Melbourne votes on a floral emblem as Garden City vision takes root

Melburnians are being urged to have their say on a new floral emblem for the city, with voting now entering its final days and the result shaping one of the first major steps in Council’s push to position Melbourne as a Garden City.

Lord Mayor Nick Reece said the public response to the vote had already exceeded expectations, describing it as one of the most eagerly followed community decisions in recent memory.

“Not since Guy Sebastian beat Shannon Noll has there been a more keenly anticipated public vote,” the Lord Mayor said.

“I will keep my choice private, but I’ve already cast my vote for our city’s new floral emblem, and I encourage all Melburnians to do the same.”

The vote, run by the City of Melbourne, has attracted more than 7000 participants so far, making it the council’s most popular community engagement exercise to date. With fewer than 50 votes currently separating the two front runners, councillors say the outcome remains wide open.

Environment portfolio head Cr Davydd Griffiths said the close margin highlighted just how invested residents have become in the process.

“There’s little over a week left to vote for our new floral emblem – with only a handful of votes separating the two front runners,” Cr Griffiths said.

“Melbourne is home to a wealth of natural beauty, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have so many stunning options for our floral emblem.”

The floral emblem forms part of a broader strategy to celebrate the role of nature in Melbourne’s identity, from its parks and gardens to the native plants woven throughout the city’s streets and public spaces.

“A floral emblem reflects how nature is woven into our cityscape – a defining part of Melbourne’s identity and something our city can be proud of,” Cr Griffiths said.

Lord Mayor Reece said the emblem would become a symbolic centrepiece of the Garden City vision.

“Each of these flowers is beautiful in its own way. Each of these flowers has its own story and connection to Melbourne,” he said.

“I encourage people to go online, have a look and vote for your favourite flower to be our floral emblem.”

“We’re turning Melbourne into a Garden City – and our new floral emblem will be a centrepiece the whole city can be proud of.”

The shortlist of floral emblem options was developed by an expert reference group with input from Traditional Owners, acknowledging the importance of caring for Country and the deep cultural knowledge embedded in local flora.

Voting is open online and closes on Sunday, February 15, with the winning floral emblem set to be announced on Friday, February 20. Residents can view the shortlisted flowers and cast their vote via the City of Melbourne website.