GEORGE NEWS - Ken Gie, a volunteer of the Garden Route Botanical Garden, is writing a series of articles in celebration of the garden's 25th anniversary in November. Today's article reflects on Audrey Moriarty's legacy.

As part of the Garden Route Botanical Garden’s 25th anniversary this month, we celebrate the contributions made by so many towards the creation of our magnificent botanical garden.

Audrey Moriarty was born in Turkey at the end of WW2. 

Having served as a specialist messing officer in the British army during the second world war, as a nurse during the blitz of London and becoming a junior commander in the Auxiliary Territorial Forces, she came to South Africa on a troopship to visit her parents. During this time she met and married Brendan Moriarty.

In 1958 the Moriarties moved to Rhodesia and three years later to Malawi where they lived for 10 years. During her time in Malawi, Audrey began to collect and paint the local flora and published a book on Malawi’s flora which included her beautiful colour plates. As a botanical artist she was entirely self-taught.

The Moriarties retired to George where Audrey’s collecting and painting of wildflowers was fuelled by the huge diversity and beauty of the wildflowers in the region. 

She joined the Botanical Society of South Africa (BotSoc) and eventually the society published her book called Outeniqua, Tsitsikamma and Eastern Little Karoo in 1982. Thereafter a second version of the book was published and the number of her illustrations finally totalled 2 000.

After the death of her husband and mother in quick succession she moved to Bergville Retirement Village. She purchased a property adjoining the Botanical Garden in 49 Caledon Street in 2001 which was known as the Audrey Moriarty Environmental Centre. 

The Southern Cape Herbarium at the George Museum was moved to the Moriarty Centre and amalgamated with the Garden Route Botanical Garden a year later.

The house also served as administrative offices and a large nursery was established on the southern side of the property. The back of the building had the potential to become a restaurant with the kitchen being next to a veranda (which was later enclosed) and a lawned open space facing North for outdoor dining.

After her passing, R2 million was allocated to the Garden from the Moriarty Trust by Audrey’s executors, but the fund dwindled rapidly as the Garden struggled to survive the ravages of inflation. 

The garden offers a serene escape from the hustle and bustle and offers a spectacular display of our indigenous vegetation.

The property, run by the trustees, was further developed. In December 2014 a fully fledged restaurant was built by Ken Gie (then a trustee) for approximately R60 000. The renovation was funded by the Moriarty Trust and has been a valuable source of income through the rental paid by the restaurant owners.

Mounted on the wall in the internal seating area of the restaurant you will find a few beautiful wildflower prints and a portrait of Audrey Moriarty. Her contribution to the garden was huge, because without the Moriarty Centre the garden would be totally dysfunctional without office, nursery and restaurant facilities.

The Botanical Garden earns rental income from the restaurant.

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