Laak Boorndap: 1000 Plants to Be Tested in World Leading Research

The Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation (MAP Co) has announced that The University of Melbourne (Burnley Campus) is leading an intensive research project to evaluate the plant species and mixes best suited to thrive in Laak Boorndap – the urban garden at the centre of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation (MAPT).

The three-year research project, the Melbourne Arts Precinct Plant Trials, has been formed in partnership between The University of Melbourne (Burnley Campus), MAP Co, Development Victoria, design practice Hassell, plant practice Super Bloom and international horticulturalists James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett.

The research project has been designed to test a range of growing conditions, the impacts of an increasingly hot environment and aesthetic considerations – ensuring what goes into the ground at Laak Boorndap will flourish year-round, remain beautiful and everchanging, and continuously foster biodiversity.

The Plant Trials are being conducted at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Campus in harsh weather conditions. The plants are being tested on a rooftop in beds with shallow substrate and with minimal irrigation, to mimic the environment of Laak Boorndap. This thorough research into plant survivability will help the designers and team behind the garden understand what species are compatible with Melbourne’s future climate.

Over 1000 plants are being evaluated in the trials including more than 125 species. Imaging technologies, such as drone imagery and 3D point clouds, are tracking plant development, while sensors monitor site data like rainfall temperature, solar radiation, and soil moisture.

The plant trials are led by University of Melbourne Associate Professor in Green Infrastructure, Claire Farrell and University of Melbourne Research Fellow in Green Infrastructure, Dr Dean Schrieke. Associate Professor Farrell and Dr Schrieke are applying the academic expertise of the University of Melbourne’s Green Infrastructure Group to the research, bolstering the project’s science-based outcomes.

Research outcomes will be periodically shared through public programs, conversations, and articles to help interested community members create climate-resilient gardens in urban settings including their own gardens, rooftops, balconies or nature strips.

A new Test Garden has also opened at Melbourne’s Fed Square, acting as a place that the community can meet and hear from the researchers on their findings. The pop-up Test Garden, open to the public 24/7, demonstrates the naturalistic planting style of Laak Boorndap and provides a test bed for programming, research, and conversations. Garden enthusiasts can visit the Test Garden and watch it change and grow, getting a glimpse into the future Laak Boorndap.

The Test Garden at Fed Square has been expertly designed by Hassell, in partnership with Super Bloom and international horticulturalists James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett. The Test Garden is presented by MAP Co and has been generously supported by Bupa.

“Laak Boorndap will reshape the Melbourne Arts Precinct and bring together nature, culture, art and design,” says Colin Brooks, Minister for Creative Industries. “This project is a major investment in our creative industries, tourism, local jobs and the future of our city.”

For further information, visit artsprecinct.melbourne