by Carla Caruso

There are declarations of love, and names carved in to say, “I was here.”

The bamboo grove at the Adelaide Botanic Garden (Park 11) has long been an iconic spot, with its plants engraved with words in secret by passers-by.

The plants don’t heal themselves once cut, so the etchings likely last longer than some of the relationships preserved.

For many visitors, the ‘public art’ makes them pause in wonder and smile as they read the messages. But not all.

This month, Instagrammer Adelaide Writer posted a pic of the site, saying: “Stands of bamboo – vandalised … I love this bamboo walk, but not the initials carved in pretty much every cane.”

Is she right? Is it defacement?

We put the question to Andy Hart, the garden’s senior horticultural curator. He said:

“The bamboo forest has been in Adelaide Botanic Garden for close to 50 years.

“Visitors to the garden have been engraving on the bamboo since it was first tall enough, with some engraving from the 1970s still visible. 

“While we don’t permit people to engrave on the bamboo, and will move people along if they are, it doesn’t have a hugely negative impact on the plants’ health and most of the engravings are messages of love.”

So, yes, and no?

One thing’s certain, Adelaide isn’t alone in having ‘bamboo graffiti’. Online research reveals that initials (plus dates and names) have been carved into such plants from Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden to Perth Zoo and sites overseas. 

Cacti have also got the treatment at public gardens in the US. Blogger Lisa Eldred Steinkopf wrote about the issue on The Houseplant Guru. As she said:

“Z and M may be in love, but did they have to deface a plant to let everyone know?

“I don’t think so, but maybe I’m not romantic enough. Or maybe I like plants too much. Or maybe I really believe that plants feel pain, as in The Secret Life of Plants [a book by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird on the inner world of plants].

“Whatever it is, I don’t appreciate this artform practiced on plants … As soon as one person does it, it makes it seem okay for others to do the same thing.”

One commenter wrote in response to Lisa’s article: “I think it is caused by the same urge that prompts people to ‘tag’ buildings. They just need attention.

“My mum always said, ‘Fool’s names and fool’s faces are always seen in public places!’”

Not all are against the art-form, though. The website, Trend Hunter, even celebrated “bamboo graffiti” as "sustainable”, with the plant being so fast-growing and strong. “[It’s] a new form of artistic expression that is growing popular and can offer business opportunities in the art industry” and “be an attraction for tourists”.

Meanwhile, another spot in your Adelaide Park Lands has been in the news previously for attracting lovers to make public declarations.

In 2015-16, the University Footbridge in Red Gum Park / Karrawirra (Park 12) was in the news because of the number of ‘love locks’ that’d been fixed to it. 

‘Love locks’ are engraved padlocks that couples lock to a public fixture to symbolise their love.

Someone suggested that the bridge would be compromised because of the weight of all the locks. (In Paris, couples are no longer allowed to put such locks on the Pont des Arts after part of the bridge collapsed.)

Adelaide’s Lord Mayor in 2016, Martin Haese, said that more time had been spent in the chambers debating the future of the love locks than the council’s strategic plan!

Hundreds of locks ended up being removed, though it’s unlikely that their weight would’ve been a real issue for the integrity of the bridge. The only minimal risk they posed was to cyclists and pedestrians accidentally hitting them as they went over it. 

As for the weight, way back in 1971, a FJ Holden was suspended from the bridge, with cables, in a Prosh Day prank, proving its sturdiness.

The debate about leaving your mark on public plants remains open…

Main photo by Dana Rehn.