Released 24/04/2017
With Anzac Day almost upon us again, Yarralumla Nursery is reminding Canberrans they grow three types of plants for sale with links back to Gallipoli.
“We currently grow Lone Pine (Pinus halepensis), Gallipoli Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and Gallipoli Rose (Cistus salvifloius),” Yarralumla Nursery General Manager, Chris Ware said.
“These plants are a valuable and living link to one of the most defining moments in Australian history and the Nursery is proud to propagate and care for them.
“Yarralumla Nursery has propagated Lone Pines since the 1960s. The trees have all been grown from seed collected from the Lone Pine at the Australian War Memorial – which itself was planted from a seed taken from Gallipoli in 1915.
“We grow Lone Pines and these are sold to individuals and organisations across South East Australia. These include RSL branches, councils, schools and people with family connections to Gallipoli who want them for commemorative purposes.
“Typically each year we grow over 800 Lone Pines and these are available from the Australian War Memorial at www.awm.gov.au”
The Lone Pine received its name in 1915 after Turkish soldiers cut down all but one of the Aleppo Pines (Pinus halepensis) that covered Plateau 400 in order to cover and line their trenches.
The area, aptly named Lone Pine Ridge, was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in the Gallipoli campaign and the last tree was destroyed during the battle. Following its capture after intense fighting and the loss of over 2,000 Australian soldiers, Lance Corporal Benjamin Smith collected a pine cone.
Smith sent the cone to his mother in Inverell in New South Wales. She kept the cone for 13 years before planting its seeds. Two seedlings were grown. One was presented to the town of Inverell, while the Duke of Gloucester planted the second tree at the Australian War Memorial in 1934.
“The other plants grown are the Gallipoli Rose, which was cherished by Australians so much that they brought back seed to scatter as a symbol of peace, and the Gallipoli Rosemary, which have been produced from cuttings originating from a wild Rosemary brought back from Gallipoli,” Mr Ware said.
“These plants can be purchased from your local nursery or garden centre.”
For further information, including how to order the Lone Pines, please call the Nursery on 6207 2446 or visit www.tccs.act.gov.au
- Statement ends -
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