Welcome to the June enewsletter |
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Native Plants for NSW – June 2021
The monthly enewsletter of the Australian Plants Society NSW |
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The winter flowering shrub Philotheca 'Winter Rouge' |
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In our June issue
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Welcome to the enewsletter
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From our new President Report on AGM -
Congratulations to life members Leonie Hogue and Kris Gow
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Congratulations to John Arney, Conservation Award Activities Celebrating Botanic Gardens Day A walk around 'Corymbia' in autumn
Sharing knowledge in the inner west Biennial conference update Autumn issue of Australian Plants -
Study Group updates – Ferns
- On the APS NSW website.
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Welcome to the enewsletter
Reporting on our AGM in May, there's a people focus in this issue. Remember, each issue is also saved as a pdf file here. Stories, photos, events and feedback are welcome. Please email the editor Rhonda Daniels at enewsletter@austplants.com.au |
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From the new President Heather Miles
My first task as newly elected President is to thank John Aitken for his wonderful leadership of the society over the last 6 years. He has led us through some challenging years of change, always with optimism and enthusiasm. I know you will join me in thanking him. Fortunately, John has agreed to continue being on the board in the role of Vice President. He continues to manage our APS NSW gatherings and get togethers, remains co-editor of the Australian Plants journal and is on the Biennial Conference committee. Thanks John for your tireless efforts for Australian plants. We are holding a strategy workshop for Presidents and/or representatives of groups and others on 19 and 20 June in Parramatta. More information here. The board and I are keen for any feedback or advice about the society and how we better conserve, grow and promote native plants. Please contact me at president@austplants.com.au with your thoughts and ideas. |
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Report on our AGM – Saturday 15 May
A successful AGM and gathering was held, hosted by Sutherland. In the morning, John Arney led a walk through Kamay National Park to see the plants that Banks and Solander would have observed. In the afternoon, Dan Clarke entertained us with an illustrated synopsis of the book Banks by Grantlee Kieza, and John Arney shared further about the plants. Thanks Sutherland Group for your wonderful afternoon tea and support on the day. At the event, we used the 'Square' terminal for the first time which takes eftpos and credit card payments. This will reduce our handling of cash and help stay safe. Groups can take advantage of this function. Please contact office@austplants.com.au for more information.
At the AGM, Heather Miles was elected President, John Aitken as Vice President, Harry Loots as Treasurer and Merle Thompson as non-titled office bearer. They join the board directors appointed by groups. We also recognised two new life members and the Conservation Award – details below. |
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Congratulations to life member Leonie Hogue
Leonie Hogue from Sutherland Group was awarded life membership for her contributions in promoting public awareness of native plants, particularly through her 20 years of supporting Australian plants at the Royal Easter Show and at Joseph Banks Native Plants Reserve at Kareela. Leonie’s service is impressive for her unwavering commitment over many years, at least 30 years, to every aspect of Australian native plants, Sutherland Group and APS NSW. Read more here. See updated 2021 Easter Show photos here. Photo below: Leonie with outgoing President John Aitken. |
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Congratulations to life member Kris Gow
Kris Gow from Southern Highlands Group was awarded life membership for her contributions to promoting Australian native plants in a somewhat challenging environment. She propagated native plants for sale at events, mostly small plants suitable for the home gardener, encouraged members to propagate plants, and expanded garden visits. Kris has been a huge contributor to the vital work of bringing a conservative district around to appreciating the wonders, the life-force and the beauty of Australian native plants and, importantly, in getting more natives into more gardens.
Read more here.
Photo below: Kris with Bill Mullard from Southern Highlands Group. |
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Congratulations to John Arney, Conservation Award
John Arney from Sutherland Group received the Conservation Award for his efforts in increasing knowledge and awareness of Australian plants amongst APS members and the public by leading walks and activities for Sutherland Group and as a founding member of conservation group Friends of the Royal in 2010. John leads volunteer working bees in the Royal National Park to achieve practical conservation by removing weeds, often in less accessible areas. As part of this work, John discovered a new coastal weed. Read more here. Photo below: John in action on a walk (by Ralph Cartwright). |
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Activities
Across our APS groups, there are various approaches to meetings this year. Please check the calendar on the website here for event details. Groups are encouraged to email event details to secretary@austplants.com.au |
Walks and Talks at Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden, St Ives
North Shore Group is resuming its popular Walks and Talks program. Meet at 9.45 am Caley's Pavilion for a session about 10 am to 12 noon. Please book your place by the Saturday before by providing your name, mobile number and emergency contact to Wendy Grimm at wagrimm@tpg.com.au or phone 0419 323 035. Details here.
- Monday 7 June: Flowers to fruits and seeds
- Monday 21 June: Ferns and fernery tour
- Monday 12 July: Term 3 program starts with gum trees.
Friday 11 June – North Shore Group
North Shore Group is returning to a physical meeting at Hornsby with speaker Narelle Smith on Sir Joseph Banks' life's work. Details here including the need to book.
22–23 June – Free online Orchid Conservation Symposium with 18 speakers
The Symposium aims to increase awareness of the ecology and conservation of orchids amongst practitioners. It is also an opportunity to share the results of the project understanding the response of orchid populations to the 2019/20 fires, and identifying threats to orchid reproduction and survival.
Registration is free but essential. Please book through trybooking here, which also has the full program. More information on the Australian Network for Plant Conservation here.
Planning ahead
3–4 July and 10–11 July – Open days and plant sales at Illawarra Grevillea Park at Bulli
Enjoy grevilleas and more at the open days, 10 am to 4 pm. Plants for sale. Entry fee $7 adult. Details here.
Sunday 12 September – 60th anniversary spring festival at Stony Range Botanic Garden, Dee Why |
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Celebrating Botanic Gardens Day – Shoalhaven Heads
Whether large institutions or community driven, botanic gardens are important places where the community can learn about plants and enjoy the natural environment. Your enewsletter editor celebrated Botanic Gardens Day on 30 May with a visit to a community project that is entirely the work of volunteers in just 10 years. The one hectare site of Shoalhaven Heads Native Botanic Garden near Nowra packs a lot in with a thoughtful design, winding paths, artwork and grassed areas. Plants have informative labels and there is interpretive signage. Read more here. |
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A walk around 'Corymbia' in autumn
John Elton from Nowra Group shares some of the plants flowering in his garden now. John says that autumn is the best time in the garden.
John says: 'One of the great things about having a native garden is that we have colour 12 months of the year. With each season there is the anticipation of what might be springing into flower in the coming months. While some of the more spectacular plants are not in full flower, there is always plenty to see. The air is clear, the temperature mild, there is water in the wetland, and lush new growth abounds – particularly after the rain. Many newly planted shrubs are putting on quite exceptional growth.'
It's always hard to select what plants to include, but John has reported on them by flower colour. One of the most dominant colours in April is red. Photo below: Grevillea dielsiana.
Read more here. |
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Sharing information in the inner west
Jennifer Farrer, of Parramatta and Hills Group, hosted a walk around the 5 Senses Garden in Concord which is a joint initiative between the City of Canada Bay and Inner West Neighbour Aid. The garden is a place for the entire community offering workshops, volunteering opportunities and a space for local growing and social connections. The garden provides tailored activities for residential care facilities, schools, hospital programs and other non-for-profit organisations.
Read more here. |
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Biennial conference update
APS NSW is hosting the ANPSA Biennial Conference in Kiama in September 2022. The organising committee is ramping up its planning of the conference. Janice Hughes of Nowra Group has kindly agreed to join the committee, which will provide welcome local input. Heather Miles reports: We are starting recce's of excursions for the conference, with a visit to Royal National Park. Ralph Cartwright is leading the development of these and invited John Arney, Wendy Grimm, Sue Fredrickson and myself to test walks at Robertson Roundabout, Audley. It was a lovely area full of banksias, grevilleas, epacris, styphelia and Doryanthes excelsa. Read more about the conference here and register your interest. |
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Autumn issue of Australian Plants journal
The Autumn 2021 issue of Australian Plants was mailed to members and subscribers in mid May 2021. The issue was produced by Jim Barrow and features articles on Western Australia including flowering gums, some daisies of the South West, Hakillea, peas – revisited, and buzz pollination and 'bee-purple'. It features Eucalyptus macrocarpa on the cover. Read more here. And read about the planned Albany Royal Botanical Garden here. |
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More reading - Growing WA banksias on the east coast featuring Phil Trickett and Catriona Bates from the Isopogon and Petrophile Study Group, in The Sydney Morning Herald here.
- Pretty flowers get more attention than ugly flowers by Kingsley Dixon at Curtin University, on The Conversation here.
- 50 beautiful Australian plants at risk of extinction and how to save them, on The Conversation here.
- The June 2021 issue of Gardening Australia magazine features six Australian natives for winter colour including Chorizema cordatum (photo below).
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Study Group updates
Explore our wide range of national Study Groups and their newsletter archives. Read how to join a group for free here.
Fern Study Group Newsletter 148, May 2021
The Fern Study Group has a regular program of activities in NSW for members. Details and reports are in the newsletters. The group has created a limited edition DVD of a slide show on ferns originally created in 1982. Peter Hind has spent much time digitising the slides and original narration, which is described as a 'very quaint and informative piece of Fern Study Group history'. There are also photos of cultivars of Drynaria rigidula, reminding that cultivars are not just about new flower forms. Ian Cox pays tribute to APS NSW life member Betty Rymer, who was very active in the Fern Study Group (also here). |
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On the APS NSW website
Our website has our membership benefits, how to join, District Group details, volunteering opportunities and resources including our ever-expanding plant profile database. Members get a membership renewal email and can also renew online here. The form in Australian Plants is for the journal only.
Check our fact sheets which can also be downloaded as a pdf:
- Reliable native daisies for the Sydney region here
- Clay soils: Growing plants in clay soils here and plants for clay soils or clay loams here
- Propagation of native plants here.
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Enjoy our updated photos of Australian plant entries at the Easter Show here.
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