Rustlings in the Kangaroo Grass - Australian Native Plants Ballarat Newsletter August... · photo...

Australian Plants Society Ballarat District Inc. Newsletter. AUGUST 2016 1

From the Editor Welcome to the August edition of our Newsletter. While there was neither Monthly

meeting nor newsletter in July, plenty of other things have happened since the last

Newsletter. The big event was the mid-Winter Plant Show and Sales This was a resounding

success thanks to the hard work of the organisers. Reports and photos follow later in this

Newsletter.

Snow came to Ballarat and surrounds – on a number of occasions, delighting some and

providing a talking point for many. Photographed below is a view in rural Gordon on 13 July.

What an opportunity for a ‘Christmas in July’ snowman.

Snow in Gordon, Victoria, on 13 July, 2016. Photo: Jenny West

Delightful although this event was, the implications for our gardens were somewhat

worrying, especially for those growing natives from some of the vastly different

environments found in this wide land. While there were a few casualties among recent

plantings, in general, established plants survived well. Many members would know the

flamboyant Pimelea physodes that Jenny West has shown us a few times. Although hailing

from coastal South-west Western Australia, it is still flourishing despite the snow-coat it

‘Rustlings in the Kangaroo Grass’

Australian Plants Society

Ballarat District

Newsletter – August 2016


wore at the time. It typifies the resilience that indigenous populations developed to survive

and thrive on this continent of extremes.

Rains have continued through winter. In Smythesdale we have had above-average

rainfall for May, June and July. Dams have filled, seasonal streams are flowing and standing

surface-water suggests the ground is reaching its water-holding capacity. For those of us

on clay soil the lack of drainage can be a problem at this time, although this is offset by the

support these long-lasting reserves provide plants over the dry summer months. There is

also good incentive to start planting out again, however some protection from the inevitable

frosts still to come is advised.

August brings out the heralds of spring, providing us with a preview of the colours,

forms and features to come. On the one hand, while Acacia baileyana is an acknowledged

weed in the parks and forests, in a managed landscape it produces a welcome and

spectacular show. On the other hand, and in delightful contrast, subtle shades and small

things brighten the view for those with their eyes cast down.

Finally, on a more sombre note, we acknowledge the death of Ted Lynes, a long-

time member who did much to brighten the lives of those around him. Fon Ryan has written

of Ted’s contribution to the Society (see further down this newsletter).

The Qualup Bell, Pimelea physodes (left), and the Silky Eremophila, Eremophila nivea (right), two Western Australians that survived being dressed in unexpected, and no doubt unwelcome, snow-coats.

Photos: Jenny West

Acacia baileyana (left) provides the spectacular, while (right) Lissanthe strigosa subsp. subulata (Peach Heath) and Drosera whittakeri (Scented Sundew) provide subtlety of colour and form. Photos: G. Casey


MEMBERS’ SPECIMENS AT JUNE 2016 MEETING – THE EARLY-WINTER

COLLECTION

John Hastie: Acacia notabilis, Correa sp., Hakea petiolaris, Hardenbergia violaceae,

Templetonia retusa, Thryptomene saxicola alba ‘Supernova’.

Fon Ryan: Fon did not bring this

specimen to the meeting but he has sent this

photo of a lovely delicate mushroom,

somewhat vandalised.

Suspected of the vandalism are a

green caterpillar smoking a blue hookah, and a strangely elongated young

girl. (Original drawings by Sir John Tenniel and published in Lewis Carrol’s

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (London: Macmillan, 1865)). As Fon says,

it has been a wonderful year for fungus.

Acacia notabilis, Flinders Wattle (note, this is not the Flinders Ranges Wattle, Acacia iteaphylla).

Photo: Fon Ryan

Templetonia retusa, Cocky’s Tongue. Photo: Fon Ryan

This fungus was found growing in my backyard at Learmonth on 9th June. It was 9cm diameter on a tall stem and had a wet top surface. Something had eaten a neat hole through the cap and also nibbled the edges of the gills at two points around its circumference. It has been a prolific year for fungus. Photo: Fon Ryan


Members’ Notes Members please note that Society subscriptions are now overdue. The fees, as

ratified by members at the June 2016 meeting, are: VIC BALLARAT TOTAL

Single $32 $10 $42

Family $35 $13 $48

Your earliest attention to this matter will be greatly appreciated.

MID-WINTER PLANT SHOW AND SALES, 25-26 June 2016: This was a resounding

success thanks to the hard work of the organisers and the extraordinary variety of plants

that members put up for show. Friday was spent setting up inside while snow was falling

outside. At the end of a long day, members had created a remarkable display of Australian

flora growing in the Ballarat district. Judith Lewis once again produced her trademark

decorative arrangements and also ran the pre-loved books table. A new addition to our show

presentation was an informative slide show of photos of winter flowers taken in members’

gardens. Many thanks to Jenny West for putting this together as many people commented

on the quality of the photos and the usefulness of the information provided.

Gladys Hastie produced hot soup that attendees gratefully sipped and supped to keep

the winter chill at bay. Luncheon snacks also included hot pastries, generously donated, and

a wide selection of tempting home-made sweet treats.

A number of stall-holders displayed wares ranging from imaginative and amusing

pottery and timber garden ornaments and

containers, to plant illustrations and a range

of bush foods available for tasting. Banksias and correas nestled in the display at the mid-Winter Flower Show. Photo: Fon Ryan

Carved wood artefacts, above, and Bush Foods available for tasting, below left. Photos: Fon Ryan


The weather turned on a

treat, providing sunny conditions

for the plant sellers to display their

temptations, an offering most of us

could not resist.

When the doors closed on

Sunday afternoon, 218 people had

been through the show. Those who

came were often astonished at the

variety of form and colour

assembled. It would be fair to say

that many misconceptions about

‘drab native winter gardens’ were

dispelled and the plant

sellers’ offerings gave

people the opportunity to

purchase one or two (or

many more in my case)

plants to introduce into

their own garden.

This show could not

have been the success it

was without the work and

commitment of all those

involved, many of whom

were exhausted by the

time it was all over and

packed away. Our sincere thanks and congratulations to all.

June Members’ Discussion: As usual, there was no Speaker at the June meeting, instead,

members raised some points of interest for discussion.

Fon Ryan raised the issue of frustration with poor quality prints from those Do-It-

Yourself printing machines available in Pharmacies and Camera Stores. A number of people

noted occasions when they were disappointed with the editing options available and the

variable quality of the resultant print-outs. Fon’s advice is to edit photos before taking

them for printing. Programs such as Adobe Photoshop® are good but expensive and require

some practice before satisfactory results can be achieved. However, there are cheap or

free programs available online for those willing to do a little searching. A final tip was to

print off one copy and be prepared to make some fine-tuning edits before printing off the

finished product.

John Hastie kicked off a discussion of what to use for plant labels. His preferred

method is to use aluminium strips 30mm x 200mm (1.5 inch x 8 inch) and stick on labels

made with a labelling tool. While aluminium strips can be bought, Paddy Marshall suggested

using the metal strips from old Venetian Blinds. Cynthia Dennett suggested using plastic

Pottery containers and ornaments. Photo: G. Casey

Plant sellers enjoying the sunshine. Photo: G. Casey


cutlery (a great recycling idea) and a permanent marker. Another common material is cut up

plastic ice cream containers.

There was also mention of what information to include on the label. Botanical and

common name is usual. Other items can include: date of planting; provenance (where the

plant originates from); and any personally relevant information such as where the plant was

collected, who provided the plant etc.

An aside from this discussion noted the commitment we put in to our gardens and the

consequences of moving. There was general agreement that returning to one’s former

garden was a fraught exercise, most often resulting in disappointment with the condition of

the loved landscape.

Cynthia Dennett has been chasing fungus this season and requested that, if anyone

finds rare or unusual examples in this season of plenty, they send her a photo and a note of

the location.

Vale Ted Lynes

Ted Lynes died on 4th June 2016. He was 80.

Ted joined APS Ballarat District (then SGAP Central Highlands) in 1987, at the same

time as I did. He was always a bit larger-than-life, forthright, friendly and energetic.

During Flower Shows, Ted would bowl up to visitors to the show, whether he knew

them or not, and enthusiastically tell them the attributes of a plant, or introduce them to

another member of our Society, and then inform them of the fantastic plants that our

plant-sellers had ready for them out in the courtyard.

He was very enthusiastic about native plants, grew a lot of them himself in their

garden at Smythes Creek and shared his knowledge.

Ted and his wife Margaret hosted garden visits to their home, end-of-year afternoon

teas and, at one stage, a number of the Society's business meetings (along with supplying

supper). He drove the bus for many of our excursions.

Ted was president in 1988-90 and again in 1994-96. He did a stint as newsletter

editor in 1990-92, was Flower Show Co-ordinator at least once, and was auditor from 1997

until quite recently. Ted was a Life Member of the Society. That was Ted in APS, but he

was active in many other organisations as well.

As Margaret’s health deteriorated, Ted's attendance at meetings dropped away and

then ceased before Margaret died in May 2013. At her funeral he told me that he would

come back to the meetings, but it didn't happen. However, he usually visited our Flower

Shows.

The next year Ted was diagnosed with cancer and was given only months to live. True

to his straightforwardness, he organised his own wake in November 2014 and invited

friends and those he knew. Hundreds turned up to the afternoon tea event at the

Sebastopol Bowling Club. With the help of modern medicine he lived another 18 months. In

this period, he paid brief visits to the October Flower Shows. He came to our 40th

Anniversary Dinner in December last year and was in jovial spirits. I visited him when he

was in palliative care a month before he died.

We remember Ted as a friend and as a great contributor to our Society.

We offer our sympathy to his four daughters and their families. Report: Fon Ryan


Historical APS (SGAP) Bulletins available: National and Victorian Bulletins, dating back to

the 1970s, have been offered to members. Contact Gerard Casey, 0410 250 294, or email

[email protected] direct, for more details.

Coming Events

**WEDNESDAY 10 AUGUST, 2016 – MONTHLY MEETING

Guest Speaker – Russell Stahl – Banksia

***MEMBERS’ EXCURSION TO BENDIGO FLOWER SHOW. An excursion is organised to

the Bendigo Flower Show with a forest visit included. Please reserve a place on the bus with

payment ($10.00 for members, full fare for non-members) at the August Monthly Meeting.

***WEDNESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2016, MONTHLY MEETING APS Ballarat District

Annual General Meeting.

***MEMBERS’ EXCURSION TO POMONAL FLOWER SHOW. An excursion is planned to

the Pomonal Flower Show. Details in September Newsletter.

11 AUGUST 2016 FEDERATION UNIVERSITY SEMINAR Dr. Peter Vesk "Adventures

in adaptive management of native vegetation condition". Free entry. Time: 12:00-13:30,

Room Y016 (access from Entry Point E2, University Drive. Parking in Public Carpark 1, entry

E3, East Terrace) Mt. Helen campus, Federation University. RSVP A/Prof S. K. Florentine,

53279231, Email: [email protected]

“In this talk I will present work from vegetation management problems in temperate

eucalypt woodlands in northern and central Victoria where the aims have been broadly to

increase condition and extent of native vegetation. I will draw on natural regeneration and

habitat restoration and management. The talk will cover learning about ecological processes,

developing systems models, monitoring interventions, and identifying good actions.”

27 & 28 August – Attila Kapitany’s Open Garden. 10am-4.30pm. 1 Lough Court, Narre

Warren North, 0418 442 785, $8. Garden Victoria 2016/17 season launch.

Extraordinary collection of architectural agaves, aloes and yuccas amid ground-covering

succulents and Australian bottle trees in a series of terraced garden rooms. Guided tours.

Plants, seeds and books for sale.

3 & 4 SEPTEMBER, BENDIGO NATIVE PLANTS GROUP FLOWER SHOW, Rotary

Gateway Park, 26 High Street, Kangaroo Flat.

10 SEPTEMBER, APS YARRA YARRA NATIVE PLANTS SALE (no Expo this year). Venue

to be advised. 10 am to 4 pm.

17 & 18 SEPTEMBER, ANGAIR (Anglesea and Aireys Inlet Wildflower and Art Show),

Anglesea Memorial Hall, McMillan St, Anglesea. 10.00 am to 4.30 pm. Small entry fee.

1 & 2 OCTOBER, APS GRAMPIANS GROUP POMONAL NATIVE FLOWER SHOW,

Pomonal Hall. 9.30 am to 5.00 pm.

7, 8 & 9 OCTOBER, HORSHAM GARDEN FESTIVAL WEEKEND hosted by Wimmera

Growers of Australian Plants Inc.

8 & 9 OCTOBER, 2016 FJC ROGERS SEMINAR in Hamilton “Native Terrestrial and

Epiphytic Orchids”. Saturday full day conference and formal dinner, Sunday field trips to

Hamilton, Casterton and Grampians. Register your interest with Kevin Sparrow,

[email protected].

mailto:[email protected]


Deadline for September Newsletter: 3 September 2016

Next meeting: Wednesday 10 August 2016

Supper: Members please bring a plate of something to share

Who we are: AUSTRALIAN PLANTS SOCIETY (SGAP) BALLARAT DISTRICT INC. Inc. No. A0013127M

MONTHLY MEETINGS ON THE 2ND WEDNESDAY each month at 7:30PM (No meetings January or July) at: ROBERT CLARK HORTICULTURAL CENTRE, Ballarat Botanical Gardens GILLIES STREET ENTRANCE – GATE 3 President: Gladys Hastie 5288 Midland Hwy. Elaine 3334 5341 5567 Secretary: Treasurer: Carol Matthews PO Box 109W Ballarat West 3350 0408 101 715

NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS: [email protected] Gerard Casey, 210 Tannery Rd. Smythesdale 3351. Ph. 0410 250 294 CORRESPONDENCE: [email protected]

Thanks to all those who contributed reports or items for this newsletter

The impressive central display table at Australian Plants Society Ballarat District's first Winter Flower Show, 25th & 26th June 2016. Photo: Fon Ryan

mailto:[email protected]

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