In the wake of devastating bushfires that swept through Western Australia, two men, Phil Vaughan and Kingsley Dixon, have forged a friendship and collaboration that transcends the challenges they face. Their gardens, both that she lost in the fire and her new one, are now testaments to her and Ellen’s resilience and hope. Located in Waroona, approximately 110 kilometers south of Perth, Vaughan’s 12-acre garden suffered immense losses, including five structures and a significant collection of rare plants. The process of healing from that devastation inspired the emergence of an invaluable collaborative entity. This network aims to save Australia’s unique flora.
A year after the fires, Vaughan’s garden has not only healed but exploded with color and life once again. This resurgence is deeply ironic given the troubled legacy of the very plants now flourishing on his property. Vaughan spent decades collecting and cultivating threatened species from around the country. The thousands of plants that had been lost—many of them rare and endangered natives—added to the huge challenge ahead. So naturally he dove into one of the most painful processes there is—rebuilding what was lost.
Building Connections Through Shared Experience
As both men coped with the aftermath of their profound losses, Vaughan’s connection with Dixon deepened. After fire destroyed their lands, they started swapping seeds. They exchanged horticultural know-how to assist each other in re-establishing their gardens. This partnership reaches all the way to Australia, where both men see shared community values at the heart of effective botanical conservation.
“How do you whinge about losing some plants?” – Phil Vaughan
Even with all the destruction and loss, Vaughan continues to carry his hopefulness with him. He admits the scope of his last collection was enormous but feels like recovery is possible. “It was such a vast collection over a long period, but we’re getting there,” he remarked. Vaughan has in many ways remade his personal garden through this experience. It has provided an important platform for outreach and education opportunities.
Dixon, both the Americans’ foremost horticulturalist and sage, concurs with this optimism. He’s an advocate for the idea that people are the key to smarter conservation. “I think the home gardener has a role to play in all of this … I call it people power,” he stated. That combined advocacy makes all the difference. Both fellows though, are hard at work to develop more climate-ready plants that will help people face the challenges that climate change brings.
Innovative Grafting Techniques
At the center of their restoration work is a creative method for grafting. Vaughan’s expertise in this area has proved crucial and ever more important as they strive to breed and select for more resilient plants. Grafting allows them to combine desirable plant traits with more resilient rootstock. This way, they produce creations that prosper in harsh conditions.
“You’ve got a desirable top half, and you stick it onto the roots of something that’s hopefully bombproof,” Vaughan explained regarding his grafting techniques.
We hope this approach will strengthen plant resistance to drought and fire, two stresses that climate change is intensifying. Professor Dixon emphasizes the importance of this approach, stating, “With climate change, we are seeing an increased frequency of what we’re calling mega fires.” The partnership between Vaughan and Dixon is an excellent example of how partnerships, coupled with knowledge sharing, can result in innovative solutions that address today’s urgent environmental challenges.
Their efforts have hands down paid off. Today, Vaughan’s garden serves as a hub for grafting workshops, helping to train a new generation of growers skilled in establishing resilient plants. Their mission is to inspire people and communities to take part in protecting the nature that surrounds and supports them. As Dixon aptly put it, “It’s giving people the power to be part of the conservation solution.”
A Vision for the Future
Both Vaughan and Dixon hope to continue developing Australian biodiversity through their horticultural projects. Further, they understand that the responsibility to conserve plant species is not just on them as individuals, but on society as a whole. It’s the partnerships they form throughout their community that are a prime example of that dedication to preservation.
“I think that’s our duty now, to share the magic and grow Australian biodiversity,” Dixon remarked.
As their gardens grows back to life this spring, Vaughan hopes that people begin to understand the value of keeping rare and threatened genetic material around. He compares seeds from these plants to gold, highlighting their importance in helping protect the survival of Australia’s unique flora.
It’s this beautiful aesthetic that has Vaughan’s garden attracting the attention of a much wider audience. In December 2023, one of his plants was featured on Gardening Australia. This honor comes as no surprise, given his remarkable individual accomplishments. More importantly, though, it helps spur other individuals, organizations, and agencies to participate in similar conservation initiatives.
