Federation Star Bed, Alexandra Gardens

Rare postcard of the Federation Star Bed, soon after planting (1).

One of the features of the Alexandra Gardens, which was designed by Carlo Catani in 1904, is the six pointed Federation Star Bed, which was also known as the Commonwealth Star Bed.  This was laid out by Carlo and George Cooper, the curator of the Gardens. We know it was in existence in 1905 as it featured in a painting by Laurence William Wilson (2), called Melbourne 1905. The painting is held by the State Library of Victoria and their exhibition caption states that Wilson travelled to Melbourne in 1904 to undertake this commissioned painting. 

Melbourne 1905 by Laurence William Wilson.

State Library of Victoria collection.

Photo: Isaac Hermann.  The frame has been cropped from the image.

Close-up of the Federation Star Bed from Melbourne, 1905 by Laurence William Wilson.

State Library of Victoria collection. Photo: Isaac Hermann. 

In 1906 the National Rose Society planted out the Federation Star Bed with roses. The Leader newspaper reported on the National Rose Society Annual General Meeting held on June 26, 1906 and the report included this snippet which tell us how the society was given access to the bed: Mr. J. H. Simpson, at a members' meeting, had moved that the authorities be approached with, a request that a bed on the Alexandra Avenue be placed under the society's charge. A sympathetic reply was received, and Messrs. Brunning (3), Annear (4), Hogg (5), Oliver (6) and Simpson (7) met Mr. Catani of the Public Works department. A very fine plot, known as the Federation Star Bed, was selected, and Messrs. Brunning, Oliver and Simpson were appointed a sub-committee to lay out and plant a rose bed. There will be between 200 and 300 plants and the site will be used as a model for all interested in rose culture (8).

The planting of the Federation Star Bed by the National Rose Society July 11, 1906. You can see the poles which are fixed for the future training of climbing varieties (see below).

General view of the proceedings 

Weekly Times July 21, 1906  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/221221900#

The rose bed was planted out on Arbor Day, July 11, 1906, with 200 roses of 120 varieties (9).  It consisted of a six-pointed star representing the Commonwealth with interposing circular beds signifying each state. The main bed, the six pointed star, was laid out with standards, half standards and dwarf -types are arranged, so as to fall away in size from the centre, while poles are fixed for the future training of climbing varieties (10). The  points of the star plot were picked out with a dwarf crimson variety, Madame Levasseur (11). There were also six smaller circular beds representing each state, which were planted with different coloured roses - Victoria claims Belle Siebrecht and her sister roses of the pink section, while the mother State is favored with the exquisite blooms that are confined to the white varieties. The deep crimson of Prince Camille de Rohan will be the distinguishing color in the South Australian bed, and Queensland will be a shade lighter, with the reds. The yellows are given to Tasmania, and the Western State will have the more varied types of the bronze-yellow roses (12).  The arrangement was designed by Society members, J. Oliver, H. Brunning and J.H. Simpson (13).

On the day of the planting, the President of the Society, Mr J.J. Morris (14) made a speech and said the Society was indebted to the Public Works department for the privilege of possessing such an admirable site for this special purpose (15). The Public Works Department was represented on the day by the Secretary for Public Works, Mr Martin (16) and Carlo Catani. William Guilfoyle, the Curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens (17) his brother John, curator of Reserves Metropolitan Parks and Gardens (18) and a large number of rose enthusiasts were also present (19). Mrs Morris had the honour of planting the first rose and Mrs Martin also planted a rose (20). I do not know whether Carlo planted a rose.

The Federation Star Bed, Alexandra Gardens.

This is dated c. 1906 (21)

State Library of Victoria Image H96.200/607 http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/383768

For some years the Federation Star rose garden was the location of the National Rose Society  annual pruning exhibitions, however it turned out that the rose garden was short-lived, as this article from The Leader of March 21, 1914 tell us: What was once the Commonwealth rose bed in Alexandra-avenue Gardens is now well stocked with choice dahlias, which may be expected to give a fine show in a few weeks' time. As a rose bed it was pretty much a failure, and after maintaining it for six years the National Rose Society gave it up about twelve months ago. Some of the bushes were removed to higher ground, where they at once improved, and are now doing well (22).

Another view of the Federation Star Bed

Dahlias in the Federation Star Bed, 1917.

Alexandra Gardens - Dahlias in full bloom

The Australasian April 28, 1917 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/140187903#

Beautiful Alexandra Gardens, showing the Star Bed on the left. 

Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. 

Dated c. 1920-1954. State Library of Victoria Image H32492/7290. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/67482

This photo was taken June 22, 2018 and clearly shows outline of the star and 

the original rock work centre. 

Photographer: Isaac Hermann.

The Star Bed, October 6, 2022

Photographer: Isaac Hermann

Acknowledgements

The Weekly Times photo of the planting out of the National Rose Society Federation Star Bed was found by my colleague, Isaac Hermann. There are three photos of the event, which you can see, here, in the Weekly Times of July 21, 1906, here. He also supplied the photo of the Laurence William painting and the 2018 photo of the gardeners working on the Star Bed and some of this research was also undertaken in conjunction with Isaac.

Trove list

I have created a short list of articles on Trove relating to the establishment of the Federation Star rose garden, access it here. 

Footnotes

(1) We came across this postcard in a secondhand book shop in Melbourne and we were so thrilled to find it. It was posted on July 11, 1908 to Miss Alden, 'Little London', Tyabb. I have another postcard addressed to the Alden Family and I have written about them here, https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2020/05/alden-family-of-little-london-tyabb.html

(2) Laurence William Wilson (c. 1851 -1912). The State Library of Victoria caption which accompanied this painting said that Wilson studied art in England, before migrating to New Zealand in the 1870s. As we saw, he travelled to Melbourne in 1904 as he was commissioned to paint this scene. He filed for bankruptcy in 1883 and that is all I know about him.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3120, April 3 1883 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/

(3) Herbert John Brunning (1864 - 1949). A founder of the National Rose Society, son of George Brunning, who established Brunnings Nursery in St Kilda. You can read Herbert's obituary in the The Argus, May 25 1949, here and you can read George Brunning's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, written by R.F. Erikisen, here.

(4) Annear William of Auburn, member of the National Rose Society.  

(5) Thomas Hogg of Surrey Hills. Member of the Society and lectured and wrote on rose culture, see here, for an example. He was featured in Table Talk's 'Men of the Moment' in 1909, read about him here. Thomas was a director of the company Miller & Co., rope and twine manufacturers.

(6) John Oliver, Curator of Queens Park, Moonee Ponds who worked for the City of Essendon from 1890 until 1938. He presented a paper on roses and rose culture to the Society in 1901, it was reported in The Leader, June 29, 1901, see here.   

(7) J. H. Simpson. I believe this is James Henry Simpson who was a foundation member of the Society. his death was reported in Rose Society's annual report of 1935/1936, see here in The Australasian of July 18, 1936.  

(8) The Leader, June 30, 1906, see here.

(9) The Leader, July 14, 1906, see here. 

(10) The Leader, July 14, 1906, see here. 

(11) The Herald, July 11, 1906, see here.  

(12) The Leader, July 14, 1906, see here. 

(13) The Australasian, July 21, 1906, see here.

(14) James Jackson Morris, President of the National Rose Society. Died January 19, 1920, read his obituary in The Argus, here.

(15) The Leader, July 14, 1906, see here. 

(16) David Martin (1841-1927) The Secretary for Public Works. Read his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, written by R. Wright, here.

(17) The Herald of July 11, 1906 reported that the the Messrs Guilfoyle were in attendance, so I believe this is William and John.  William Robert Guilfoyle (1840-1912) was the curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Read his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry, written by Alan Gross,  here.

(18) John Guilfoyle. William's ADB entry says that John was the curator of the reserves under the Melbourne Metropolitan Parks and Gardens Committee in 1891-1909. He died on January 29, 1909, read his short obituary in the Weekly Times, here.

(19) The Herald, July 11, 1906, see here.  

(20) The Australasian, July 21, 1906, see here.

(21) The postcard is dated c. 1906. Not sure if that is correct, it looks nothing like the 1905 painting (second and third image in post). There are no stakes in the ground that were required for the climbing roses and later the dahlias, so perhaps it is an artistic impression.

(22) The Leader, March 21, 1914, see here.