In this issue: January Monthly Meeting recap o Page 2 February Meeting Teaser o Page 3 Plant profile o E eriocalyx o Pages 4-5 Upcoming Events o Page 6-7 Photo Competition o Page 7 Contact details o Page 8 NATIVE PLANT SALE at St Andrew s Uniting Church, Bacchus Marsh (MEL333 J6) Saturday 6th May 2017 9am-1pm Save the Date Next meeting: February 23: o Maree & Graham Goods will give us a talk on The Little Desert Weird and Wonderful Things see page 3 for details o Dinner at the Melton Country Club prior to the meeting Coming Up... March: o Royce Raleigh will show us some Lesser Known Plants for Gardens April: o Kevin Sparrow will chat to us about The Great South West Saturday May 6 o Plant Sale, Bacchus Marsh Uniting Church Saturday June 17 o APS 60 th Anniversary, Melton FEATURING HAKEAS, dwarf EUCALYPTS, EREMOPHILAS, ORCHIDS Info: Barb / David 5428 9369 or apsmeltonbacchus@gmail.com 1 P a g e
Monthly Meeting Recap This month we headed up to the hills of Bullengarook to David and Barb s place to get down and dirty, potting up hakeas in preparation of our plant sale in Bacchus Marsh in May. On my arrival, just on 5.30pm, I realised that I was actually late and that everyone had already started! In just an hour and a half, we were done with the final count being around 450 hakeas in their new, bigger tubes, ready to continue growing and be ready for the plant sale in May when they would be looking for new homes. Sincere thanks to all who we able to make it, the weather was perfect which helped spur us on. A tour around the garden was then followed by dinner and lively banter. 2 P a g e
February Meeting: Maree and Graham are long term active members of Wimmera Growers of Australian Plants and both have served as President and other committee positions. For 20 years Graham was tour driver in the Little Desert for Little Desert Nature Lodge. Maree is co-author of Australia s Eremophilas: Changing Gardens for a Changing Climate. Both have been involved in wildlife surveys for Australian Wildlife Conservancy, and both are involved in the Wimmera Farm Tree Group. Their photos have been used in a number of publications. Our presentation is on all the weird and wonderful 'things' you may see in the Little Desert. Not only will it cover some of the birds and plants from the Little Desert but many other things such as fungi, fauna, lizards, insects including moths and butterflies etc. Many of the photos were taken during the period when we were photographing for our book, Birds and Plants of the Little Desert. Many of the photos and stories you will see and hear are not covered in the book. In preparation for our visit by Maree and Graham, everyone is invited to come along and have dinner with them at the Melton Country Club (RSL), 28 Reserve Road, Melton at 6pm, prior to the meeting. If you would like to attend, please let Christine know for booking numbers; 0412081074 or apsmeltonbacchus@gmail.com Click on link below for the menu. http://meltoncc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/main-menu-website.pdf Melton Country Club, Dinner 6pm Meeting, 7.30pm at The Willows 3 P a g e
Plant Profile: Eremophila eriocalyx - Russell Wait eriocalyx... From Greek erion, wool and calyx, husk or covering (calyx); referring to the short, dense hairs on the calyx of this species E eriocalyx (commonly known as Desert Pride) is a shrub to 2 m h X 1.5 m w but I have seen it to 3 m high and one was growing through an Acacia bush. It grows on various soils from sand through to stony soils in a strip North of Kalgoorlie and from near the SA border to the coast about Geraldton and North of it. 4 P a g e
The white form is generally in the east and covers most of the area that it grows while the blue and the occasional pink forms are near the coast. The foliage varies from a goldy green to green and mostly to a grey green foliage. The stems are thin and is often growing through and another bush for support but does grow quite well without it. There are many forms of it and one of the best is a white corolla with yellow buds with goldy green leaves. It grows quite well from cutting but I graft mine onto Myoporum root stock. The bushes are hardy to most frost and dry spells because of where it grows. 5 P a g e
Upcoming Events: GROWING FRIENDS AUTUMN 2017 PLANT-SALE Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 March 10.00 4.00 at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria -Cranbourne Cnr Ballarto Road/Botanic Drive Cranbourne - Melway 133K10 Plantlist available 1 week prior to sale www.rbgfriendscranbourne.org.au Victorian Native Bonsai Club Exhibition 2017 Being held in conjunction with the 6 th Symposium on Australian Plants as Bonsai Australian Native Bonsai Breaking Through March 4 & 5, 9am to 4pm Domain House, Dallas Brooks Drive Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens Adults $5, children under 15 free To contact the Club, Email: secnativeclub@gmail.com Vic Native Bonsai Club www.vicnativebonsai.com.au 6 P a g e
Advanced Notice for Event and help sought: - David Pye Goodeniaceae Weekend The next FJC Rogers Seminar is being held on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st October 2018. As in previous years, a photo guide is provided to all attendees. These weekends are excellent, with the opportunity to learn much about a group of plants, to visit gardens, obtain some great garden plants, and to meet lots of people with common interests. The Goodeniaceae plant family includes Goodenia, Dampiera, Scaevola, Lechenaultia and Velleia Velleia The meeting is to be organised by the Wimmera and Grampians APS groups, who are already collecting plant material for propagation in order to have a good range of plants for sale at the symposium. By coincidence, the main propagators will be talking at our February and March meetings and this would be a great opportunity to provide them with cutting material. However, they have already received material form the MBG and the Pye garden. To prevent a flood of duplicated material it might be useful to contact Barb or me first. They are also seeking photos, especially those of local species, in order to prepare photoguides to Goodeniaceae. The sooner they have photos the sooner that they can commence preparation of these guides. Photo guides and further information can be sought from David, expression of interest for attendance can be forwarded to the committee by fjcrogersseminar2018@gmail.com or posted to WGAP PO Box 533, Horsham Vic 3402 Photo Competition Reminder: Our last meeting of the year (November 2017) will be held in conjunction with the judging of the photo competition. Each person will be permitted to enter up to two photos per category. The rules and categories will be advertised in the coming months, but will include whole plant, single flower/flower head, garden accessories (eg wildlife, garden ornaments etc). 7 P a g e
Australian Plants Society Melton & Bacchus Marsh Inc. Incorporated in Victoria: A0026204P ABN: 68 053 689 781 APS Melton & Bacchus Marsh Committee 2016/17 President Christine Huf 0412 081 074 Vice President Russell Wait 0428 388 211 Secretary/Public Officer David Pye email: apsmeltonbacchus@gmail.com Treasurer Committee Julianne Diwell Andrea Kellett, Lucille McCarthy, (vacant) Newsletter Editor Christine Huf 0412 081 074 email: c.phot.804@gmail.com All contributions to the newsletter are gratefully received. Please send a word document and photos to the group s email address. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via email or phone. I am also happy to research a subject for an article if you give me a topic you would like to see explored. Postal address: PO Box 946 Bacchus Marsh VIC 3340 Disclaimer: Any errors in this publication are by the editor. 8 P a g e