Carlo Catani and Wattle trees

The wattle tree grows prolifically on the Koo Wee Rup Swamp. Even 130 years after the Swamp was drained in accordance with plans drawn up by William Thwaites, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department and later plans developed by Carlo Catani, the black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) still sprouts up anytime and anywhere. It flowers from late July to mid August and is just spectacular. Carlo Catani had a love of wattles; did this love develop from his many trips to the Koo Wee Rup Swamp and seeing the wattles in bloom?  I would like to think so. This is a post celebrating Carlo's fondness of the  wattle. 

This is the Main Drain of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp, the drain which was part of William Thwaites' original drainage plan, and self-seeded wattles.

  Looking east from the Eleven Mile bridge at Vervale/Cora Lynn, taken July 31, 2011.

In 1904, the Public Works Department planted 1500 wattle trees, comprising 40 species, along the Alexandra Avenue (1). This would have been at the direction of Carlo Catani who designed the Avenue and the adjoining Alexandra Gardens. A visitor from Western Australia described these trees a year later - Off Alexandra Drive Mr. Catani has a magnificent grove of wattles, now in full bloom, forming a magnificent sight, charming the eye and diffusing a subtle perfume (2). A report in 1909 said the collection of acacias or wattles in the avenue has been the admiration of the thousands of persons who have visited this truly lovely spot (3).

If you know wattles then you know that they can tend to get a bit straggly and have a short life-span or as The Australasian reported in 1909 -  Many of the acacias have the reputation of being short-lived, and this is correct if the plants are left to themselves; but it is well known that longevity in many trees may be promoted by judicious pruning and attention to watering in the dry weather. Mr. G. W. Cooper, the intelligent head gardener at this place, lays great stress on the value of pruning these plants immediately after they have done flowering. Numerous tall growing kinds may be kept within reasonable dimensions, and even the medium growers or those of bush habit may be kept quite dwarf by using the knife (4).

George Cooper worked with Carlo Catani from 1900 on the landscaping of Alexandra Avenue and at the Alexandra Gardens, where he was the head curator until 1917.  George Cooper not only worked with Carlo but deserves equal praise and recognition for making the Alexandra Gardens  one of Melbourne's most picturesque embellishments (5).  I have written about him, here. George Cooper was also an expert on wattles who developed a wattle variety the "knife-leaved" wattle (A. cultrifoixuis) is very distinct, and is one of the best, but there is a variety of it which is of deeper colour, of dwarfer habit, a profuse bloomer, and with much closer set foliage than its parent; it originated in these gardens, and it is proposed to name it Cooperi, in honour of the head gardener (6). It would be interesting to know if this ever happened and if there is a George Cooper wattle. 

The wattle planting was not just confined to Alexandra Avenue, in 1904 wattles were planted at Richmond Park, also known as the Survey Paddock. Richmond Park is located in the bend of the Yarra River, surrounded on the north, west and south by the Yarra Boulevard (7). The planting was reported  in The Age - In referring to-day to the wattle planting along the Alexandra Avenue. Mr Catani, of the Public Works Department, mentioned what had been done to also improve in the same way the Richmond Park, formerly known as the Survey paddock. On the high bank of the park, along the river, he said, wattles had been planted for some time, and were now being extended from the Hawthorn road bridge, to the Hawthorn railway bridge. The work was he remarked being carried out under the direction of the Richmond Park committee of which Mr David Martin, secretary of Public Works, was Chairman. A suitable approach was also in course of formation from Bridge road to the avenue. At an early date the trees would be in bloom. "I think," added the engineer with a smile mingled with a touch of enthusiasm, "we will soon restore to a once-beautiful stream, some suggestion of its pristine charms" (8). An ambitious claim indeeed to believe the Yarra could be restored to even a suggestion of pristine charm, but this repesents the enthusiasm and hope that characterised Carlo.

There was more planting of native trees in 1913, on the north bank of the Yarra, on the east side of the Anderson Street bridge, also known as the Morell bridge. The tree planting took place in conjuction with Arbor Day on June 27, 1913. The ground, which was part of the old river bed, was prepared under the supervision of Carlo Catani, by George Cooper and his team. It was hoped that the planting will present an agreeable contrast to the odious tip still occupying the remaining part of the river bed on the other side of the bridge. With the exception of an avenue of deciduous trees along the river road, the planting is to consist entirely of Australian trees, such as mahgony gums, West Australian redgums and red flowering gums, lemon scented gums, flame trees, Bunya Bunya pines, waratahs, lilly pillies, grevilleas, wattles, and smaller plants (9). 

The plan for the planting of the 'All-Australian' plantation on June 27, 1913.

The Argus, June 27, 1913. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10792411

The Herald reported that with the exception of a border of Australian plants in the Botanical Gardens, this will be the first "All-Australian" plantation ever laid down (10). 138 trees were planted of which 100 were Australian varieties and the rest English deciduous. It was a well attended function, over 1,000 people, including many local school children, were reported to have been present. The first tree was planted by the State Governor, Sir John Fuller, it was a mahogany gum (Eucalyplus botryoides). Sir John Madden, the Chief Justice, planted the next tree, a Western Australian red gum (Eucalyptus calophylla). Other dignatories also planted trees, including Carlo. The planting was supported by the Australian Forest League, the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria and the Australian Natives' Association (11).

The Governor, Sir John Fuller, addressing the children at the 'All-Australian' planting 

on June 27, 1913. 

Punch, July 3, 1913 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/176547645

It has been suggested that the planting of wattle trees on Alexandra Avenue and near the Anderson Street bridge, may have been due to the influence of the Premier, Sir Thomas Bent. For instance in 1909 it was reported that it is about five years since the late Sir Thomas Bent, then Premier, expressed a desire that a number of our native acacias should be planted on some then vacant ground, near the banks of the river (12). And in 1913 The Herald wrote this about why native trees were planted near the Anderson Street bridge in this connection the Government has followed in the direction of Sir Thomas Bent, who was an enthusiastic admirer of all Australian flora, and wattles in particular (13). It may be so, but I prefer my interpretation that it was Carlo and George Cooper who influeneced the planting and they may well have influenced the Premier.  It was well known that Carlo was fond of wattles. The Prahran Telegraph, in article about the landscaping on the St Kilda foreshore said this Mr. Catani has much to say also in favour of the Australian wattle as an ornamental addition to the parks and reserves (14). 

As more evidence of Carlo's fondness for the wattle in 1911, member of Parliament, Harry Lawson, wrote a letter to his local paper, The Mount Alexander Mail. The letter set out a list of wattles, suggested by Carlo, which could be planted so you would have blooms all year round.

WATTLE DAY.
Sir,— With reference to the observance of Wattle Day, I desire to inform you that I recently obtained from Mr Catani, the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, a plan for planting different varieties of acacias, whereby it is claimed that perpetual bloom is secured. Mr Catani designed Alexandra Avenue, which is still under his care and supervision. I have inspected his wattle plantations (containing 44 varieties), where the plan is in operation. Mr Catani tells me that he has proved the scheme by actual experience. As it may be of interest to your readers, I enclose the list. You may be able to find space for them in your columns. —
Yours, etc., HARRY S.W. LAWSON State Parliament House, August 31st, 1911.

Time of Blooming, January. Common Name, New Year Wattle. Botanic Name, Acacia Elata.
February, Lightwood Wattle, Acacia Implexa.
March, Maiden Wattle, Acacia Maidenii.
April, Whipstick Wattle, Acacia Retinodes.
May, Sunshine Wattle, Acacia Discolor.
June, Sweetscented Wattle, Acacia Sauveolens.
July, Cootamundra Wattle, Acacia Baileyana.
August, Silver Wattle, Acacia Dealbata.
August, Coastal Wattle, Acacia Longifolia.
September, Golden Wattle, Acacia Pycnantha (also Acacia Spectabrilisy)
September, Latrobe Wattle, Acacia Acinacens.
October, Scrub Wattle. Acacia Leprosa.
October, Western Wattle,  Acacia Macradenia.
November, Black Wattle, Acacia Mollissima.
December, Black Wattle, Acacia Mollissima (15).

More Koo Wee Rup Swamp self-seeded wattles.

Main Drain Road, looking west from the Eleven Mile Bridge at Cora Lynn, taken July 31, 2011.

In 1932, a bequest of £5000 from Sir Sidney Myer was reported of in The Herald. The paper had hoped that the generous bequest will forge another link in the scheme for a chain of boulevards and parks along the River Yarra. The scheme was first visualised many years ago by the late Mr Catani, of the Public Works Department. His idea was that a river boulevard should run from the city to Yarra Glen, where it would join the Healesville Road and link up with the highway over the Black Spur and the mountains beyond. Mr Catani's vision was one which has caught the imagination of town planners and beautifiers ever since. Many proposals have been made, although no official comprehensive plan exists....Among the many suggestions made in connection with the boulevard was one that it should be planted with wattles, and known as the Golden Highway (16). How wonderful that would have been and it could have happened if the politicians of the day had the vision and appreciation of beauty that Carlo had.

Acknowledgment

I was alerted to the Alexandra Gardens wattle grove and the all-Australian plantation at the Anderson Street bridge, by my fellow historian and Carlo enthusiast, Isaac Hermann. Thank you.

Trove list 

I have created a short list of articles connected to Carlo and Wattles and the all-Australian plantation on Trove, access it here.

Footnotes

(1) The Advocate, August 27, 1904, see here.

(2) The West Australian, August 4, 1905, see here.

(3) The Australasian, September 25, 1909, see here.

(4) The Australasian, September 25, 1909, see here.

(5) The Age, February 1, 1929, see here.

(6) The Australasian, September 25, 1909, see here.

(7)  Location of Richmond Park

Richmond Park, is bottom left. This is from the Melway Street Directory, Edition 10, 1977.

(8) The Age, August 25, 1904, see here.

(9) The Argus, June 27 1913, see here.

(10) The Herald, June 18, 1913, see here.

(11) The Herald, June 18, 1913, see here. See my Trove list for other articles about planting near the Anderson Street bridge.

(12) The Australasian, September 25, 1909, see here.

(13) The Herald, June 18, 1913, see here

(14) Prahran Telegraph, September 13, 1913 see here.

(15) Mount Alexander Mail, September 1, 1913, see here.

(16) The Age, November 15, 1932, see here.

G.W. Cooper - Alexandra Gardens curator and gardening expert

Carlo Catani designed the Alexandra Gardens in Melbourne. G. W. Cooper quoted an acquaintance of his who had just returned from a world tour who described the Alexandra Avenue area as the finest example of city beautification he had seen in his travels. Carlo, however, cannot take all the credit for these gardens, much of it is due to his colleague, G.W. Cooper, who was the curator.

It is not surprising that George William Cooper  had a career in landscape design and floriculture - his father, also called George, was the foreman of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. George, Junior, was the eldest child of George and Mary Ellen (nee Cox) Cooper and was born in 1880 in Prahran. George and Mary had eleven children - George, Reg, Elsie, Ada, Norman, Marion, Beryl, Dolly, Nerine, Harold and Allan. George Senior died in 1947, aged 89 and Mary died in 1933, aged 76.

The very informative death  notice of George Cooper, Senior, who passed away September 1, 1947.

The Argus September 2, 1947 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22504623

An article in Labassa Lives, published by the National Trust of Victoria in 2015, has an interesting article on George Cooper, Senior, and his career. George Senior, started his working life at Labassa (originally called Ontario) and in 1900 moved to the Botanic Gardens where he worked under William Guilfoyle. In 1909, George Senior, laid out Dame Nellie Melba's garden at Coombe Cottage, and it is thought that young George also worked there. When  George Junior, moved from his position at the Alexandra Gardens in 1917 to Sydney, his father at the age of 60 took over his position and remained there until his retirement in 1928, aged 70. (Read the full article, here)

Let's have a look at George's career (from now on, when I say George, I am referring to George Junior) The Sydney Morning Herald  of  March 6, 1930  had a short retrospective of his working life  Mr Cooper commenced work at 12 years of age and was with his father for eight years in private gardening in Melbourne. This brings us to 1900 and we then find out what George did next, as the article goes on to say that For 17 years previously he was associated with the late Mr C Catani chief engineer of the Public Works Department Melbourne in the beautification of Alexandra avenue and gardens on the southern banks of the Yarra. 

Here's another short look at George's life from The Bulletin, December 5, 1918 - He was born in Melbourne and his father and grandfather were professional gardeners. At twelve he started with the drudgery of being handy boy in training under his father. At 12, he got the job of Assistant-landscape gardener to help carry out the work which has made Alexandra Gardens and Avenue (Melbourne) so often quoted as instances as what can be achieved when Art picks up a spade. His chief, the late Carlo Catani, who taught and showed the way for 17 years, was a noted landscape gardener to whom Melbourne owes much of its decorative Melbourne lawns and shrubs. 

In my post on the Alexandra Gardens I quoted an  article from the Leader of May 4, 1912 which,  inter alia, described George as one of the best of the younger generation gardeners in Victoria. The all-important factor of enthusiasm is behind this excellent example of public gardening, and Mr.Cooper's untiring efforts receive full encouragement from another enthusiast, Mr. C. Catani.

In 1917, George finished up in Melbourne and moved to Sydney to be the Superintendent of Parks for Sydney City Council. The position attracted 54 applicants and he was the successful candidate. In fact, a journalist in The Age in a 1929 interview with George directly links his time working with Carlo to his successful application 
It is primarily to Mr. Cooper's artistry as a landscape gardener that the enchanting ensemble of flower-bordered lawns and spreading trees, that make the Alexandra-avenue and gardens one of Melbourne's most picturesque embellishments is due, and incidentally led to covetous eyes being cast on him by the civic authorities of Sydney.  (The Age February 1, 1929)

1917, the year George moved to Sydney, was also the year that Carlo Catani retired from the Public Works Department.  Carlo retired on April 28 and George resigned in the May. Were these two departures linked?  The Argus of May 17, 1917 had something to say about this double loss as they called it  - For over 16 years Mr. Cooper, though working in one positions continuously, has been kept on the temporary staff, and on that account has lost the rights to increments and holidays which permanent men enjoy. His salary has only once been raised, and that was when he was offered
a position at Port Darwin, but was tempted to stay here by an increase of £26 a year.

Since the end of last year he has had full control of Alexandra Avenue, as well as of the gardens, and for this extra duty he received an additional £26 a year, paid to him by the Alexandra Gardens Committee (not the State departments), although it rendered possible the saving of £182 a year to a foreman. For 14 years Mr. Cooper, jun., though he has proved his value as a landscape gardener, has had no increase in his salary. It is not surprising that the Sydney City Council has been able to tempt him from the beauty spot he created and loved.

Clearly, the powers to be in Melbourne did not appreciate George, however other Melburnians did and there were two letters published the next day, extolling George's virtues and criticising the bureaucracy that did not appreciate his true worth.

Letter to the Editor regarding the resignation of  G. W. Cooper.
The Argus, May 18 1917  https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1618744?#

One of George's first projects in Sydney, in Hyde Park was planting 2,000 dahlias.  The following year he recommended the removal of a large number of Moreton Bay fig trees in the park,  and replacing them with ornamental Australian trees. Sydney felt the loss of each Moreton Bay fig tree more than the death of a Cabinet minister, but today, Sydney is congratulating itself on having discovered a gardening genius in Melbourne. (The Herald, December 29, 1921)

One of George's innovations in Sydney, that he thought Melbourne should emulate,  was the introduction of playgrounds into parks. The Sydney City Council had given particular attention to providing children's playgrounds,which it had supplied with gymnasiums,swings and sliding planes, and kindergartens which parents could leave small children for the day (The Age, January 10, 1923) The kindergarten idea seems amazingly progressive for the time and I have never heard of a slide being referred to as a 'sliding plane' 

Another idea that George was keen on was a floral clock. Sir Arthur Rickard had donated  a floral clock to Tooronga Park in Sydney, which was only the third one in the World and George thought Melbourne should have one also. There is quite a long description of this clock in The Age of February 1, 1929. The paper had conducted an interview with him and also told us that George was staying with his parents who lived in Deakin Street, St Kilda. The article had the gushy headlines - Australia's Garden City. Melbourne still unrivalled. Former Curator's Eulogy.  You can read this, here.

G. W. Cooper

Sydney Morning Herald March 6, 1930. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16631301

Back in 1911, Carlo Catani had imported 50 varieties of Japanese Iris and planted them in front of the head gardeners residence in the Alexandra Gardens.  George also had an interest in the flower as he introduced the Japanese Iris into Sydney -  The Herald of December 29, 1921 - reported Melburnians who admire yearly the Japanese iris in Alexandra gardens will regret to hear that Sydney now possesses the finest bed of iris in the Commonwealth. We have to take second place, apparently. Among Mr Cooper's Plants in Sydney is the only yellow Japanese iris outside Japan, entrusted to him by the Japanese nobleman who raised it.  

By the use of a 750 candle power electric light in the centre of the iris bed, Mr Cooper had his plants in bloom in the late winter and early spring, while the plants on the outside of the bed were just beginning to grow. The effect of the light was really that the iris flowered 12 weeks before its normal time. 

The Labassa Lives article on the George, Senior, I referred to before,  said that when he  took over his son's role at the Alexandra Gardens in 1917 this allowed him to pursue his love of  flowers, particularly his specialty in breeding new strains of Japanese Iris. In 1919, George planted 2000 of these Irises in a single bed.  Which begs the question, was the Cooper's love of the Japanese Iris inspired by Carlo or did they inspire him to import the 50 varieties in 1911?

George, had in common with Carlo, a high public profile - from around 1927 to 1930 Mr Cooper broadcast interesting talks on gardening from station 2BL, and in the first year he answered 2000 letters. (Sydney Morning Herald, March 6 1930) 

How George would spend some of a million pounds, if he was given it.

Daily Telegraph Sunday Pictorial, August 28, 1927 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/27082240

In 1927, the Daily Telegraph Sunday Pictorial asked George the following question -  What would I do with a million? Firstly, George said he would provide for his parents for the rest of their days; secondly that he  would provide the Blind Institute with a new building well outside the hurly burly of the City.  But to business. My late chief in Melbourne, the late Signor Catani, Chief Engineer of the Victorian Works Department, should have a monument erected to him. And I would pay for it out of the million, for all the hopes and ideals I have for the beautification of Sydney were really inspired by his splendid work for Melbourne. 

The immense influence of landscape gardening on the civic conscience is — I say this frankly — not realised in New South Wales as it is in Victoria. That is why I would spend another piece of my million in awarding prizes for teachers in Public schools and technical colleges who would devote some of their energy to teaching landscape gardening and the care and welfare of trees and gardens. Then a generation would soon arrive who would have a clear idea of the importance of the subject.

The rest of my million I would spend on making a beautiful drive, tree-bordered every inch of the way from Sydney to La Perouse. By that time my donor would realise that I wanted more millions. With my next million I would buy up all the foreshores of Sydney Harbor, and make a fine drive for the thousands of people who only know the beauty of their harbor from ferry-boats. With my next million I would beautify Bondi and Coogee Beaches in such a way that they outdo the St. Kilda Beach, in Mel-

bourne. All these things, of course, should have been done long ago - but it's never too late, provided the "Sunday Pictorial's" mad millionaire turns up with the cash. (Daily Telegraph Sunday Pictorial, August 28, 1927). 

In 1930, at the age of 49, George retired from the Sydney City Council to go into 'private business'. His media career continued as for a few years from 1932 he had a regular column in Smith's Weekly - the paper announced their new columnist The news that Mr. G. W. Cooper was to contribute weekly articles on gardening has been received with enthusiasm, and already his offer to help solve individual gardening problems has been accepted by a large number of readers. (Smith's Weekly, May 28 1932)

In the 1930s, George was also giving talks, exhibiting dahlias at flower shows and also acting as a judge at flower shows. In the 1940s he had a regular gardening show on Radio 2FC at 8.45 on Sunday mornings, in fact a report in the Singleton Argus of February 18, 1942 said that Mr. Cooper holds the record for continuous broadcasting for the Commission, having served at the microphone for 15 years and four months.

Up to the mid 1950s there are articles in the paper about his involvement with the Town Planning Association of New South Wales. George was quoted at length in the Sydney Morning Herald on March 20, 1952 on the subject of the proposed memorial to King George VI -
A former council parks superintendent, Mr. G. W. Cooper, said the council was building the sunken gardens as a monument to King George VI. Addressing the association, Mr. Cooper said: "The idea is a complete farce, and people from other States will laugh their heads off at it."
"Our late King deserves a better monument than that useless monstrosity," he said. "Men building the garden have struck solid shale, and the cost of the garden has jumped from £5,000 to £10,000. A rose pagoda is supposed to grow in the shale, but it will be a complete failure. Roses won't grow in that kind of setting."
"The amateur gardeners among the council aldermen are trying to run the gardens against the advice of council experts. The whole sunken garden scheme is a tragic waste of public money."

Clearly, he was unhappy with the proposal on both practical and aesthetic grounds.

We have looked at George's professional life - this is what I know about his personal life. He was married to Ellen Tirtschke on December 19, 1908. They had a son Lindsay George, born in 1911, but I don't know of any other children.  George died on September 28, 1967. I know two things about Lindsay - according to a newspaper report, he broke his leg in 1925, when he fell off his bicycle and the same report said he was employed in the Librarian's Department, City Council. The second thing I know about his was this -  Before Mr. Atkinson, S.M., at the Kogarah Police Court yesterday, George Lindsay Cooper, 25, librarian, was fined £15, in default 30 days imprisonment, for taking bets in his library shop in The Arcade, Arncliffe. An application for time to pay the fine was refused. (Illawarra Mercury, February 7, 1936) I have to say, that as a Librarian, I find that pretty funny - perhaps other Librarians could diversify into a bookmaker activities as a sideline.

Marriage announcement of  George Cooper and Ellen Tirtscheke, 

which took place December 19, 1908.
The Argus January 2, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10697965

Sources:

I have created a list of articles on Trove on G.W. Cooper and his career and the Alexandra Gardens. Access the list here. All the articles I have quoted here, are on the list. 

Labassa Lives, v.3, issue 2 2015. Cooper and son: Ontario's gardeners  National Trust of Victoria.

I believe I have the correct death  date for Mr Cooper - I  got it from - Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney; Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Baptism, Burial, Confirmation, Marriage and composite registers in the Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney Archives on Ancestry. 

Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne

Alexandra Avenue, designed by Carlo Catani,  was officially opened by the  Duke of Cornwall and York on May 17, 1901. The land adjacent to the Avenue was turned into a public park in 1904 and this park was also designed by Carlo and it was called Alexandra Gardens.  The area already a number of boat sheds for rowing clubs erected and the Army Engineers depot, which wasn't removed until 1935, so the gardens were designed behind and around these buildings.

The State Library of Victoria has a brochure from c. 1911 of a plan of the Botanic Gardens precinct gardens, including Alexandra Gardens (or Park as it was then known)

 Part of the Plan of the Botanic Gardens area showing Alexandra Park and Queen Victoria Gardens.
Botanic gardens:Photo-lithographed at the Department of Lands and Survey, Melbourne, by W.J. Butson; drawn by F.S. Hilcke, c. 1911.

State Library of Victoria - see the full plan here http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/166011

We will let a journalist from The Australasian of May 2, 1908 tell us what a delight the gardens were
One of the most, attractive sights in Melbourne just at the present time is the glorious display of flowers just across Prince's-bridge, at the entrance of the Alexandra-avenue. The roses are past their best, but the dahlias, chiefly of the cactus and decorative sections, are in their prime. Single dahlias are not appreciated by everyone, but a large yellow variety here is really a good thing. Cosmeas are in profusion; their light graceful foliage and showy blossoms contrast well with the heavier appearance of the surrounding plants. Bonfire Salvias are a blaze of dazzling scarlet S. azurea is rightly named its colour being a heavenly blue ; S. Grahami purpurata is a rosy shade of crimson. Golds and yellows are found in Rudbeckia Golden Glow and some of the dwarf Helianthuses. Cannas are a little past their prime, but Bouvardias, Lasiandras, Marguerites, and several other autumn plants ate at their best. Palms, grasses, Aralia papyrifera, Dracænas, Yuccas, and many other kinds of foliaged plants are judiciously interspersed here and there amongst the banks and beds of flowers. Signor Catani of the Public Works department deserves very great credit for the manner in which he has designed and laid out the ground. it is indeed a choice bit of landscape gardening. For many years this spot was a desolation and an eyesore; it has been converted into quite a fairy-like place, full of beautiful flowers and shrubs, rockeries, and well kept lawns, and all within a few minutes' walk of the Melbourne Town-hall. 
(Australasian May 2, 1908, see article here)

 

Princes Bridge, Melbourne.     State Library of Victoria Image H2014.1013/13

This shows some of the garden 'just across Princes Bridge', as the article above described. It is not the best photo - but I like it as it is a post card sent from Clara to Daisy - "Dear Dais - We are having a good time with my uncle, aunt and cousins. We are never home. We have  a servant coming on Saturday, so we will be able to enjoy ourselves much better. I wish you were down, from Clara"

Dais was Daisy Donaldson and the card was sent in 1905.

Even though, Carlo did deserve much credit for this dazzling array the head curator, George Cooper, deserves much credit. You can read more about George William Cooper, here. This great tribute to Mr Cooper comes from The Leader of May 4, 1912. 
The Curator, Mr G.W. Cooper; is prouder of this achievement that when he is praised for the very beautiful color displays, which are to be see at all seasons of the year in the beds and rockeries. Mr. Cooper is a son of the foreman of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, and the results of his work, now under notice, stamp him as one of the best of the younger generation gardeners in Victoria. The all-important factor of enthusiasm is behind this excellent example of public gardening, and Mr.Cooper's untiring efforts receive full encouragement from another enthusiast, Mr. C. Catani, who as Chief Engineer of the Public Works department, is the officer responsible for the maintenance of the avenue, which ends all too abruptly at Anderson-street.

Mr G. W. Cooper in the Alexandra Gardens.

The Leader, May 4, 1912. 

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198130793

One area of the gardens was the Henley Lawn where spectators by the thousands lined up to watch the annual Henley-on-Yarra rowing regatta.  The lawn was laid out by Carlo and George Cooper in Autumn 1908. You can read a history of the Henley-on Yarra here, on the Australian Henley webite, http://www.australianhenley.org/history.html

Henley, before the First World War, c.1910 - 1914. Photographer: Albert Jones. This photo was taken in the Alexandra Gardens.

State Library of Victoria H2007.130/45

One of the features of the Alexandra Gardens is the Federation Star Bed, also called the Commonwealth Star bed. It was designed by Carlo and George Cooper and on July 11, 1906 was planted out with 200 roses by the  National Rose Society. The bed consisted of a six-pointed star representing the Commonwealth with interposing circular beds signifying each State. Each State was represented by a different colour rose. Read my post on the Federation Star bed, here. 

Alexandra Avenue, Melbourne.

Wonderful photo of the Federation Star Bed, dated circa 1906.

State Library of Victoria  Image H96.200/607

.............................................................................................

Sources: Melbourne's Historic Public Gardens: a management and conservation guide by Rex Swanson. City of Melbourne, 1984.
Civilising the City: a history of Melbourne's Public Gardens by Georgina Whitehead (State Library of Victoria, 1997)
I have  created  a list of newspaper articles on Trove, on the Alexandra Gardens and W.G. Cooper,  you can access the list here.