Registered Number: A0010491R
Registered Number: A0010491R |
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| Email: Wimmera Growers of Australian Plants |  |
Wimmera Growers of Australian Plants is a group of people from across the Wimmera who are interested in learning about and supporting one another in the growing of Australian plants.
Our Aims are to:
Promote the Beauty of Australian Plants and the Benefits of their Cultivation
Encourage Development of the Australian Flora for Cultivation and Commercialisation to Conserve Wild Populations
Conserve, Protect and Enhance the Environment with Emphasis on Flora by Working with: -
Local Government
Community
Commerce and Industry
Organisations interested in Conservation
President: |
Royce Raleigh | Phone: |
03-5383-6200 | |
Email: |
roycce@wartookgardens.com.au | |||
Secretary: |
Anthea Garth | Phone: |
03-5382-4383 | |
Email: |
garth@wimmera.com.au | |||
Postal Address: |
Wimmera Growers of Australian Plants Inc. | |||
| P.O. Box 533 | ||||
| Horsham | ||||
| Victoria, Australia | ||||
| 3402 | ||||
Meetings are held the first Friday of the month from February to November at the Horsham Angling Club Rooms, Sawyer Park, Horsham usually commencing at 8.00 p.m. All interested persons are welcome to attend. (Two meetings per year are held at Warracknabeal) Excursions are held from time to time. These include garden visits, nursery visits and observation of natural vegetation. Newsletters are published every two months. Join and gain understanding and appreciation of Australian plants in the home garden, town landscape and natural environment from other enthusiasts. Membership is open to all interested persons. Membership Subscription is:- |
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Single $12 |
Couple $18 |
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To join download and print a membership form.
Program 2013 |
| 1 Feb 8 p.m. | Wimmera Lodge Retirement Village 8 Dumesny Street, Horsham |
Trips to Broome and Kimberly Area with Vern Hallam | |
| 1 Mar 8 p.m. | Wimmera Lodge Retirement Village | Native Orchids with Ruth Raleigh | |
| 5 Apr 8 p.m. | Wimmera Lodge Retirement Village | Birds in the Wimmera with Ian Morgan | |
| 28 Apr 1-3 p.m. | Grains Innovation Park | Native Orchid Excursion with Nouschka Reiter and Wendy Bedggood | |
| 3 May 8 p.m. | Warracknabeal Town Hall | Butterflies in the Garden with Jan Forrest | |
| 7 Jun 8 p.m. | Wimmera Lodge Retirement Village | Grevilleas with Graeme Woods | |
| 5 Jul 8 p.m. | Wimmera Lodge Retirement Village | Rawlinsons Range with Maree and Graham goods | |
| 2 Aug 8 p.m. | Wimmera Lodge Retirement Village | T.B.A. | |
| 6 Sep 8 p.m. | Warracknabeal Town Hall | The Northern Grampians with Neil Marriott | |
| 8 Sep Noon | Mt Zero Picnic Ground | Excursion | |
| 29 Sep | Dimboola / Jeparit area | Garden Visits | |
| 4 Oct 8 p.m. | Wimmera Lodge Retirement Village | Members Night | |
| 10 Oct | Spring Garden Festival set up | ||
| 11-13 Oct | Horsham Spring Garden Festival | ||
| 1 Nov | Horsham area | Twilight garden visits | |
| 8 Dec 5 p.m. | Wartook Gardens | Christmas Breakup |
Apart from the sandy and acid ironstone soils (mostly to the south of Horsham), much of the Wimmera consists of shallow topsoils over alkaline clay, some areas being solid limestone below. Because of the high pH of these soils plants that grow naturally on these soils or are adaptable need to be selected.
Improved results can be obtained on these heavy clay soils by:-
Species that require some drainage may be able to be grown on artificially raised beds where soil is heavier. Examples of these are Anigozanthus species, Chamelaucium ciliata, Kunzea parvifolia, Kunzea affinis and Verticordia plumosa.
There are two main types of sandy soils in the Wimmera:-
Many West Australian plants perform well on the neutral to acidic sands and not as well on the alkaline sands. The local species, which grow naturally on well drained, nutrient deficient soils such as the Little Desert are often indigenous to alkaline sands but often do well on both sand types.
The depth of sand has a major influence. For example some of the larger genera of Banksia require deep drainage.
It should be pointed out that the pH of soils can vary within a short distance and that these notes give a broad overview only. The map below illustrates further the complexity of the soils in the Wimmera. The best plants for an area are always those indigenous to it, or growing in very similar conditions.
