History
Botanica was founded in 2000 by Judy Vanrenen OAM and Geoff McGeary OAM (Founder of APT) to create a unique niche tourism business catering for people who wanted an extra experience when they travel.
Botanica's History
- Botanica’s first tour was to the Melbourne Flower Show in 2000, following which it expanded to other parts of Victoria, and subsequently to other regions in Australia. Recognising the love affair Australians have with the gardens of England, the business went global in 2005 with its first tour to the Chelsea Flower Show and has continued with its overseas expansion, reaching into all corners of the globe.
- Today, Botanica as a niche tourism business is able to offer unique small ship cruises, river cruises and tours that give travellers an extra dimension to their travels, often going behind the garden gate and away from mainstream attractions to visit some of the world’s most outstanding and difficult to reach private and public gardens, many of which are inaccessible to the general public.
Judy Vanrenen OAM, has written three superbly produced coffee-table books, especially for Botanica guests. Over the Garden Fence completes the trilogy that began with Beyond the Garden Gate followed by Along the Garden Path. In each book, Judy takes her readers on a fascinating journey that showcases the amazing people, places and plants from around the world that have played a role in her remarkable life.