Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon'  has year-round, bright red flowers and divided leaves, combining the features of Grevillea banksii and low-growing Grevillea  bipinnatifida.  It is our Myall Park Botanic Garden logo, and was the logo for the  Tara Shire.

 

Grevillea 'Sandra Gordon' is taller with long, fine leaves and splendid, spring-time yellow flowers.  Its parents are G. pteridifolia and G. sessilis.  Along with 'Robyn', 'Sandra'  is one of Australia’s best selling shrubs.

Deep pink/red flowers and spiky, holly-like leaves belong to Grevillea 'Merinda Gordon', a cross between Grevillea insignis and Grevillea asteriscosa.

Mr David Gordon (1899-2001), founder of the Garden, was a keen amateur botanist.  He knew that if there were closely related plants of the same genus from widely different geographic areas growing in close proximity, there was a high chance of natural hybridisation occurring. 

Imagine Dave Gordon's delight in the early 1960s at finding a beautiful new grevillea growing with others he had planted. This was the natural hybrid he had hoped for!

Knowing that closely-related grevilleas hybridise easily, Dave had planted several close together so flowers could be cross-pollinated by wind and birds.  

The results were Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon', Grevillea 'Sandra Gordon', and Grevillea 'Merinda Gordon' - hybrids named after his three daughters.

Gardeners Australia-wide love Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon'. The parents of this new hybrid were Grevillea bipinnatifida from Western Australia and Grevillea banksii which grows on the east coast of Australia. Some say it was the plant that turned the tide from a preference for European flowers to Australian plants with their varied colours, unusual shapes and unique qualities.  

It was the first plant registered by the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority. 

Because Mr Gordon had generously donated plant material to friends and nurseries, plant varietal rights could not be pursued and as a result, the Gordon family and Myall Park Botanic Garden have never benefited monetarily from plant sales of Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon’.

Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon' is the logo of Myall Park Botanic Garden, and is the most popular native plant grown in Australia. It is well known internationally, and even grows in the garden surrounding a feedlot in China.

The original G. 'Merinda Gordon' and 'Robyn Gordon' still grow at Myall Park Botanic Garden.

More information. 

Mr Sung Hei, a Chinese businessman, has built a cattle feedlot with assistance from the Queensland Government, at Foshan just a few kilometres south west of Guangzhou (previously Canton). 

A regular visitor to Australia over the last few years, Mr. Sung imported many Australian native plants as seeds and cuttings and planted them around his feedlot.  

Neil Donaldson (grand-nephew of Dave Gordon) visited China as part of his role as Operations Manager with the Droughtmaster Society, and  immediately spotted Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon'.  He reports the plants are thriving and the Chinese are very pleased with how well they have adapted.  Mr Sung's brother Kelly is pictured with one of the plants which is part of their Australian 'garden'.  

Mr. Sung plans to establish a quarantine station for the importation of Australian seeds in the near future.    

For more information on the background of Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon' click here

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