Native Plants for NSW -
July 2022

Eucalyptus pachyphylla at Burrendong Botanic Garden and Arboretum (Bruce Usher)

From the President

Dear {Contact_First_Name},

Heather Miles, President

eNewsletter Contents: 

• ANPSA Biennial Conference
• Events and activities
• Grevilleas for pots and small gardens
• Gardening news and tips 
• Conservation 
• Study Group updates update
• Terra Australis garden and book review
• Final word

Australian flora conference 2022 

The Australian Flora Conference 2022 - Past, Present & Future

10 to 16 September 2022, The Pavilion Kiama, NSW

Inspiring speakers bringing to life the theme of Australian flora - past present future. See here for program and speaker information 

Speaker spotlight:

Patsy Nagle

NPWS and University of Wollongong

Presentation topic: Models of conservation – from bush care to private land conservation

Patsy will cover the critical question of 'What is conservation? And what small to large scale models exist to match the degree of involvement, threats imposed, or time someone has to assist Australian plants be valued and sustained?' She will layout the physical and societal threats which exist for building and sustaining local flora projects as well as how to sustain commitment over time. Models of conservation on public land, private land, and mixtures of the two will be discussed.

Speaker spotlight:

Lawrie Smith

Landscape architect, Leader of Garden Design Study Group

Presentation topic 1: The Past Informs the Present and the Future!

1. BUILDING ON COUNTRY: What key principles, derived from the First Nation people’s traditional knowledge and understanding of the unique Australian environment and specifically the flora, should be valued and applied to inform the planning and design for the sustainable native landscapes and gardens of today and in the future?

2. AUSTRALIAN GARDEN STYLE: This comprehensive range of GDSG native garden photographs certainly demonstrates the design expertise of each gardener and the differing garden character from one region to another. They certainly illustrate that there can be no single ‘Australian Style’. What are the implications?

3. PROMOTION OF NATIVE FLORA: Our Society is very involved and accomplished in spreading the message about native plants – but are we missing ways to inform and communicate more successfully with the general gardening community to increase their acceptance of native plants in residential garden design?

Presentation topic 2: Plant Selection and Management in Garden Design

Gardens that are inviting, visually attractive and contribute positively to a home lifestyle do not just happen, they are carefully planned and designed. It’s complex but very rewarding!

It’s also important to imagine the desired future garden appearance to be sure the selected species achieve the ‘look’ you want. There are many other garden attributes that need to be considered to ensure optimum plant selection, and we will chat about the most important of the design principles and some that you may not have even considered.

Not able to attend the whole week? No worries! You can either book for the whole conference or individual days.

The conference program has speakers scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Wednesday and Friday are field trips to the surrounding areas and Sydney. The field trips are included for those who book a ticket for the whole week.

To join us, choose to book a ticket for the whole week, or select individual days of speakers, Monday, Tuesday or Thursday.

Tours - now open to all members and friends

Some of our tours are now sold out. Pilliga and Warrumbungles pre tour has sold out and the post tour only has a few places left, so hurry if you'd like to join us. 

See here for more information or click here if you're ready to register. 

Events and activities

Eastern spinebill & Grevillea tirari blaze (Credit: T Lea)

Illawarra Grevillea Park open days

When: 10am - 4pm on 2nd, 3rd, 9th and 10th July.  

Where: Illawarra Grevillea Park, Princes Hwy, Bulli

Details: $7 entry for adults, free entry for children

Come and see the beautiful Illawarra Grevillea Park, which has survived surprisingly well despite the wet weather! There will be plant sales on the day as well as copies of their book 'The Illawarra Grevillea Park Botanic Garden, a Photographic Portrait.' 

More event details here

Central Coast meeting & talk

When: 2pm, 9 July 2022 

Where: Phillip House 21 Old Mt Penang Road Kariong

Diane Warman is a botanist and ecologist, and member of the Central Coast group. She has been surveying Grevillea shiressii since 2010. Since then she has been contracted by the NSW Government Saving our Species programme to monitor the health, life stage and distribution of the G. shiressii populations on Mooney Mooney and Mullet Creeks. This year Diane will present her results as she has been searching for seedling survivors since the recent high flows and rainfall events experienced on the east coast.

Grevillea shiressii (Credit: B Melville)

Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden Walk & Talks

When: 9:45am Monday 25th July

Topic: Grevillea and Hakea (Family Proteaceae)

Where: Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Gardens, 420 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives

Be guided by members of the North Shore Group of the Australian Plants Society on a walk in the Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden to see and learn about our wonderful native plants as they come into flower.

More event details, including how to register here

APS NSW get together in the Southern Highlands

When: 12-13 November 2022

Where: Exeter Village Hall, 10 Exeter Rd, Exeter NSW 2579

The Southern Highlands Group of APS NSW is hosting this year's weekend get-together. They have organised a variety of exciting activities for the weekend, including talks from experts, garden visits and a plant sale on the Sunday.

This will be a popular event and registration is essential. 

More event details including program, costs and how to register: here 

And finally, don't forget there is a full listing of all APS NSW events including district groups on our website here

Grevilleas for pots and small gardens

Grevillea dryandroides (P Olde)

On Sat 21st May, 2022 at the APS NSW quarterly gathering, Peter Olde OAM gave a talk titled: Grevilleas for pots and small gardens.

Peter started by saying he thinks that ‘small grevillea’ is an oxymoron because they are generally large plants. He commented that plants don’t conform to size, in that they aren’t limited by height or width but they keep growing through their lives. So they are limited by their lifespan, more than a specific physical limitation.

Peter approached this topic by talking about both new and some well known grevilleas that may be suitable for containers or for smaller spaces. He encouraged members to consider the vertical space above a small planting area, into which a grafted standard might be inserted. Grafted standards can be used in small gardens and as potted plants for the balcony or patio. 

He then went on to showcase a fantastic range of different plants, and to talk about their different growth habits, characteristics and also challenges that make them options for smaller spaces and pots. 

Garden news and tips

This month, Maree McCarthy gives us a fascinating insight into Ooray, or Davidson Plums – fruit that are packed with nutrition. She highlights their nutritional benefits, talks about the different plants and shares some ways to use them. 

Davidson plum seedlings (M McCarthy)

Conservation 

Leucopogon neo-anglica (R Farrow)

Post fire regeneration of Morton National Park 

Dr Roger Farrow has written a fascinating two part article on the regeneration of Morton National Park, following the Currawan mega fire in January 2019. Sites in the national park were surveyed over the 20/21 growing season and then again in spring of 2021. The area has shown a typical course of ecological succession and the article follows the changes between those surveys. 

Part one takes us to the areas of Bulee Rock Pass Platforms, Touga Road and The Pylons. 

Part 2 takes us to Nissan and Kris's Knoll. 

Diuris sulphurea (R Farrow)

Andrew Knop 

Regenerative farming

Andrew and Jennifer Knop are regenerating their two properties at Dubbo and Narromine. When first purchased, their properties were degraded due to livestock grazing and feral animals. After two decades of very fulfilling work they have transformed both properties, with original woodland plants regenerating and wildlife returning.

To recreate the original vegetation that existed before farming they relied on the records of the early explorers on the types of vegetation they saw in their travels in the area.

Andrew takes us through the steps to land regeneration from removal of feral animals, habitat creation, weed management and planting.

Burrendong Arboretum

Burrendong Botanic Garden an Arboretum is redefining itself to focus on both curation of its existing collection, as well as growing endangered species for their future protection. A group of 45 APS NSW people visited the Arboretum in early April to explore the area and hear about the changes.

Burrendong Arboretum (B Usher)

This month, Peter Geelan-Small shares with us summaries of two recent articles on the balance between human land use and preserving areas for biodiversity. 

This first is an article from The Conversation, 'Australia has overshot three planetary boundaries based on how we use land'. Describing and measuring important criteria for environmental health are practical tools for moving towards sustainable development. Australia has exceeded the limits on some crucial environmental indicators. Land use industries in Australia have a critical role in reducing emissions and sequestering carbon but face pressure from increasing population and climate change.

The second is an ABC article, 'More than 40 per cent of Earth's land surface must be conserved to maintain biodiversity'. Much of the Earth’s land surface needs protecting to conserve biodiversity but this raises some important equity issues. These include local people needing to use land for their livelihood and corporations wanting environmental offsets far from where they cause biodiversity loss. Indigenous land management strategies can be valuable tools for conserving biodiversity.

Forestry logging (the Last Stand)

Study Group Updates, update!

Nicole Maher has been our study group liaison for a number of years, but is now stepping down due to other commitments. We'd like to extend our deep gratitude to her for her contribution over the last 4 to 5 years.

Verna Aslin, a member from South East, has agreed to take over the role. Verna had a challenging introduction to growing native plants in the frosty environment of Uralla, NSW in the 1970s. At the University of New England she was able to study environmental subjects, and also met native plant enthusiasts living in the Armidale area, who had a life-changing influence. She has subsequently established gardens in other parts of NSW, and currently lives in Cobargo, NSW, where recent bushfire devastation has provided another perspective. Her main gap in native plant knowledge is lack of familiarity with the mature size of many plants, due to frequently moving on to new locations!

It is with great pleasure that we welcome Verna to the role. 

Welcome Verna! (V Aslin)

Terra Australis garden visit and book review

Terra Australis garden (J Howes)

Jeff Howes was in Canberra in May this year and visited the Arboretum to check on the progress of the ANPSA Terra Australis Garden. It’s a great design and growing well. The depression or soak was designed to fill in heavy rain and he was delighted to see it full. He also visited the book shop while he was there and found a fascinating book titled 'Round the Bend. The creation, destruction by fire and recovery of Tambreet Gardens’ By Esther Leahy. He shares with us an overview of the book, about a Victorian garden before and after the February 2009 Black Saturday Bushfire.

Final words...

Do you have an eye for detail, a couple of hours a month to spare and would you like to help with the running of APS NSW? We currently have a vacancy for the secretary of the board. The role is excellent for anyone wishing to gain experience being on a board and contribute to the running of APS NSW. We  also encourage you to think about whether you know anyone else who may be interested in this position, even if they are not a member of APS NSW. If you would like any further information please email office@austplants.com.au

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