Georgiana's Garden   2013                                Wardandi Boodja                                                                Augusta Western Australia

One of the first migrants to settle in Augusta, Georgiana Molloy arrived in 1830 with husband Captain John Molloy, The Bussells and William Turner. Georgiana’s own life was one of struggle where she turned to nature for solace. A keen gardener she was alone (within the first settlers) in her pleasure and determination to grow flowers.

Georgiana had mixed feelings about the new country noting the beauty of the abundant purple creeper (hardenbergia comptoniana) but still found the bush ”not so interesting as our own and after the novelty has passed soon cease to please”.(1.) Things changed with an unexpected package from Captain James Mangles, RN in 1837,  of “a box of many wished for seeds, along with the request that she refill the box with seeds and specimens of her region and return them to him” (2.)

 This hortus siccus, encouraged Georgiana to finally embrace and really appreciate the landscape, “Indeed my dear sir, I have been more frequently from my home this year in making up your collection than in the whole of the nearly eight years we have lived in Augusta”( 3. ) She became the first to collect and document  many local species and became a strong advocate for the native species.  However, through the ‘treasured seeds’ she introduced the arrum lilly, watsonia, freesias and cape gooseberries into the cape two of which are now serious weed invaders, threatening the local flora.