Leaders Report - Around the Garden

In the February newsletter (which was written in December!) I had commented on how dry it had been over summer and how Susan and I were “going into battle” to save our plants.  We had basically no rain until the very end of December and were well into bucketing water around the garden.  The eighteen thousand litre tank I have was down to about thirty centimetres and things were looking extremely dismal when we had some nice rain in mid January.  The tank filled and we eventually recorded 38 mm for the month, however late in the month and nearly all of February we had basically nothing and consequently we were back into battle again.  And we live, as we were informed by the experts prior to building here, in an area where it does not stop raining!

I hope that members have had sufficient rain and are managing to maintain their gardens.  There has been quite an outcry about gardeners using precious water on their plants that can be re-established once rainfall improves.  For many of us our gardens are extremely precious having taken years to develop, and the prospect of starting again for many would be out of the question.  I have not heard the same outcry over those who have backyard swimming pools!

I know some members refuse to water their plants or only water those recently planted.  However our soil being so sandy and with a considerable slope necessitates some assistance to our plants, even though heavily mulched, or else many I am certain would not survive.  We lost two established plants and a dozen or smaller ones that were probably planted last autumn; however I am pleased to say that most have survived and certain species are looking very content, including the two Grevillea Chrysophaea.

As I write this, light rain is falling, following on from a nice 38 mm we received yesterday.  Although the garden is not looking its best it never ceases to amaze how rain freshens and greens the environment so much more than non-natural “rain”.  A surprising number of plants are flowering at present despite the conditions.  Many of those flowering are Grevilleas including Strawberry Sundae, Robyn Gordon, Superb and langera (Mt Tamboritha form) which are a mass of flowers.  Our Lambertia Formosa is starting to flower and Croweas, exalata and saligna are both continuing to put on a show.  Correas, particularly “White Tips” are doing well in the conditions and several have flowers at present.  Also our remaining Eucalypt “Summer Beauty” has just come into flower, seemingly later than usual, and will be spectacular over the next month.  Banksias have enjoyed the dry and while not currently flowering are set to produce a magnificent show in the near future.

Still on the dry, it is interesting to see the way different species deal with the conditions.  Some plants lose leaves to reduce the amount of transpiration.  An example is the established Eucalypts that have lost more leaves than usual this season and many are looking quite denuded.  Some plants have “lost” branches that have died.  It is obviously a sacrifice of a fraction of the plant to preserve the whole plant.  On my way to work however, I see several mature Eucalypts along roadside that have not survived this summer, which is unusual in Gippsland.

Some news of concern is that the Latrobe Council in their wisdom are planning a landfill for the buffer zone south of Loy Yang power station.  I am sure that this will impact on the surrounding environment by introducing weeds and vermin and reducing habitat for fauna.  The proposed site abuts the existing flora reserve and is in between this and the hundred hectare Traralgon South Flora and Fauna reserve.  Basically the blue gum plantation they plan to destroy is a corridor for fauna moving from the latter to the Traralgon Creek.  I am also concerned about the possibility of leachate reaching the Traralgon Creek, particularly in the event of heavy rainfall, as there are platypuses reportedly downstream.  Another concern at present is that anyone wanting to explore the small flora reserve, which contains Grevillea chrysophaea, is confronted by a recently erected and locked gate with a sign telling you to keep out!  That is if you can find the location, as the sign proclaiming the area a flora reserve appears to have disappeared.  I trust that the whole reserve will not disappear!

Last Meeting - Col and Mary’s trip down the Canning

With the aid of his excellent photographs Col “ran us through” part of his trip from north to south down the Canning Stock Route in his trusty “Troopy”, accompanied by two other not-so-reliable vehicles.  Not only did Col show photographs of the plants encountered, he talked of the history of the area, the importance of the wells and some of the highlights of the trip.  The presentation was in essence “doing the trip without leaving your armchair”.  I certainly was amazed at the presence of so many trees and shrubs etc. as I pictured it to be basically a plant-less expanse of country.  It was certainly very interesting to see the amount of brush that the vehicles had to push through and the stands of trees.

I just hope there is some water in “them thar wells” as, wouldn’t-you-know-it, Col has gone and left us in the middle of the track somewhere near Lake Disappointment!  I hope he remembers to come back later in the year to pick-up where he left off.

Thanks Col for a fascinating evening.  Please remember you promised to return.

Hope to see you all at the next meeting, John Stephens.