Garden art
Learn about different forms of art, the art and science of botanical illustration, and create your own masterpieces at home!
Links to New South Wales Curriculum
Stage 2 Visual Arts
Represents the qualities of experiences and things that are interesting or beautiful by choosing among aspects of the subject matter (VAS2.1)
Uses the forms to suggest the qualities of subject matter (VAS2.2 )
Acknowledges that artists make artworks for different reasons and that various interpretations are possible (VAS2.3)
Identifies connections between subject matter in artworks and what they refer to, and appreciates the use of particular techniques (VAS2.4)
Stage 3 Visual Arts
Investigates subject matter in an attempt to represent likenesses of things in the world (VAS3.1)
Makes artworks for different audiences, assembling materials in a variety of ways (VAS3.2)
Stage 2 Science and Technology
- A student selects and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity (ST2-2DP-T)
Stage 3 Science and Technology
- A student plans and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity (ST3-2DP-T)
Literacy capability
Numeracy capability
Information and Communication Technology capability
Critical and Creative Thinking capability
Personal and Social capability
Ethical Understanding capability
Intercultural Understanding capability.
The aim of the Garden Art unit is to highlight the relationship between art and nature with examples of different art forms referencing the art on display in the Gardens.
There are activities accompanying each topic in this unit which students can use to apply their knowledge and skills. As art in its concept is rooted in free expression and creativity, many of the activities are deliberately designed to be open-ended. However, there are instructions to complete them which should provide some rough guidance. Here are some examples of nature-based art as a reference and inspiration:
Garden material art
Tangrams
Download the answer sheet for the tangram activity.
Botanical art inspiration and excursion options at the Gardens
The Florilegium
Garden Art Month
Artisans in the Gardens
Cassowaries in Sydney
2022 Margaret Flockton Award entries
Did you know?
The act of painting outdoors in natural light is called plein air. It became popular in the 19th century and is often associated with the Impressionist art movement.
April is Garden Art Month at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney! There are a variety of events such as music, kids programs, and exhibitions all celebrating the connection between art and nature.
The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney hosts art classes and exhibitions year-round. You can find what’s currently on offer on the What's on page.
Aboriginal art and culture
Garden design ideas and resources
Scientific and botanical illustration
Sculpture at the Gardens: Cupid, photograph by Whiteghost.ink, distributed under a CCBY-SA 4.0, cropped to fit. The banner image was sourced from the Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens' Flickr
