representing more than 6200 species and – about one-third of Australia’s known native plants.

“Summer Sounds”, Botanical Gardens Eucalypt Lawn, 5pm-7pm, Saturdays and Sundays, March 7-8, 14-15 and 21-22. Details at parksaustralia.gov.au