A Visit to a Torquay garden – 12 August 2018

Torquay Garden: Following on from Lara, we toured to Torquay.  On finding John and Barbara’s property, we were again greeted by a large Banksia praemorsa at the front gate, stunning in full flower.  This garden, originally set up for Proteas and Leucodendrons for the flower trade, also has a large collection of Australian plants.  After a pleasant lunch and John making us welcome, we launched forth to explore.
Set on 5 acres and alive with birdlife, we gained some idea of the size that some of our plants can attain.  Some of the Eucalypts were not too large.  Eucalyptus preissiana, 1 to 3.5m (rarely to 7m), Eucalyptus tetraptera 1.5 to 4m, both responding well to pruning.  Some of the Grevilleas reaching an impressive full size here – G. intricata, preissii subsp glabrilimba (Seaspray), halmaturina subsp laevis.  Other Grevilleas of note were ‘Bush Lemon’, candelabroides and subtiliflora.  Acacia acinacea was full of flower, Hardenbergia ‘Happy Wanderer’ and Acacia aphylla together showing off flower, foliage and form.  Chamelaucium uncinatum – various forms and a double flowered form of Philotheca were eye catchers.  Some of the Eremophilas were glandulifera, mackinlayi and punicea (small, compact 1×0.8m), ‘excellent shrub for a small garden or unit where space is limited’ (Australian Eremophila, Boschen, Goods & Wait).  Another plant of note was a Doryanthes palmeri with the unopened spike arching down.  We rounded off the day with lovely cuppa with a range of delectable cakes, thanking John and Barbara for a wonderful afternoon.
Report: Peter Smith, Images: Miriam Ford, Jill Lulham, and Joanne Cairns.

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