Female gardeners from the School of Horticulture, Burley, preparing an exhibit for Autumn Garden Week located at Wirth's Park on the site of the current Melbourne Arts Centre.
A horticultural training establishment commenced at Burnley in 1891. Women were allowed to attend from 1899 under the enlightened leadership of Charles Luffman. By 1934, following the tragic impacts of World War One, women were both required and determined to earn a living and to be paid landscape architects, designers and managers. Wearing trousers and overalls was an outward indicator that should they wish, they could be horticulturalists, not just gardeners.
Garden Week was billed as one of the most important floral displays held in Australia, showcasing flowers, fruit and vegetables, bulbs, succulents, garden ornaments, practical appliances and garden literature. There were large display halls and model gardens - designed to provide inspiration to the amateur gardener and showcase Victorian producers.
Featured in "Newsworthy: Melbourne in photographs 1933-1936" exhibition at East Melbourne Library, October to December 2023. Exhibition caption by project volunteer, Louise McKenzie.