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Brian Roach of Westleigh Native Plants is having an open garden and plant sale at his home in northern Sydney on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 March. Free entry.

Brian says: 

"If you’re anything like me, there’s lots of holes to fill in the garden after a devastating final 3 months of last year and the start of this year with virtually no rain, unbelievable heat and water restrictions.  But what a wonderful fall of rain in early February!  What a disappointment the Johanna’s Christmas Bush has been. All the mature plants in my garden flowered really well around October but then produced little or no red colouring late in the year, obviously due to the total lack of rain. The only exceptions were a couple of reasonably mature plants in pots. I was able to keep the water up to them and hey presto!  Plenty of colour as shown in the photo below."

Brian will have plenty of these special plants in 6”/140mm pots next at $18 each. There’ll also be a good range of other plants for sale, mainly in tumblers at $5 each. Brian is concentrating on propagating plants that he can confidently recommend for our changing weather conditions – hot and dry.  Enter the wonderful grevilleas, eremophilas (emu bush) and many of our grey-foliaged native plants.

Details

Free entry

Location: 47 Eucalyptus Drive, Westleigh 2120

Time: 9.30 am to 3.30 pm.

Contact: 0418 115 630, bcroach@optusnet.com.au

Read more about Brian on ABC's Gardening Australia here.

Ian Cox from Parramatta Hills Group shares his walk to Mount Banks in Blue Mountains National Park, one of the highest points in the Blue Mountains - just three weeks before bushfire.

On 26 November 2019 Lesley Waite and I went on a magical walk to the summit of Mount Banks. The objectives of our visit were twofold – to indulge in the beautiful upper Blue Mountains flora, and to experience the magnificent surroundings and views. We were not disappointed in either of these. However, we were not to know that in less than three weeks this area and many others would be scorched and blackened by a massive bushfire.

The fire has changed everything, at least for the immediate future. It will be worth watching the vegetation’s recovery and the re-greening of the landscape over the next few months and years.

The walk to the summit is not long or difficult but a bit steep in parts. As you can see above, at the start of the track previous walkers were happy to make their walking sticks available for subsequent users. However, although one member of our duo is ‘not young’, he managed to make the journey without their help.

The track starts off in open woodland, but after a modest climb soon comes to low-growing heath and bare sandstone. This part of the track is where the best views are to be had, and also where the interesting plants are.

The heath vegetation is what I like best (above). You can easily see the plant that asks for a closer look. And there were so many. Our cameras worked overtime!

The heath is dominated by the Proteaceae family such as dwarf Banksia serrata, Hakea dactyloides (left photo above), Hakea salicifolia, Isopogon anemonifolius, Lambertia formosa and Conospermum taxifolium (right photo above).

One plant that is quite prolific and makes its presence known with profuse white flowers is Hakea teretifolia. Here, it is semi-prostrate, less than half a metre high, and quite attractive so long as we didn’t get too close to its needle-sharp leaves. It is in the background of this photo below of Lesley engrossed in botanical research,

Another notable plant is Darwinia fascicularis ssp. oligantha. We noticed this plant near Wentworth Falls on a previous trip, sprawling over the rocks as if taking advantage of the glorious views. It was doing exactly the same here. It seems to position itself only over and around rocks that afford the best outlook – a very clever plant! You can see it doing this in the photo below.

The views are breathtaking. You feel so privileged to be here, amid the wonders of nature! The darwinia and hakea are both enjoying the view of the Grose Valley below.

When the Parramatta and Hills Group walked here over 20 years ago, I vividly recall seeing a profusion of Boronia floribunda flowering at this time of year. However today we noticed only a few of this species. Why is this? Could it be because of different fire regimes, or climate change?

Ironstone bands on the sandstone form an unusual pattern (photo below).

As you start the climb towards the summit, you can clearly see the thick forest growing in the rich basaltic soil that caps Mount Banks:

Made it!

Here the forest is dominated by Eucalyptus cypellocarpa. The understorey is quite thick, and contains several species of ferns. Because of the tall trees surrounding the summit there are no sweeping views in all directions, and you don’t get the feeling that you’re on one of the highest points in the Blue Mountains. But you do get a great sense of achievement!

At the summit is a memorial plaque to George Caley, which reads:

George Caley

Botanist – Explorer

With companions travelled via Kurrajong and ascended the Mount on 15^th November 1804.

He named it Mount Banks after Sir Joseph Banks.

There ended his heroic attempt to cross the Blue Mountains

Caley took three weeks to reach Mount Banks. In a letter to Banks after his return he wrote: “The roughness of the country I found beyond description.” And from his journal: “. . . it was the most laborious (journey) man ever went to. Every day sweat poured down in torrents, and our clothes were commonly as wet as if they had been dipped in water.”

Caley’s epic journey, and our visit today, couldn’t have been more different!

All photos: Lesley Waite/Ian Cox

Read about another of Ian's Blue Mountains adventures here.

With our increasingly hotter and drier conditions and water restrictions in many locations, new approaches are needed even for gardeners used to native plants.

Here are some tips to consider for hotter and drier conditions in general and for more very hot days.

Well-known tips for all gardeners that are still tried-and-true include:

• Choosing plants appropriate for the conditions, which means matching up your conditions and the preferred conditions of plants.
• Grouping plants with similar preferred conditions together in the garden.
• Using mulch to cover the surface of the soil to retain moisture and prevent weeds.

Tips for replacing plants

For existing plants in gardens, our hotter and drier conditions mean that as well as the natural old age deaths of plants, some may disappear before their expected lifespan. Although it is always sad to lose a carefully chosen and nurtured plant, think of it as an opportunity to replace it with a more tolerant plant.

• Research heat and dry-tolerant genera and species.
• Be aware of the preferred conditions of the plants you choose.
• Aim for plants that thrive, not just survive, in our new conditions.
• Consider the likely future climate conditions in your area, particularly when planting trees or longer lasting plants.
• Collect seed or take cuttings from favourite plants so you have a chance to grow more.

Tips for very hot days

• Cover sensitive plants to prevent leaf burn.
• Water well in the days before.
• Prune plants.

Is it really dead?

Don’t be too quick to write-off a plant after a bout of hot weather. It may look unhappy, but could recover from wilted or dead leaves. Even with dead leaves, the rest of the plant may still be alive. Prune off affected foliage then water well and wait to see what happens. Research if the plant has a lignotuber, epicormic buds or other ways to recover from leaf damage. For larger plants with a trunk, scrape away a small piece of bark to see if the plant is alive.

Tips for plants in pots

Plants in pots need particular care due to their smaller amount of soil and ability to dry out faster.

• Avoid black plastic pots. Even sitting a black pot in another larger lighter colour pot can help.
• Use waterwell pots to allow plants to draw on moisture as they need it.
• Cover the soil surface with mulch.
• Use bigger pots.
• Soak pots in a bucket of water and let them drain to fully soak them.
• Move pots to a shadier, sheltered position, on a day forecast to be particularly hot and/or windy.

Thriving not just surviving

An example of plants which thrive may be eremophilas, but not correas. Maria Hitchcock, the former leader of the Correa Study Group and holder of the National Correa Collection in Armidale NSW, writes in the December 2019 Correa Study Group newsletter that correas are generally thought to be drought-hardy plants and until the current drought she has rarely had to water her well-mulched gardens. However, the current conditions have proven disastrous for many recent and even well-established plants. While Maria’s collection is now being held in pots until the drought ends, climate change may lead to a rethink on how we garden, possibly moving towards more deep-rooted trees rather than shallow-rooted shrubs such as correas.

The Gardening Australia February 2020 issue has ideas too.

Send your tips or success stories to the enewsletter editor Rhonda Daniels at enewsletter@austplants.com.au

Three APS NSW members were featured in the media in January 2020.

Conny Harris

Conny Harris, President of Northern Beaches Group, was featured in the Sydney Morning Herald on 24 January 2020 for saving Aboriginal carvings by very generously buying bushland threatened by development at Cromer Heights.

As soon as they owned the six hectares of land, Conny and husband Anthony Harris asked for the 36 carvings and rock shelter to be added to the list of protected Aboriginal places. The NSW government has recognised the area’s “exceptional significance”, declaring it protected. The artefacts have been declared an Aboriginal Place, meaning they cannot be destroyed or altered without a permit from the heritage office.

Read the article "'Protect all of this': Victory in the fight to defend Aboriginal carvings" by Janek Drevikovsky here.

Greg Bourke

APS member Greg Bourke, who spoke on carnivorous plants at our May 2019 quarterly gathering, successfully saved his home in the Blue Mountains from fire. An ABC 7.30 interview with Greg can be viewed here.

Greg has also been also busy fighting fires in his day job as Curator of The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden at Mount Tomah. Unfortunately, about a quarter of the living collection was lost.

Rhonda Daniels

Sydney Morning Herald columnist Jenna Price was looking for an APS Sutherland Group member to speak to after a holiday visit to the Royal National Park. Rhonda Daniels, secretary of Sutherland Group, answered the phone on a Sunday evening and was quoted in Jenna's article on Tuesday 31 December 2019 titled "Parched suburban dreams now dying by gardeners' own hands".

"You can see the impacts of climate change with a gradual reduction in moisture and higher temperatures," she says. "It's beyond drought."

Daniels is secretary of the Sutherland Group which completed a list of plants seen on the coast walk in the park 14 years ago and she saw the impact of the major fires in 1994 and 2001 on her much loved park. "Some plants can resprout and send out leaves really quickly - but if there's no water at all, the plants just die. The banksias have been hard-hit and a lot are dying, weakened by the drought, it's very sad for people who love plants. It's a whole ecosystem, the plants depend on the animals and the animals depend on the plants."

If you see an APS member in the news, please email the enewsletter editor at enewsletter@austplants.com.au

The 2019/20 summer of bushfires has had devastating impacts, with lives and homes lost, communities disrupted and millions of hectares of native vegetation burnt. Fire is a natural part of the Australian environment, and plants can recover from fire, but fire behaviour and impacts are changing.

Fire impacts have caused much distress and prompted much public debate over the causes and solutions. Here are some ideas for APS members to help recovery of our natural environment from bushfires. There are based on ideas from Dan Clarke, APS NSW Conservation Officer, and academic sources including The Conversation website. Depending on your location and skills and regional priorities, there are different ways to help in the short term and long term.

Other suggestions are welcome. Email Rhonda Daniels, enewsletter editor at enewsletter@austplants.com.au

1. Help rescue and care for fauna

Fauna can be caught up in any natural disaster, just like us. We can help care for and rehabilitate animals injured in a bushfire. This may include leaving out water, providing nest boxes and, in special circumstances, plant vegetation providing critical food resources or supporting wildlife carers with supplies.

2. Undertake or get involved in flora or fauna monitoring

Monitoring recovery is important, especially of threatened plants where we know populations have been burnt. We can liaise with research organisations to provide local support or adopt a local patch to monitor impacts and recovery.

3. Be practical on the ground, noting priorities may vary by species and regions

• Control weeds to allow nature to recover. 
  
• Control feral grazing animals and protect regenerating plants from animals with, for instance, temporary fencing and tree guards.
• Don’t disturb the soil where seeds from burnt plants are likely to be scattered.
• Don’t clear “dead” plants which may resprout and provide shelter for remaining wildlife, including perches for birds who may bring in seeds.
• Ensure areas are not stripped of seed in the rush to collect seed for revegetation.

4. Donate to or volunteer with organisations supporting recovery and reducing future impacts

This could include organisations for weed removal, landcare, conservation, wildlife rescue and care, fire fighting, national parks and research.

For maximum impact, check what support is most wanted, and be clear what organisation you are donating to and that your donation is going towards what you intend.

5. Influence public policy to address causes, assist recovery and reduce future fire impacts

At an individual level, this could include writing direct emails or letters to decision makers or the media, commenting in social media, supporting peak lobbying organisations, and supporting an evidence-based approach whenever talking about fire recovery issues.

• Lobby politicians for more resources and protection of our natural areas to allow flora and fauna to recover.
• Protect natural areas which can act as refuges.
• Control feral pests and weeds and increase control efforts for pest animals and weeds that can worsen the impacts of these fires on wildlife.
• Ensure any activities allowed in national parks support recovery.
• Stop native vegetation clearing, especially unburnt vegetation home to threatened species and communities.

6. Be informed and correct misinformation

There is much community debate over causes of fires and solutions to reduce future impacts including land use and management in national parks, other natural areas and areas near development. Solutions should be based on research and evidence. Promote reputable sources of information, ensure you are well-informed, and discuss and share information with other people.

The Conversation website has published many articles by university academics and other researchers based on their years of research and evaluation of the evidence. The articles are short and free to access. Here’s just a selection of recent articles:

Pulling out weeds is the best thing you can do to help nature recover from fires by Don Driscoll

Conservation scientists are grieving after the bushfires – but we must not give up by Stephen Garnett and others

A season in hell: bushfires push at least 20 threatened species closer to extinction by John Woinarski

Many of our plants and animals have adapted to fires, but now the fires are changing by Cris Brack

Yes, native plants can flourish after bushfire. But there’s only so much hardship they can take by Lucy Commander and Heidi Zimmer

Weather bureau says hottest, driest year on record led to extreme bushfire season by Australian Bureau of Meteorology staff

Take care when examining the economic impact of fires. GDP doesn’t tell the full story by Janine Dixon

Researchers across diverse disciplines have devoted their working lives to understanding Australia’s natural environment, how plants and animals respond to fire, changing fire patterns, and recovery. There is much knowledge and research on all aspects of fire, including a well-established Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre. Let's implement what we do know and keep working to fill our knowledge gaps.

Banksia serrata recovering after fire (photo Ralph Cartwright)

The latest newsletter from the Australian Flora Foundation is now available here. The foundation is a charity fostering scientific research into the biology and cultivation of the Australian flora. 

Research Matters, No. 31, January 2020 announces projects being funded by the foundation and prizes awarded:

• The foundation has awarded four grants for research commencing in 2020: Jenny Guerin (Botanic Gardens South Australia) for a project on the seed biology of sedges for restoration of wetlands; Borala Liyanage (The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan) for a project on understanding seed and reproductive biology of Geijera parviflora and the implications for conservation and restoration; Harry MacDermott (Charles Darwin University) for a project on the fire ecology of Northern Australian heath vegetation; and Jasmin Packer (University of Adelaide) for a project on fire versus mechanical disturbance in stimulating germination and establishment of the endangered Acacia whibleyana.
• The foundation awarded two prizes to students at the annual conference of the Ecological Society of Australia (ESA) held in November 2019 in Tasmania.

Other articles in this issue include:

• From Red Boxes to the World: the Digitisation Project of the National Herbarium of New South Wales by Dr Shelley A James and Andre Badiou
• Hibbertia (Dilleniaceae) aka Guinea Flowers by Adjunct Professor Betsy R Jackes
• The joy of plants by Associate Professor Rosanne Quinnell
• What research were we funding 30 years ago?

More information about Australian Flora Foundation at www.aff.org.au

AFF Newsletter Jan 2020.pdf

Randwick City Council nursery is pleased to offer a 10% discount on plant purchases to members of the Australian Plants Society NSW.

The nursery specialises in Australian natives and Eastern Suburbs indigenous species in tubestock to 300 mm pots.

It is open Monday to Friday 9 am to  3 pm, plus the first Saturday of each season.

Find a plant list and nursery information here.

Location: 2B Barker St, Kingsford NSW.

Phone: (02) 9093 6250

For more APS member benefits, check here.

The Rudder garden at Maroubra recently won the Native Garden Section of the Randwick Council Garden Competition for the 16th year in a row. Kim wrote to share his own Wollemi pine, after missing our November 2019 quarterly gathering on the Wollemi pine.

My Wollemi pine

Here is my Wollemi Pine. It was given to me as a small tree about 30 cm tall, close to the first public release, somewhere like 17–18 years ago. It is now 4–5 metres tall. It has branched 3–4 m above the ground (when the top growing tip was damaged). Where it has lost leaves in the lower part of the trunk, it has several small branches, all actively growing. The longest of these is about 50 cm long and has just broken out into new growth. Last year it produced a female cone about 1.5 x golf ball size: this year two more.

It was planted directly into where it is today. I have not directly fed it. It is well mulched. It is in questionable sandy soil not far from Maroubra Beach, with five houses between our place and Arthur Byrne Reserve behind the beach. It is fairly close to a couple of large Callitris pines.

Living with salt spray

The only care I give it is to give the foliage a spray with the hose every 2 or 3 days to wash off any salt residue.

I have never been sure about this... the car gets a little salty so I figure the plants also get a bit salty. It’s not a major problem, but I have given most of the plants a rinse regularly over the last 20 years or so. I don’t give much thought to the fact that the salt I wash off goes into the soil, and have never thought to test this, but there never seems to be a problem.

The rest of the garden - flowers

Garden paths and shade for summer