The Gardens was established in 1959 on an island near the famous renaissance town of Dubrovnik. Most of the plants introduced into the Botanical Gardens (about 600 species) came from Australia and South America. There were about 160 eucalyptus species and a large number of other species of the Myrtaceae family. With species from the Mimosaceae, Palmae, and Cactaceae families, the Botanical Gardens was the home of the greatest number of Australian species outside the Australian continent itself.

Many species were destroyed or burnt during the war, or they are fading because of the demolished irrigation system. To make everything worse, the whole library with botanical literature and the Botanical Gardens' records were also burnt in one of the enemy's attacks. The manager who was here at the time was harmed when the building where he was living burned down.

The war is not over yet, but life goes on. I have come here as a young botanist to do all that I can, to help renew that great scientific and aesthetic sign of Croatia's centuries-old cultural and educational tradition.

I have no means, but only good intentions and enthusiasm, so I'm kindly asking you to help with some advice, influential ties, or a recommendation about available literature and its acquisition, or any help you could give us (for example, seeds, plants, books, advice).

Sanja Kovacic

Editor's note: This and a list of needed books was mailed to the REC last November.