Australian Plants Society Yarra Yarra Inc.
An APS district group based in Northeastern Melbourne. Growing, conserving, and sharing a love of Australian native plants.
This is Granite rock country. Although it was a hot day, it was lovely to see the property, and admire how much work has been put into the extensive revegetation of the acres surrounding the house, done over 20 plus years. The photos below are of the expansive gardens surrounding the house, a continuing project.
Images and text by Jill L
Thanks to all our members for bringing such a wonderful array of flowers and potted plants to our November meeting from members’ gardens – in True Spring. Some of the more unusual ones this month were Eucalyptus cernua, Callicoma serratifolia (Black wattle, NSW), Callistemon pallidus ‘Silver Cloud’. Still flowering this month was the delightful Eremophila muelleriana.
Thanks to Ben Eaton and Rob Dunlop for images.
Click on an image to scroll through via the arrows. You may see extra information at the bottom of each image.
Lyhn and Gordon took over the three quarter acre property in January 2000. The property backs onto paddocks with views over Plenty Valley to Mt Macedon. In the 16 years they have been there they have completely transformed the house and land.
Earthworks were undertaken to create three tiers enabling child play areas, ease of movement and water retention. The soil used in the garden is largely excavated material from the local area. The process took many years during which an 11 square extension was added to the old house.
Lyhn says they made it up as they went along. She enjoys curves and recreated those in the garden. While there have been mistakes they have also benefitted from serendipity. One splendid example being a neighbour offering them a truckload of enormous rocks which he could not get up his steep drive. These were adapted into two new ponds using the neighbour’s excavator and an accomplished landscaper. There were also some problems arising from the bobcat work compacting the soil which meant efforts had to be made to improve drainage for the natives. They have a combination of exotics and natives in the garden which complement each other beautifully.
Of the natives there are Brachychitons, Correas, Grevilleas, Eremophilas, Hakea francisiana, Melalelucas, Darwinias, Olearias, Acacias and Chamelaucium uncinatum (Geraldton Wax). The Banksia present are truly superb – B. spinulosa & B. praemorsa. There is a recovering B. menziesii in a large pot. I do believe the flowering Grevillea nudiflora densely draped all over those large rocks mentioned above was commented on by many who visited.
(Report by M. Ford and edited for website)
Just a few flowers brought to our meeting from members’ gardens in May to show some more Autumn flowering plants.
Russell guided us around a stunning garden of eremophilas, some verticordias, darwinias, homoranthus, grevilleas, acacias and more. At Riddells Creek the soil is a rich clay which he has built up with imported local fill to around 0.5 – 1m high. He has placed, and is still placing local rocks to the edge of the mounds. There is no mulch and he lets the rain do the watering. Some beds had been established for 4 years, others 2 and 1 only – astonishing growth everywhere. The garden is on a large scale, and the property is fenced off from rabbits and emus. The eremophilas were too numerous to list and ranged from large, through medium size shrubs, to some lovely smaller and prostrate species. Russell, being a co-author of the book Australia’s Eremophilas: changing gardens for a changing climate, knew them all, and had some interesting stories about his collection. We were thankful for his knowledge and generosity.
Report by M. Ford and revised for website.
A few of our members visited Growling Frog Golf Course Whittlesea gardens recently to view the additional plantings our group has donated, and the plaque erected to acknowledge our Community Project there. The extensive plantings extend from within the carpark and around the clubhouse, and it is an ongoing project filling in the spaces. It is a lovely collection of eucalypts, grevilleas, banksias, dryandras, eremophilas and others, and include many uncommon species. There are always lots of little birds enjoying these gardens, such as the Flame Robin, Eastern Spinebill, Thornbill and more. These pictures show just a few of the plants in flower.
Attached are just some of the flowers brought in to our monthly meeting, or found flowering in our local gardens in August.
These are just some of the flowers brought into our monthly meeting, or found flowering in our local gardens this month.
Australian Plants Society Yarra Yarra Inc. 