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AUSTRALIAN PLANTS SOCIETY

(Wangaratta Inc.)

NEWSLETTER APRIL-June 2020

Visit the APS Vic website at https://apsvic.org.au/

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Please arrive at 7.30 for meetings.

Sorry no meetings or outings currently scheduled due to Covid 19

Hopefully we can soon resume meetings

The committee have several great speakers and outings planned & hopefully will be having later in the year. To be advised

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What a sad time for the families who have lost a dear one to the corona virus. Especially as so few can be present at the funeral. Let us remember them in our prayers.

For others it is one of the most unusual times in our lives. No doubt you are kept busy doing things around the house and in your garden. It is also a time of opportunity to attend to things you needed to do but never got around to. Both Helen and I have discovered things in cupboards and the shed we had forgotten about.

The weather has been ideal for gardening, planting, pruning, propagating, fertilizing, etc. There will be lots of stories to tell when we meet again in person. In the meantime keep active, spend time reflecting about what is important in life, and keep in touch with your families.

Warm regards to all,

John

In early April, as I was leaving for work I heard a buzzing sound, and on closer investigation

discovered that it was the enormous Casuarina in the next door property buzzing with a million

bees and dripping with pollen.

Allocasuarina verticillate – Drooping She-oak

Rounded tree to 4-10m . All states except Qld. Fissured bark Hardy inmost soils and aspects.

Nitrogen fixing plant.

Message from the President

From your editor

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We had a Meeting on Thursday 27th February and Jan Hall was our guest Speaker – it is so long ago! Jan presented a lovely slide show of her trip to Western Australia for the Australian Plants Society National Conference. The photos of the flowering plants in WA were spectacular and breathtaking. We all wanted to go there and see them for ourselves. Some of our members have been lucky enough to travel to the West and seen some of it. Something to plan for after we can all travel again?

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It has been lovely to hear news from some of our members. Joanne Diver has shared some of

her garden adventures with us

Sturt Desert Pea, grown from seed, is flowering. Bit yellow, may need to add some bush tucker.

Propagation tub, going OK

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Dargan Hill Monarch Daisy cuttings propagated, going better with them not being in the tub. 1 out of 8 success rate, better than previous years for me!

I have had more time than usual to be out enjoying and working in my garden recently although I am still going to work each day..

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Some flowering specimens in our Glenrowan Garden

Stenocarpus – never fails to surprise us by hiding its’ flowers amongst the foliage. Its flowers are always odd shaped – any ideas of why they are not the perfect flowers you see in other gardens?

Silver Banksia? – a huge tree in our yard – perhaps 30 years old & the dry pods make great firelighters

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Lemon scented gum Corymbia Citirodoria. My very favourite tree. The leaves always smell wonderful, and when in flower, it too ‘buzzes’ it always harbours its fair share of birds of many species. It is the focal point of our garden & a true ‘hugging’ tree. It has only dropped one limb in the 8 years we have owned this house – so not holding up to the reputation of dropping branches.

On March 8th – just before lockdown a large group from APS Wangaratta visited Jan Hall to celebrate her special birthday. Members brought morning tea to share, then we had a delightful walk around the garden admiring many years hard work by Jan and with a little help from her friends and family.

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Jan’s very kind daughters in law provided a lovely buffet lunch and we heard stories of Jans’ childhood, and adventures starting her nursery and love of native plants. (I didn’t know that Grant of Parklane Nursery had worked for Jan.) Everyone went home totally inspired by what Jan has achieved on a previously barren block.

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Meetings

Meetings are held at Park Lane Nursery, Park Lane, Wangaratta usually on the 4th Thursday of the month from February to November. Please arrive at 7.30pm for a 7.45pm start. It is a good idea to bring a torch with you. Visitors are always welcome.

Members are encouraged to bring along exhibits for the specimen table which is a regular feature of each meeting.

Pre-meeting dinner get-together Those that are able share dinner together at Café Martini, 87

Murphy Street, Wangaratta, 6.00 – 7.15pm . All members and friends are most welcome.

It’s a chance to relax with a nice meal and a glass of wine

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Australian Plants Society Committee 2019-2020

President: John van Riet Ph:5725 7207 email: helenvanriet@bigpond.com Secretary: Alison Earp Ph: 0414 715376 email: kalisetptyltd@gmail.com Treasurer: Arthur Meyers Ph: 5728 1654 email: pianoman@netc.net.au Membership: Linda Huzzey Ph 5726 1875 email: lhaps@westnet.com.au Newsletter: Gillian Anderson Ph: 5766 2397 email: pdga280@bigpond.com APS Victoria Representative: Helen van Riet Ph:5725 7207 General Committee: Joan Cochrane Ph: 5728 1654 Jenny Davidson Ph: 02 6032 8442 Joanne Diver Ph: 0412 985501 Alan Gibb Ph: 5727 3362 Michael O’Sullivan Ph: 5725 1784 Jan Hall Ph: 5744 1140 or 0427 441 104 Helen Wrigley Ph: 5722 2824 Therese Graham Ph: 0407 563614