Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens’ arid garden vandalised

Via the ABC.

Cacti in the Arid Garden were hacked with a sharp implement, such as a machete or axe, according to the garden’s staff.

About 80 per cent of the columnar cacti and succulents were attacked, staff said.

Many of the plants were more than 30 years old and the collection contained some rare and threatened species.

The garden’s chief executive, Tim Entwisle, says the damage had shocked staff and visitors.

He says it is difficult to comprehend.

“Someone’s come in overnight and they’ve just hacked away at some of the biggest cacti in our collection – the tall, column like ones. Just broken them off, left them there,” he said.

Mr Entwisle said “it would take decades for any replacements to reach the maturity of the plants that were destroyed”.

A sad day.

Time to morn and investigate, but it’s also an opportunity. An opportunity for renewal or creation.

I’m sure Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardeners will have great ideas as to what to do. Here are some suggestions for anyone else who may suffer a similar fate whether by the hand of man or nature.

Cleanly cut the branches and leave to heal, somewhere dry. Then stake up on top of some cactus mix, seed raising mix or similar in either a nursery or preferably in the plant’s final destination.

With so many branches a Frida Kahlo style fence is one option.

New branches will explode out of the remaining cacti. Give them a good feed.