If you want heaven, start in mud
~ Mark Tredinnick from 'Lotus Pond'
Created by Red Room Poetry, New Shoots celebrates and cultivates poems inspired by plants and place to deepen our creative and cultural connections with nature.
Beginning in partnership with the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney we commissioned poets to create "poetic pathways" now installed throughout the Garden. Since then, New Shoots has sprouted in botanic gardens and parks across Australia with over 20 commissioned poets and partners spanning Sydney Olympic Park, Melbourne, the Blue Mountains, Byron Bay, Cairns and the mallee of Kings Park, Perth. Linked poetic learning resources support ongoing workshops across these sites.
New Shoots around Australia
New Shoots New South Wales
New Shoots Victoria
New Shoots Queensland
New Shoots Western Australia
New Shoots Digital Gardens (Digital Writers Festival)
New Shoots Garden of Poems anthology / public submissions depository
Plant your poem
Got a plant-inspired poem? The gates to the garden are open for new poetic blooms. We'd love to have your plant-inspired poems gifted to the garden. Submissions are open all year round.
> Plant your poem
See the winners from the New Shoots Prize 2016.
New Shoots in the news
Radio:
Red Room Poetry New Shoots Radio Series (collaboration with the Community Radio Network)
SBS NITV Radio
ABC RN Book & Arts
ABC Earshot
ABC Blueprint for Living
Print:
The Age
Koori Mail
The Planthunter
CHILD Magazine (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra)
Film:
Poetry readings on mallee short
Bring New Shoots home
Limited edition poetic seed packets are available in our store. By purchasing one of these seed packets you'll cultivate your own green places to inspire writing while supporting future learning programs.
