Name

Adelaide Botanic Gardens Foundation

Legal name

Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia

Website

https://botanicgardens.sa.gov.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

1857

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Adelaide Botanic Gardens Foundation is the fundraising arm of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia, a State Government statutory authority operating three free-entry public botanic gardens, a 1M-specimen herbarium, and a seed conservation centre serving 2M+ annual visitors across Adelaide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Botanic Gardens and Plant Conservation

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)

Keywords

• Botanic garden operations
• Plant conservation services
• Horticultural research
• Public garden management
• Seed conservation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a State Government statutory authority governed by the Department for Environment and Water and the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, the organisation receives government funding to operate.
2. Venue Hire and Function Spaces: Revenue generated from hiring venues including the Noel Lothian Hall (up to 100 lecture style/50 seated), Rose Garden Pavilion (up to 200 dining/400 cocktail), Goodman Building meeting spaces, and corporate event spaces. Managed by exclusive on-site partner Blanco Horner.
3. Donations and Philanthropy: Donations, bequests, and legacy giving from supporters. The Adelaide Botanic Gardens Foundation supports fundraising including the Annual Appeal used to upgrade the International Rose Garden.
4. Entry and Public Programs: While general garden entry is free, paid public programs include workshops (botanical tea blending, mindfulness, nature dough), ticketed events (Night Visions Illuminate Adelaide at $30-$48), and paid programs like Secrets of the Seed (from $10).
5. Retail and Plant Sales: On-site shop selling plants, gardening books, and merchandise. Monthly plant sales at Mount Lofty Botanic Garden conducted by Friends of the Botanic Gardens Growing Group. Gift shop at Museum of Economic Botany.
6. Wedding and Filming Permits: Revenue from commercial filming and photography permits (cost varies by crew size, gear, access requirements, and staff supervision needs), and wedding photography/venue services managed by on-site partner Blanco Horner.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The Adelaide Botanic Gardens Foundation is the fundraising arm that provides long-term financial security and philanthropic funding to the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia. The supporting organisation operates three free-entry public botanic gardens (Adelaide, Mount Lofty, Wittunga), maintains the State Herbarium with over one million plant specimens, runs the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, delivers school education programs, manages venue hire for weddings and corporate events, and offers ticketed workshops and exhibitions.

Product overview

The Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia operates three public botanic gardens (Adelaide, Mount Lofty, and Wittunga) plus Botanic Park as core attractions, all with free entry. These are supported by specialized botanical collections including the award-winning International Rose Garden, Mediterranean Garden, Palm House, Bicentennial Conservatory, Amazon Waterlily Pavilion, and Museum of Economic Botany. Scientific infrastructure includes the State Herbarium (with over one million plant specimens) and South Australian Seed Conservation Centre. Visitor experiences encompass free guided walks, nature-based wellbeing workshops (tea blending, mindfulness), cultural tours, school education programs, and plant sales. Venue hire services cover the Noel Lothian Hall, Rose Garden Pavilion, Goodman Building, and other spaces for weddings, corporate events, and community activities. Filming and photography permits are issued for commercial shoots. The organization also hosts temporary exhibitions including the recent Chihuly in the Botanic Garden glass art exhibition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adelaide Botanic Garden The flagship city-based botanic garden located on North Terrace, Adelaide, featuring diverse botanical collections, historic architecture (Palm House, Bicentennial Conservatory), the Museum of Economic Botany, and free entry for all visitors.
• Mount Lofty Botanic Garden A hillside botanic garden in the Adelaide Hills featuring cool-climate plants, Rhododendron Gully, Fern Gully, Heritage Rose Garden, walking trails, and renowned autumn colours display.
• Wittunga Botanic Garden A suburban botanic garden in Blackwood focusing on Australian and South African flora, featuring collections from Kangaroo Island, Western Australia, and a Fynbos Garden.
• School Education Programs Curriculum-aligned learning experiences for students from pre-school to senior secondary, including guided tours, hands-on activities, teacher professional development, and Learning Hub resources.
• Events, Functions and Weddings Venue Hire Hire of venues including the Noel Lothian Hall (up to 100 lecture/50 seated), Rose Garden Pavilion (up to 200 dining/400 cocktail), Goodman Building Lecture Theatre and Education Room for corporate events, weddings, and community activities. Managed by exclusive on-site partner Blanco Horner.
• Filming and Photography Permits Permit service for commercial filming, photography, drone photography, and wedding photography requests, with fees determined at the discretion of BGSH based on crew size, gear, access requirements, and staff supervision needs. Application via SnapForms.
• Botanical Tea Blending Workshop A 3-hour nature-based wellbeing workshop where participants create personalised botanical tea blends using plants harvested from the Gardens. Includes light refreshments, tea container, wooden spoon, and take-home tea blend. Priced at $95 per person, sold via Humanitix.
• Mindfulness in the Gardens A 1.5-hour garden-based mindfulness session designed to reduce stress and improve wellbeing through engagement with nature using senses of sight, scent, sound and touch. Priced at $25 per person.
• Plant Sale at Mount Lofty Monthly plant sale organised by the Friends of the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide, featuring plants cultivated from seeds and cuttings harvested from all three botanic gardens. Held fourth Sunday of each month from March to November at Chris Steele Scott Pavilion, Mount Lofty Botanic Garden.
• Cultural Garden Tours First Nations-led cultural tours providing insights into native plants used throughout Aboriginal culture, their connection to Country, and Kaurna seasonal knowledge. Offered through external providers Bookabee Australia, Kumarninthi, and Southern Cultural Immersion.
• Night Visions (Illuminate Adelaide) An annual after-dark light art experience at Adelaide Botanic Garden featuring light installations, lasers, projections and sound by local and international artists, with ticketed dining at Botanic Lodge. Priced at $30-$48 per person, sold via Illuminate Adelaide.
• Botanic Gardens On-site Shop On-site retail shop at the Museum of Economic Botany selling plants, gardening books, and botanic garden merchandise. Also includes the Diggers Shop for gardening information and plant books.
• South Australian Seed Conservation Centre Conservation program undertaking vital preservation of South Australia's native plant species through seed banking, habitat restoration, and threatened species translocation. Involved in Kangaroo Island Narrow-leaved Mallee habitat restoration with over 400 volunteer hours and 2,000+ native seedlings planted.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2 million visitors annually to the three Botanic Gardens
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Blanco HornercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive on-site catering and event partner managing all weddings, the Noel Lothian Hall, Rose Garden Pavilion, corporate functions, and Rose Garden Marquee. Also coordinates wedding photography and on-site function coordination including Botanic Lodge restaurant. Contact: (08) 8223 4412 or [email protected].
• Bookabee AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Nations tour provider delivering cultural garden tours at Adelaide Botanic Garden, telling the story of native plants and their use in Aboriginal culture.
• KumarninthicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Nations tour provider delivering cultural garden tours at Adelaide Botanic Garden, sharing deep cultural knowledge and stories of local Aboriginal people.
• Southern Cultural ImmersioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Nations tour provider delivering cultural garden tours at Adelaide Botanic Garden, providing expert guides who connect visitors with plants and social history of local Aboriginal people.
• Rose Society of South AustraliaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolunteers from the Rose Society of South Australia provide thousands of hours annually maintaining the International Rose Garden, including dead-heading, pruning, and horticultural support.
• NeutrogminorOthersGenerously provides high-quality mulch, pelletised and liquid fertiliser for the International Rose Garden to ensure roses receive necessary nutrients to thrive.
• Chihuly StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle-based studio of world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. Created over a dozen grand glass installations for the Adelaide exhibition, including the permanent Glacier Ice and Lapis Chandelier designed specifically for the Palm House.
• JamFactoryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting project partner for the Chihuly in the Botanic Garden exhibition, with a shop based in the Museum of Economic Botany during the exhibition period.
• South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SARDI Plant Health and Diagnostics to install automated air samplers at Adelaide and Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens for monitoring myrtle rust, part of a national biosecurity sentinel network.
• Australian National University (ANU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in the national myrtle rust monitoring program using automated air samplers across Australia's botanic gardens.
• SA WaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud supporter of the Mediterranean Garden at Adelaide Botanic Garden, demonstrating waterwise gardening practices and climate-smart horticulture.
• Illuminate AdelaidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive creative partner conceiving and delivering the annual Night Visions after-dark light experience at Adelaide Botanic Garden, featuring local and international artists, light installations, and ticketed dining at Botanic Lodge.
• National Museum of SingaporeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner of the William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings, loaned to Adelaide Botanic Garden for the 'Tails from the Coasts: Nature Stories of Singapore' exhibition at the Museum of Economic Botany - the first time selections toured beyond Singapore.
• OzAsia FestivalminorGTM or Marketing Partner'Tails from the Coasts' exhibition is part of the OzAsia Festival program, Australia's leading contemporary arts festival engaging with Asia.
• Friends of the Botanic Gardens of AdelaidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorActive volunteer organisation running the Growing Group for plant sales, providing trained guides for free guided walks across all three gardens, coordinating cultural tours, and supporting horticultural programs. Fees from booked tours are returned to BGSH.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Missouri Botanical Garden: Major US botanic institution with herbarium, conservation programs, ticketed events, and educational programming; comparable combination of science, conservation, and visitor monetisation.
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK): World-leading botanic institution combining 1M+ specimen herbarium, science, conservation, and visitor attractions; a benchmark comparable for the scientific and tourism depth of Adelaide's operations.
• New York Botanical Garden: Major US botanic garden with herbarium, research, education programs, ticketed exhibitions and events; comparable in offering mix (free grounds, paid events, science) though at significantly larger scale.
• Singapore Botanic Gardens (UNESCO): A large, internationally recognised botanic garden combining conservation, research (herbarium), and tourism; broader in scale and global reach but operates a comparable visitor/conservation hybrid model.

Direct peers

• Chicago Botanic Garden: Major US botanic garden combining free public access, research, conservation, weddings/events, and education programs; a strong comparable for monetisation mix and operational scale.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Urban botanic garden with free entry, paid events, weddings, education, and a substantial plant collection; closely mirrors Adelaide's urban-garden, free-entry, event-monetised model.
• Australian National Botanic Gardens (Canberra): Australian federal-government botanic garden focused on native flora, research, and public education; directly comparable operating model (government-funded, science-led, free public access).
• Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: Australia's flagship botanic garden operated as a state-government statutory authority; directly comparable in mission (public garden, herbarium, conservation, education, events) and visitor scale to Adelaide Botanic Gardens.
• Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (Melbourne): State-funded Australian botanic garden with herbarium, conservation, and visitor programming; closest peer in Australia given scale, science remit, and event-driven monetisation model.

Others

• Friends of the Botanic Gardens (Adelaide): Volunteer support organisation integral to Adelaide Botanic Gardens' guided walks, plant sales, and tours; not a commercial peer but a directly comparable volunteer-fundraising entity within the same ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AdelaideBotanicGdn
• Facebookfacebook.com/AdelaideBotanicGarden
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/botanic-gardens-and-state-herbarium-of-south-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/botanicgardenssa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Adelaide Botanic Gardens Foundation