Stories archive

Congratulations to Ian Cox from Parramatta Hills Group who was awarded Life Membership at the APS NSW AGM, held by Zoom on 16 May 2020. This summary is based on the nomination from Parramatta Hills Group, with added detail.

APS Parramatta Hills are delighted to have Ian as a continuing member of our group and we much value his contribution. He is worthy of Life Membership both for his promotion of the aims of the society and his practical contribution to the governance of the Australian Plants Society.

Serving the Australian Plants Society

Ian Cox has been a member of Parramatta Hills Group for many years and remains active today. The majority of Ian’s career was spent in the head offices of various public companies. He has used his expertise as a qualified accountant and company secretary to help govern the Australian Plants Society.

He was President of Parramatta Hills Group from 1999 to 2002 and Vice-President for a period before that.

His roles in the Australian Plants Society include serving as APS NSW Vice President for a number of years, treasurer of the federal body (two years), federal delegate to the Australian Flora Foundation (four years), representative on the Nature Conservation Council of NSW (two years), and delegate to APS NSW for the Parramatta and Hills District Group (four years).

He has represented NSW at federal conferences, has been treasurer at Rouse Hill Spectaculars and Mt Annan Plant Sales, and has served on the Publishing and Management Committees. He carried out a major update of APS NSW’s Articles of Association. He has also been active on two organising committees for national plant society conferences in Sydney 1993 and Newcastle 2007.

Ian and his late wife Tamara have also done voluntary work at the APS NSW office over the years.

Supporting the Australian Flora Foundation

Ian is the secretary of the Australian Flora Foundation and has held that position for many years. The foundation is a not-for-profit charity that each year funds several projects for scientific research on the biology and cultivation of Australia’s flora. Many of the researchers are honours or postgraduate students, and their grant success often stimulates their interest in doing further research of our unique and diverse plants throughout their careers.

Sharing his garden and knowledge

Ian and Tamara have created a magnificent native plant garden at their home in Kenthurst and regularly welcome visitors to inspect and learn. Ian has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Australian plants and is always willing to share that with everybody.

He has been heavily involved in a number of Study Groups including Eremophila (currently), Grevillea, Banksia, Fern and Garden Design groups at various times.

Ian has contributed articles to our society journals and websites and maintains contact with various research botanists to share information.

Ian was a member of the Cattai Catchment Management Committee (four years) and has been a volunteer firefighter with the Rural Fire Service.

Photo below: Ian's garden open during the APS quarterly gathering in October 2018 (Heather Miles).

Congratulations to Chris and Leigh Cousins from Hunter Valley Group who were awarded Life Membership at the APS NSW AGM, held by Zoom on 16 May 2020. Here’s the nomination from Hunter Valley Group.

Chris and Leigh Cousins joined the Hunter Valley Group of the Society for Growing Australian Plants in 1983 and have been active members ever since.

Ambassadors for Australian plants

Chris and Leigh have been outstanding ambassadors for the Australian Plants Society and the promotion of Australian native flora. Their own suburban garden has become a showcase of how to establish and nurture a native garden, and they have generously opened it to the public on many occasions.

Each year between 2000 to 2004, they won 1^st prize in the Maitland Garden competition for Specialised Garden, Native Garden (three times) and Most Water Efficient Garden. In 2008 their garden was part of the Australian Open Garden Scheme and raised funds for Alzheimers Australia. Arguably the promotion of native plants in a garden setting is of special importance, given that most people garden on that size of land.

Local APS groups, Newcastle and Hunter Valley, with members from Singleton and Aberdeen, have been welcomed to the Cousins’ garden on many occasions. Chris and Leigh have supported plant stalls and displays at events such as Steamfest, Tocal Small Farms Field Days and Bicentennial celebrations. They have attended APS conferences in Sydney and assisted with a quarterly gathering hosted by Newcastle Group at the Wetlands Centre.

Supporting Hunter Valley Group

They have held virtually every position of office during their membership. Between 1985 and 1996, Chris held positions of Secretary, Treasurer and a three year stint as President. Leigh was Publicity Officer during this time, successfully organising media coverage in the local and regional press. When Chris stepped down from office to further his studies, Leigh took over as Treasurer. For many years between 1987 and 2002 they were joint editors of the group’s newsletter Gum Leaves, and Chris was Treasurer again from 2002 until 2017. It should be noted that all of this effort and donation of time occurred while Chris was in full-time employment.

Chris’s technological expertise has enabled guest speakers to give PowerPoint presentations on a wide variety of topics. APS NSW has also benefitted as this comment from APS NSW Membership Officer Merle Thompson OAM indicates: “I have never met them face-to-face but have spoken to Chris on the phone. He did the audit for me when I was Treasurer and set up a wonderful interactive spreadsheet for my record keeping. I have used that format since and he helped me amend it”.

Hunter Valley Group has always been a comparatively small group of enthusiasts, its areas encompassing the Upper Hunter with membership varying from suburban, rural residential, to agricultural areas. This necessitates considerable travel by some members, and it is distance that affects the viability of the group. Without the commitment of members like Chris and Leigh Cousins, the Hunter Valley Group may well have struggled to survive, which would have left APS NSW with no group between Newcastle and Tamworth.

Of necessity, in a group the size of Hunter Valley Group, members need to be willing to take on whatever role is required. Chris and Leigh have never hesitated to offer their services when needed. In addition, Chris and Leigh have always been and continue to be courteous, cheerful and helpful to all – qualities which encourage new members to join and to remain.

Before and after

The photos below are from the Cousins' garden (thanks to Mark Abell, from the Hunter Valley Group newsletter).

This article by Jeff first appeared in GardenDrum in 2015, for the Australian Plants Society NSW. 

I have been growing Australian orchids in my Sydney native garden for nearly 30 years. Every year, I get a stunning display that wows everyone who sees it.

Our front courtyard filled with Australian plants, including many orchids

Orchids in history

I’m not the only one fascinated by orchids. Apparently, the world’s first book on orchids was published in China in 1228 and the second in 1247. Orchids were used to treat venereal diseases, diarrhoea, boils, neuralgia and sick elephants!

Orchids are still being used today for medicinal reasons. Not sure about the elephants though!

Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion, Qian Gu (Chinese, 1508–ca. 1578) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Charles Darrow who invented the game of Monopoly, retired with all his Monopoly money at the age of 46 and devoted himself to gathering and breeding wild orchids.

The name orchid derives from the Latin orchis which means testicle – referring to the testicle shaped tubers of the plants roots and the long-held idea that orchids sprang from the spilled semen of mating animals.

Close up of Thelychiton speciosus, growing under trees in the Hunter Valley. Photo Heather Miles

But enough of that! Onto more prosaic matters.

Hardy Australian orchids

In Australia, we have over 800 species of orchids in 107 genera, all belonging to the Orchidaceae family.

My favourites are the Thelychiton, formerly called Dendrobium. These orchids are very hardy and can endure extreme drying out. In fact, many are killed by too much kindness and water.

They flower best in full sun to one quarter shade.

Native orchids thriving on rocks in Sydney backyard, with a backdrop of Grevillea ‘Misty Pink’, Banksia and Senna artemisioides, the yellow flowering shrub. Photo: Jeff Howes

How to grow Thelychiton

One of most frequent questions I receive is how do I manage to grow Thelychiton kingianus and Thelychiton speciosus orchids on my rocks and ‘apparently’ in the ground?

Thelychiton speciosus, formerly Dendrobium speciosum, growing happily in the courtyard of our Westleigh home. Photo: Jeff Howes

To establish them on large rocks, follow these simple steps:

1. Obtain some shoots that have been removed from existing orchids or cut off from existing clumps. These are called aerial roots and ideally have three or four pseudo-bulbs.
2. Hold them down with small rocks (or even tie them down with old stockings) and surround them with plenty of old leaf litter. Use an open, friable litter that does not hold too much moisture and drains well.
3. Keep the orchids moist (not wet) until new growth commences and then only water occasionally and apply more mulch as they grow.
4. You can apply liquid fertilizer monthly during spring and summer at half strength if you wish, but this is not really necessary, as they get enough nutrients from the decaying leaf litter.

To appear to get them growing in the ground (which they won’t), place a few 50 mm thick paving blocks on the ground and follow the above method. In no time at all, they will multiply and reward you with an abundance of flowers.

Thelychiton kingianus (formerly Dendrobium kingianum), is commonly known as the Pink Rock Orchid. It has masses of beautiful regally coloured flowers in late winter and early spring. Photo: Jeff Howes

Bugs in orchids

Do any bugs attack orchids? Unfortunately yes!

An import from Queensland, these orange and black beetles grow to about 10 mm long and can fly. In summer months, the adult beetle eats the new leaves of orchids. They then lay eggs in the soft, new stems and the larva, a soft white maggot-like grub hatches, then eats and destroys the stem and growing tip. At their worst, they will destroy all the new seasons’ growth on your orchids.

Dendrobium beetles (Stethopachys formosa), photo Jeff Howes

You can control by spraying an insecticide when you see them. The easier and more challenging way is to sneak up on them (there is always two of them), place your hand slowly below the leaves being eaten by the buggers and then, with your other hand, try to grab them. If you miss, they will hopefully drop into your other hand as their defence is to drop to the ground when disturbed. Now with a smile on your face, crush them.

Figuring out which plants work for you

Whenever people see my orchids, they ask: which ones do I grow, how do I grow them, how do to keep them healthy?

I start off by saying that Australia has over 20,000 unique plants, including the orchids. They grow from coast to desert, north to south, in many different conditions. So I suggest that people ask themselves a few simple questions, to better understand their microclimate. These include:

• How much sun is present?
• What type of soil is it? 
• Is it well drained or does it retain water?
• Will my plants compete for nutrients with other plants?

There are some great resources to draw on to help you with the answers to these questions including specialist orchid nurseries, a great book called Native Orchids of Australia, by David Jones, published by Reed Books and our Australian Plant Society website has some great information: Starting out with Native Orchids by Brian Walters and Les Nesbitt’s, Australian Native Orchids.

Thelychiton x delicatum is the pink orchid at the front of the photo. This orchid is a cross between Thelychiton kingianus and Thelychiton speciosus and has a stunning fragrance that you can smell as soon as you enter the courtyard. Photo: Jeff Howes

Addiction

Why not give these beautiful orchids a go in your garden? You’ll be amply rewarded for many years with exquisite, fragrant blooms.

Just a word of warning…

Susan Orlean 2011, The Orchid Thief, A True Story of Beauty and Obsession, Random House

Thelychiton speciosus loving full sun and part shade. Photo: Jeff Howes

On Thursday 23 April 2020, Sutherland Group member Ralph Cartwright, also Treasurer of the Friends of the Royal group, featured in a Sydney Morning Herald story on bushwalking in the time of coronavirus.

Ralph Cartwright explains how it happened:

“I was contacted by the SMH Urban Affairs reporter, Angus Thompson, who got my contact details from the Friends of Royal page who wanted to talk to someone still bushwalking in the Royal in the time of coronavirus. We had a brief chat for quotes and he sent a veteran photographer, Peter Rae, to meet me. We walked to the end of the wheelchair-accessible Bungoona path near the park entrance at Loftus for the shoot. The lookout offers fantastic scenic views of Hacking River as the photo shows".

Ralph did mention he was also a member of APS, but it didn't make it into the story.

Read the article here:

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/open-parks-for-far-flung-hiking-to-ease-city-clusters-expert-says-20200422-p54m8f.html 

This story was written by Brian Roach and first appeared in GardenDrum, in 2016 

I feel confident anyone reading this would agree that gardeners have a better insight than most into changing weather patterns. Whatever the reason, the hot days seem to be getting hotter and the cold days colder but it’s usually the former that presents the greater challenges in selecting the right plant for the hot spot.

Enter stage right our wonderful grey-foliaged native plants.

Maireana oppositifolia at Broken Hill. Photo by Brian Roach

Maireana sedifolia at Broken Hill. Photo by Brian Roach

On a recent trip out through Broken Hill to the Flinders Ranges I could only look in awe at the great swathes of blue-bush, Mariana oppositifolia and M.sedifolia that adorned the hot and often rugged countryside. Obviously these plants are wonderfully adapted to a hostile landscape where water is scarce and sunshine plentiful.

Eremophila glabra ‘Kalbarri Carpet’ growing at Hay. Photo by Brian Roach

On our return trip we stopped off at the new Shearers’ Centre at Hay. It was hellishly hot but what was loving the weather in the garden was Eremophilla glabra ‘Kalbarri Carpet’. I’ve been growing this plant for a few years now and it’s as tough as old boots once established. The ochre coloured flowers contrast beautifully with the shimmering, silver foliage which seems to actually reflect the heat of the sun.

Leucophyta brownii along the Great Ocean Road. Photo by Brian Roach

A few years earlier we drove out along the Great Ocean Road and there was Cushion Bush, or Leucophyta (formerly Calocephalus) brownii coping so well with the harsh salt-laden air and hot, sandy conditions. I was amazed at just how big these plants could grow. Unfortunately, my experience in Sydney is that these plants do not cope with our humid, summer conditions.

Leucophyta brownii in Sydney. Photo by Brian Roach

So nature has been able to work it out…so why can’t we? To coin an old racing adage, it’s all about ‘horses for courses’.

One of the very first native plants I grew around 40 years ago was Olearia phlogopappa. It was worth growing just to rattle off that wonderful name to anyone who would listen. But in recent times another Olearia with wonderful grey foliage has come into my garden.

Olearia languinosa ‘Ghost Town’ is one of those unkillable plants and thrives in a hot spot with very little demand for water. It’s low growing to around half a metre high and if left to itself, will certainly spread a couple of metres over time but it’s very amenable to severe pruning. The foliage has a delightful aroma when cut or crushed. It’s not the small, white flowers that make this plant well worth growing, but rather the silvery, grey foliage that fairly laps up the hot sun. An added bonus with this plant is that cuttings strike with ease.

Olearia languinosa ‘Ghost Town’, an unkillable shrub which thrives in a hot dry spot. Photo by Brian Roach

A wonderful new plant was only discovered in the wild about a dozen or so years ago up around the Copeton Dam near Inverell. Members of the Grevillea Study Group were on the prowl for an elusive grevillea when they spied a stunning, yellow flowering plant. It was keyed out and found to be Homoranthus prolixus and apparently never before brought into cultivation.

It has wonderful blue/grey foliage with red stems on the new growth and stunning bright yellow flowers across the horizontal growth of the plant in late spring and early summer. Growing naturally on granite outcrops in an extreme climatic environment, this is yet another great plant to cope with our topsy-turvy climate.

Homoranthus prolixus, with stunning yellow flowers. Photo by Brian Roach

Homoranthus prolixus, with horizontal growth doing well here in a pot. Photo by Brian Roach

The grey, strappy Conostylis candicans has been around for quite a while but I’ve never managed to maintain one for any appreciable time. Related to the Kangaroo Paws as it is, I suspect it’s one that doesn’t enjoy our humid summers.

Conostylis candicans. Photo by Brian Roach

However, around 20 years ago my mate, Peter Olde, sent me some material he’d collected in WA – as he has done from time to time – and he labelled it as Conostylis aurea. I’ve been growing the plant ever since with wonderful results. It’s a low, clumping plant to around 20cm high with very grey foliage and masses of yellow flower stems from late autumn through into early spring. It really is a stunner and is as hardy as anything else in the garden. I find it strange that I’ve never seen this plant for sale in all the time since I first received it.

Conostylis aurea flower head. Photo by Brian Roach

Conostylis aurea. Photo by Brian Roach

Any mention of grey-foliaged native plants would be remiss without mentioning Actinotus helianthii, our wonderful east-coast Flannel Flower.

Actinotus helianthi, our iconic Flannel Flower. Photo by Brian Roach

Actinotus helianthi, our iconic Flannel Flower. Photo by Brian Roach

Okay, so they’re difficult to maintain in the garden for more than a couple of years, but ain’t it worth it! With a bit of luck there’ll be a bit of self-seeding, especially if you pluck off the dying flower heads and sprinkle the seed about.

Senna artemisoides, with its lace-like foliage and bright yellow pea-flowers.

But if I had to pick my favourite on the basis of toughness and display in my Sydney garden, I think I’d have to opt for Senna artemisoides. That wonderful grey, lace-like foliage is contrasted so stunningly by the bright yellow pea-flowers. And again, let the seed pods develop and lots of little babies are sure to put up their hands to be dug up and potted on. And don’t be frightened to cut it back quite heavily after flowering to maintain a dense plant as shown in this photos.

So let’s hear it for Amazing Greys – how sweet the ground that sees a stretch of these.

Brian Roach

ABC TV's Gardening Australia show featured a segment with Menai Group on Friday 27 March 2020.

Life member and Menai driving force Lloyd Hedges gave host Clarence Slockee a tour of the Illawong Fire Station garden maintained by the group and demonstrated how to create smoke water to germinate flannel flowers while nursery volunteer Pam Forbes highlighted the group's project to propagate casuarinas to provide food and habitat for glossy black cockatoos in the Southern Highlands.

Watch the episode on iview here. Menai Group appears about half way through.

See photos from the Illawong Fire Station garden here.

Read about another native propagator Brian Roach appearing on Gardening Australia here and other APS members in the media here.

Below: Hakea purpurea from the Fire Station garden (photo Lloyd Hedges)

Enewsletter editor Rhonda Daniels attended the community launch of the website on 14 March 2020  at Dapto Ribbonwood Centre and won a Brachychiton to carry home on the train.

The website: www.growingillawarranatives.org

The Growing Illawarra Natives website showcases native plant species local to the Illawarra to encourage greater appreciation and cultivation of native plant species in the Illawarra.
 The area has a rich diversity of plant communities with over 850 indigenous plant species, many of great value in cultivation.  

The website has detailed descriptive information and photos of plants of the region, advice on cultivation, how and where to grow the plants, and a lot more. It helps the community identify which local native plants will best suit their garden, landscaping or other application and help improve biodiversity that has been reduced by urban development. By enhancing local plant biodiversity, local habitats will be more attractive for local birds, insects and animals.

Illawarra refers to the coastal area between the escarpment cliffs and the sea, from Stanwell Park (Bald Hill) to the Shoalhaven River (excluding Bomaderry).

Background to the project

The completely voluntary project was led by Emma Rooksby and Leon Fuller, with a very large team of community contributors including Carl Glaister and other plant enthusiasts from the region. Leon Fuller has worked for many years on tree identification of the Illawarra. He is the author of Wollongong Native Trees and co-author of Native Trees of Central Illawarra covering areas between Wollongong and Foxground. He has great knowledge and understanding about the benefits of regional biodiversity. Leon landscaped the grounds of the University of Wollongong 40 years ago with the vision to re-establish biodiversity in an urban garden environment. Rather than writing another book, he felt a website would be more beneficial for a broader and younger audience. Starting in 2104, community workshops were held to develop the project and content.

The community launch

The website was formally launched at a community celebration event on 14 March 2020 at Dapto, with live music, plant photos, plant display, raffle and giveaways, and afternoon tea. Emma Rooksby and Leon Fuller spoke briefly, referring people to a large display board which listed all the contributors who have helped in some way. Clarence Slockee, ABC TV Gardening Australia presenter, cut a virtual ribbon and officially declared the website open. The music and afternoon continued.

Congratulations to all the contributors

The organisers said afterwards: “Thanks to everyone who attended the Growing Illawarra Natives website launch on Saturday. It was a fantastic community celebration, and we were very lucky to host the event ahead of tighter restrictions on public gatherings.”

Feedback

The Growing Illawarra Natives Facebook group allows interactive discussion of local native plants, so feel free to join in there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/272511306484693/. 

If you'd like to provide feedback on the website, there is a survey running at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J2K27J6 - all comments and suggestions welcome!

Buying Illawarra natives

Wollongong Botanic Garden has native plant sales once a month on the third Friday. Note: temporarily suspended due to coronavirus.

The Garden’s Greenplan nursery has an extensive collection of local native trees, shrubs, groundcovers and grasses, as well as worm farms and compost bins for sale every month.

Visit the Garden’s website at www.wollongongbotanicgarden.com.au a week before each sale for a list of native species available and prices.

The Garden’s nursery is located on Northfields Avenue in Kieraville (next to soccer fields). The car park entrance is marked with bright flags.

Launch photos: Ralph Cartwright and Rhonda Daniels