Looking after Laak Boorndap
Diggers Guests | Members Webinar SeriesAbout this experience
Laak Boorndap is an 18,000sqm urban garden located at the heart of the Melbourne Arts Precinct, conceived as a densely planted, biodiverse landscape that will serve as a dynamic setting for people, art, and performance. Its development will be guided by horticultural innovation, drawing on research and experimentation, including insights from the Test Garden and trials undertaken at the University of Melbourne.
Naturalistic planting schemes will combine native species with select exotics to create resilient, visually distinctive environments. A key responsibility for the horticulture team will be managing this complex landscape within a uniquely Melbourne context, leveraging the city’s mild winters to ensure continuous seasonal interest.
Positioned in the centre of the CBD, the garden is designed to strengthen human connection to nature while embedding cultural respect through sustained collaboration with the Wurundjeri community. By integrating scientific knowledge, creative practice, and cultural engagement, Laak Boorndap will emerge as a sustainable, biodiverse, and culturally significant landscape for generations to come.
Your Host
Russell Larke (BSc First Class Hons, Dip Hort, Dip Cons & Land Man) is the inaugural Head Gardener at the Melbourne Arts Precinct’s new Laak Boorndup Garden. A passionate advocate for native flora and conservation, he previously served as Senior Curator at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (Cranbourne), where he managed the living collections and established multiple plant conservation initiatives. Russell is committed to advancing horticultural innovation and connection to nature through the development of the Melbourne Arts Precinct.
