Newsletters
Winners of the August show bench Judge: June Dineen
| Section | First | Second | Third |
| 1 Flower of the month (3 Spring bulbs) | Ralph Slaughter | Hilary Height | Aileen White |
| 2 One Rose | Aileen White | Heather Coustley | – |
| 3 One stem of other flower (not a Rose) | Heather Coustley | Hilary Height | Gary Butler |
| 4 Stem of foliage (no buds or flowers) | Ralph Slaughter | Heather Coustley | Ralph Slaughter |
| 5 Flowering Shrub (in flower) 1 stem | Heather Coustley | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter |
| 6 Floral Art (in water) | Annette Willmott | Heather Coustley | Annette Willmott |
| 7 Arrangement of the month (Modern with bulbs) | Heather Coustley | Hilary Height | Heather Coustley |
| 8 Flowers of tubers, corms, bulbs, Rhizomes | Heather Coustley | Heather Coustley | Ralph Slaughter |
| 9 Container of flowers | Carol Burns | Heather Coustley | Carol Burns |
| 10 Flowering shrub | Heather Coustley | Ralph Slaughter | Heather Coustley |
| 11 Potted plant (incl. Cacti or succulent) | Ralph Slaughter | Gary Butler | Aileen White |
| 12 Above ground vegetable | Irene Rolfe | Ralph Slaughter | Carol Burns |
| 13 Below ground vegetable | Carol Burns | Carol Burns | Carol Burns |
| 14 Herbs (flowering, non-flowering, mixed) | Carol Burns | Irene Rolfe | Heather Coustley |
| 15 Fruits, Nuts | Heather Coustley | Hilary Height | Ralph Slaughter |
| 16 Novice | Noeline Miles | Noeline Miles | Noelene Miles |
| 17 BEST EXHIBIT | Heather Coustley | ||
Today’s meeting: A short meeting will be held followed by morning tea and show bench viewing. Then we have our annual auction where all the plants that have been lovingly grown by our members are set to go to new homes. Please bring bags or boxes for your purchases, along with plenty of cash.
A message from our Club Vice President:
To our Garden club members
It has been real joy to me (pun intended) to enjoy some sunny days recently, and to observe the change of season from Winter to Spring with magnolias, blossoms and bulbs all brightening up our lives.
Observing some favourite flowers in our local gardens is lovely, and we have also enjoyed our garden club trip to Country Farm Perennials and Tall Timbers, plus another one planned for our visit to Welshpool Garden Club trip this week. A visit to other people’s gardens is inspiring and we can all take home some ideas to try in our garden if we have space to add more pockets, that is!
Gardeners have always been fascinated by gardens that others create, and we can all learn so much from the experience of a person who has developed a garden before us. Another person with an artistic eye can create an environment that is exciting or serene.
An artistic person can create spectacular combinations of plants that we have never thought of doing in our own garden. Sometimes it would not work for us, but then our memory serves to keep it in a pocket of beautiful scenes that give us pleasure when we think about that particular place. I’m thinking of Monet’s Garden in Giverny in France with the pond full of water lilies.
And what about Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s wonderful garden “Cruden Farm” at Langwarrin with the picturesque lawn garden that leads you to the distant vista, or the walled garden in the style of many English walled gardens.
And our amazing Royal Botanic Gardens at Cranbourne? There is nothing to compare the amazing small stands of Australian trees and plants from various parts of our country all linked with wonderful vistas to take in as we walk and explore? The wander through this huge garden changes so much in design, scale, and colour. This is a place for us gardeners to be most proud, for this is a tribute to our native flora that creates a strong and positive response in people who have been there. I could list so many gardens that I cherish, more that I would like to visit as well, but we can all find a charming little place every day when we are observing what is grown around us wherever we look.
Let’s enjoy Spring, some warmer weather and some more sun as we dream and plan for our own little patch.
Marg
Things to do in the Garden in October
The soil is warming up and it’s time to get those plants and seeds into the ground.
In the vegetable garden – Sow seed of Snow Peas & Peas, Beans, Zucchini, Squash, Pumpkin, Watermelon, Rock Melon, Radish, Sweetcorn, Carrots and Beetroot. Plant seedlings of Lettuce, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Kale, Spring Onions, Shallots, Tomatoes, Egg Plant, Chillies, Peppers and Silver beet. Plant potatoes. Apply Slug bait. Watch for the White butterflies and take action by applying vegetable dust or spraying with Mavrik which is very safe when used as directed. There is also a product containing the bacterium Bacillus theringiensis that kills caterpillars when applied as a spray. Work in Neutrog’s Giganic as a general fertiliser when planting.
Apply Mulch & fertiliser to Strawberry beds and Rhubarb
In the flower garden – Plant seedlings of Petunias, Lobelia, Alyssum, Dianthus, Lupins, Madeira Daisies, Marigolds, Candytuft and Cleome. Most of the above are also available as potted colour. Sow seeds of wildflowers and a wide range of other seeds that will germinate in the warmer soil conditions. Apply plenty of mulch around roses after giving them a thorough watering. Watch for aphids and take action if they appear. Make sure irrigation systems are working ready for the hot weather.
Provide support for Sweet Peas. Apply fertiliser to Camellias, Azaleas and Rhododendrons. Use specific fertilisers with low phosphorus for Natives. Bush Tucker from Neutrog is ideal.
Lawns – Apply fertiliser. Control weeds with a broad leaf lawn weeder. Mow regularly but not too low now that warmer days are here.
Fruit trees – Prune Apple Trees. Keep the base of all fruit trees free of weeds Apply Citrus & Fruit Tree fertiliser to all fruit trees. Watch for aphids on plums, peaches & nectarines. Treat any scale that appears on citrus with white oil.
Fertilizer: Orders are to be in by 9th October for an expected delivery date of 3rd November.
Club website: Have you checked out our new website? It contains lots of information and photos.
Badges: Club badges are available to purchase for $5 which can be attached to clothing. See Henry if you would like one.
Lost: Club member, Aileen, has lost her Garden Club vest with the logo on. Could members please check their vests to see if they could have picked it up by mistake. Aileen had her name inside her vest.
Fiddleheads? As we were wandering around the Tall Timbers Garden on our recent club outing, we learned that the young emerging fronds from the tree ferns are called Fiddleheads; they are so-called because the tightly curled fronds resemble the tuning end of a fiddle.
Upcoming Events:
Food Swap: First Saturday of each month 10am-11.30am. Location: Warragul Community Garden. Park in carpark off Cambridge Drive, off Normanby St. Bring produce to swap – fruit, veggies, herbs, eggs, seeds, preserves. Don’t forget to bring a bag or box.
The Orchid Club Meetings: Held on the 1st Thursday of each month at the Scout Hall, Victoria St, Drouin. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
The George Lowe Memorial Iris Competition: Monday 23rd October. This competition is in addition to our normal show bench competition. The late George Lowe, an avid grower and breeder of Irises, was a founding member of our club and he made a bequest to us and it was decided to use this for prize money for an Iris competition to be named after him.
Ferny Creek Horticultural Society Flower Show: Sat 28th October 12noon-4pm & Sun 29th October 10am-4pm at 100 Hilton Road (East end) Sassafras (Behind the Ferny Creek Recreation reserve). Flower festival with bulbs & perennials, flower displays, judged exhibits, photographic display, garden walks, plant sales (including rarer plants), cut flower sales, crafts, refreshments, sausage sizzle, ample free parking, $5 entry for non-members (free for members & U 14yrs). www.fchs.org.au
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens Plant Sale: The friends of the garden are having their Spring plant sale on Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd October. Entry to the gardens is free and there is plenty of parking.
Garden & Home Expo: October 14th & 15th from 9am to 3pm at Lardner Park. More information at www.lardnerpark.com.au/garden-home-expo
Warragul Farmers Market: Saturday 21st October. Civic Park, Warragul. 8.30am – 1.00pm. Don’t forget to take your carry bags with you.
Garden Club Christmas Dinner: Following our November 27th meeting at the Black Tie. More details next month.
Symposium-The Well Gardened Mind: Monday 4 March 2024 at West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul. Internationally known psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author, Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith will be one of the speakers. Her best-selling book “The Well Gardened Mind” is available to borrow at the Warragul Library. In addition to Dr Stuart-Smith there will be other medical experts speaking at the symposium.
Did you know: There is a garden in Alnwick, Northumberland in the north-east of England that is small and deadly. The garden is exclusively made up of around 100 varieties of plants which are either poisonous, hallucinogenic, or intoxicating. The garden which offers tours with a limit of 20 people, who are all given strict instructions not to touch, taste or smell any of the plants. Plants include Caster Oil plant (the world’s most deadly), Laburnum, Ivy, Belladonna, Helleborus, Periwinkle, Opium Poppies and Rhododendron. Gardeners who tend the garden wear hazmat suits when dealing with certain plants.
The pharmacology industry uses some of these plants for medical purposes e.g., willow used to produce aspirin. Bees collecting pollen exclusively from rhododendron flowers produce honey with a red tinge. In small amounts the honey causes a hallucinogenic effect while in larger quantities it is fatal. The Alnwick Garden was established in 2005 and has a steel fence surrounding it and on the imposing wrought iron front gates is the sign ‘The Poison Garden’.
Welshpool trip: Members gathered at the Drouin & Warragul meeting points on what was predicted to be a cold and wet day. There were a number of different routes taken by members, but we all arrived safely at the first garden. The rain had cleared up and we were able to wander around the garden, which was planted out with many Camellias, Rhododendrons, bulbs including many orange clivias in full bloom and other plants. Many tall eucalypt trees were around the outer part of the garden also. The Welshpool members at the garden were very welcoming and we enjoyed a morning tea under the carport.
Our next garden was opposite the beach in Welshpool so had to be able to withstand the salt and wind. Plantings in the garden were all kept low. The garden, on a smaller block, certainly packed in a lot of plants. The front garden, with lots of colour was lovely but when we walked along the side of the house to the rear, it was a real wow moment. Such a lot of colour and variety of plants with beautifully made concrete paths throughout the garden. There were obelisks, garden ornaments featuring colourful mosaic patterns and a magnificent Rose in full bloom – “Lorraine Lee”.
Lunch and a very warm welcome from more members of the Welshpool Garden Club awaited us at the public hall.
Our final garden was a lovely old rambling garden with the most magnificent wisterias in flower, many roses with their new spring growth as well as a lot of plants and the owner, Arie, was very knowledgeable on the botanical names of all his plants. He had a lovely quaint potting shed with orchids in full bloom looking out through the windows.
Some of our group headed for home while others went on to visit the Deep Creek Nursery with its good variety of very healthy-looking plants where quite a few purchases were made.
As we returned home the sky got heavier and then the rain started again. We’d had a wonderful day, and the weather was kind to us when it was important. Thank you to Marg for all her planning.
October Meeting: Monday 23rd October at 9:30am
Doors open 9am for setting up. Entries for show bench to be placed for judging prior to 9.30am
Morning tea duty: Vicki Wallace, Bronwyn East & Barbara (please bring milk and biscuits)
Flower of the month: One Stem of Iris
Special competition: The George Lowe Memorial Iris Competition.
Arrangement of the month: Melbourne Cup
Guest speaker:
Please support our Club sponsors: Don’t forget to check their updates on our Club website.
- Rowes nursery, ture of peet moss and top soil. The potatoes keep the stems moist and help develop the root systems. It’s a perfectly simple way to multiply your rose garden without spending lots of $$$.Landsborough Road, Warragul. They have a large range of plants for sale (many grown in-house to save you money) and offer free garden advice. Ask about receiving their regular email newsletters.
- Drouin Mitre 10, Princes Way, Drouin. (On the Melbourne side of Drouin) Check their hardware, gardening products and plants.
- Drouin Nursery. Princes Way, Drouin. Extensive variety of plants including advanced trees. Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) Phone 0417 041507
- Down to Earth Garden Centre, Cnr. Longwarry & Weerong Rd, Drouin. Landscaping supplies, mulch, soil, rock, pond supplies, garden hardware. Phone 5625 5166
- Here We Grow, 2/30 Masterson Street, Warragul. Everything for hydroponics. Open 6 days (closed Sundays) Phone 5604 7847
August 2023
Winners of the July show bench Judge: Kathy Johns
| Section | First | Second | Third |
| 1 Flower of the month (3 different Camellias) | Heather Costley | Joy Vikas | June Dineen |
| 2 One Rose | Carol Burns | ||
| 3 One stem of other flower (not a Rose) | Ralph Slaughter | Heather Costley | Carol Burns |
| 4 Stem of foliage (no buds or flowers) | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter |
| 5 Flowering Shrub (in flower) 1 stem | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter | Carol Burns |
| 6 Floral Art (in water) | Annette Willmott | Heather Costley | Hilary Height |
| 7 Arrangement of the month (Christmas in July) | Annette Willmott | Hilary Height | Annette Willmott |
| 8 Flowers of tubers, corms, bulbs, Rhizomes | Carol Burns | Ralph Slaughter | Heather Costley |
| 9 Container of flowers | Heather Costley | Heather Costley | Carol Burns |
| 10 Flowering shrub | Ralph Slaughter | Heather Costley | – |
| 11 Potted plant (incl. Cacti or succulent) | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter | – |
| 12 Above ground vegetable | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter |
| 13 Below ground vegetable | Carol Burns | Carol Burns | – |
| 14 Herbs (flowering, non-flowering, mixed) | Heather Costley | Carol Burns | – |
| 15 Fruits, Nuts | Carol Burns | Heather Costley | Ralph Slaughter |
| 16 Novice | Gary Butler | Gary Butler | Gary Butler |
| 17 BEST EXHIBIT | Annette Willmott | Floral arrangement | |
August meeting: Monday 28 August at 9.30am
Doors open 9am for setting up. Entries for show bench to be placed for judging prior to 9.30am
Morning tea duty: Linda Higginbotham, Val Dak, Carol Burns (please bring milk and biscuits)
Flower of the month: Three Spring bulbs displayed separately.
Arrangement of the month: A modern arrangement with flowering bulbs
Guest speaker: Walk through the Show bench and discussion on how to best exhibit plus general Q&A session.
President’s Report:
Dear Fellow Gardener,
It is early morning and everything is very quiet and still in the outside world as I look out from my office window towards Mt Worth and I think it will be another grey day with a few showers but, this time next week I will be looking out from our family’s apartment over the dry concrete patches of Athens where it will be 35*C, very noisy and busy. The bags are almost packed, and most things are organised for our 2 months away in Greece and there are only a few things left on “the list of things to do” and one of them is the garden. I will fertilize it and give it a good cover of mulch and with fingers crossed and friends and family to oversee it, I hope to come back to a lovely Spring Garden in October.
It has been an early Spring in my native garden, as it has been for many, and my Clematis and Jasmine are soon to be in full blossom, and I will miss seeing their magnificence, but I am looking forward to seeing the gardens of our family and friends in Greece. Over the years that we have been travelling I have always enjoyed seeing and learning how others manage their gardens. The area where Jim was born, Northern Greece, is very fertile and it grows the most enormous vegetables and fruit – sweet and juicy tomatoes, peaches and apricots are just some of the marvellous produce famous in Greece. I will take lots of photographs to share with you on my return.
Sadly, I will be missing two excellent trips and our walk through the show bench this Monday 28th August and the Plant Sale in September. Have you already prepared a few items for the sale? I look forward to hearing of how successful this event will be which I leave in the very cable hands of my committee and your Vice President, Marg. The money raised from this yearly event helps to maintain our club and enable us to continue to present to you interesting meetings and trips.
I also look forward to seeing and hearing about the trips we have organised for September. I have been in touch with Manfred from Tall Timbers at Piedmont and Merryle from Country Farm Perennials, and they are very much looking forward to seeing you on Thursday 7th September. My biggest disappointment is that I will not be able to go on the Welshpool visit on Wednesday 20th September which will take in the beautiful Camellias and Rhododendras of the South Gippsland region. I have been talking with Kate from the Welshpool Club and she has a great day planned for you and as many of you know, I love Camellias.
All the best for the next couple of months keep well and safe and “happy gardening.” Joy
…and a message from your Vice President – Marg Stammers
Dear members
While it is a little daunting filling in for Joy, I’m looking forward to seeing you all at our August and September meetings and to keep the home fires burning while Joy is away. We certainly will still need our heaters on while Joy will need a fan to keep herself cool next week.
Our 2 x day trips in September promise to be wonderful days out. We will have an itinerary and driving directions ready for you before our August meeting and will have a booking sheet for both trips at that time. We will be car-pooling so that you don’t need to drive or alternatively need a lift, we will make sure that everyone who wants to go will get to enjoy all the gardens on both days.
We have a great Committee working on the planning for our Conference in March 24 and we will bring you all up to date at our meeting.
Ralph has Fertilizer product review forms that he would like to have completed, at our next meeting, and if you have any photos to demonstrate the benefits of using these products, would you please send them to Ralph to accompany your review. His email address will be on the form.
And while we are talking about Fertilizers, we still have some availability with the small orders of Seamungus, Gyganic and Sudden Impact. If you would like to order some, please ask Hilary or Cheryl when you arrive at the meeting. We will be packing up the orders very soon so you will have them in time to use in Spring.
See you all at the August meeting and hopefully by then, we will have a few warmer days when we can enjoy the wonders of Spring. In the meantime, I hope that you are all growing some interesting plants to have ready for our Plant Auction at our September meeting.
Happy gardening
Marg
Things to do in the Garden in September
In the vegetable garden – Sow seeds of Radish, Snow Peas & Peas, Beans, Carrots, Parsnips, Turnips and Beetroot. Plant seedlings of Lettuce, Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale, Onions, Shallots and Silverbeet. Plant potatoes. Sow Beans, Carrots and Parsnips toward the end of the month as the soil warms. Include a dressing of general fertiliser (Neutrog’s Giganic is ideal) at planting time and lime if it was not applied in winter. Apply Slug & snail bait. Hoe weeds regularly. Provide support for Broad Beans. Apply Mulch & fertiliser to Strawberry beds and Rhubarb.
In the flower garden – Plant seedlings of Pansies, Violas, Lobelia, Alyssum, Dianthus, Lupins, Madeira Daisies, Marigolds, Candytuft and Cleome. Most of the above are also available as potted colour. Provide support for Sweet Peas. Plant seedlings of Dianthus, Petunias and the whole range of summer flowers that become available later this month. Apply fertiliser to Camellias (Kahoona) and Roses (Sudden Impact). Use specific fertilisers with low phosphorus for Natives. Bush Tucker from Neutrog is giving great results. Watch for aphids and Blackspot on Roses and treat as necessary.
Lawns – Apply fertiliser. Control weeds with a broad leaf lawn weeder. Mow regularly. Check sprinkler systems. Ants often colonise them during the winter months.
Fruit trees – Prune Apple Trees. Keep the base of all fruit trees free of weeds. Spray Nectarines and Peaches for “Curly Leaf” just before flowering. Apply Citrus & Fruit Tree fertiliser (Giganic) to all fruit trees and strawberries (Rapid Raiser). Protect Strawberries with suitable netting and apply slug bait to protect fruit as it ripens. Watch for Black Aphid on Plums, Nectarines and Peaches. If spraying is necessary for aphid control, only spray in the early morning or late evening when bees are not around.
Quote: Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realised. Allen Armitage
Upcoming Events:
Food Swap: Saturday 2 Sept and every 1st Sat of each month, 10-11.30am. Location: Warragul Community Garden. Park in carpark off Cambridge Drive, off Normanby St. Bring produce to swap – fruit, veggies, herbs, eggs, seeds, preserves. Don’t forget to bring a bag or box.
Tall Timbers, Country Farm Perennials and lunch at Neerim South Hotel: Thursday 7 Sept 2023. Carpooling from Warragul and Drouin. See separate sheet for more information.
Welshpool visit: Wednesday 20 September 2023. Carpooling to be arranged for this jam-packed day out.
Our Club Plant Auction: Monday 25 September 2023. At our September meeting. How are your plants growing?
Melbourne Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Plant Sale: Saturday 21 October 10-4 and Sunday 22 October 10-3. Entry free. Location: RBG Melbourne. Enter the gardens through the Southern Gate (formerly Gate E) on Birdwood Ave. Catalogue of plants available 1 week prior to sale at www.rbgfriendsmelbourne.org
West Victoria trip: 12-18 November 2023. Have a look at the itinerary and put your name down now.
Salvias at Nobelius Annual Sale: Sunday 19 November 2023. Free entry and parking. Visit the display garden and see a huge variety of spring-flowering salvias in full bloom. Address: Nobelius Heritage Park, Crighton Rd, Emerald. www.salvias.org.au also on Facebook.
The Orchid Club Meetings: Held on the 1st Thursday of each month at the Scout Hall, Victoria St, Drouin. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
Symposium-The Well Gardened Mind: Monday 4 March 2024 at West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul. Internationally known psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author, Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith will be one of the speakers. Her best-selling book “The Well Gardened Mind” is available to borrow at the Warragul Library.
Fertiliser orders:
Summer order: Cut-off date – 9th October, Delivery 3rd November
Thanks to the people who have ordered the special small orders. We still have some availability, and you can order and pay for 2kg or 3kg small bags at our August meeting. Collection will be at the Warragul Community Garden. You will be notified of the collection date after the bags have been packed.
Thankyou. A big thankyou to Marg for looking after the newsletter production while I was away enjoying the sunshine up north. What a wonderful Club member she is for taking on this job in addition to filling in for Joy in her absence. Thanks also to Kath for doing the Gazette notes. Irene
Daffodils: These flowers originated in Europe near the Mediterranean and northern Africa. There were 36 species but over time over 26,000 varieties have been created. Their botanical name, Narcisus, was named for a beautiful youth in Greek mythology who was tricked into falling in love with his own reflection. The daffodil appears to be nodding down as if searching for a glimpse of its reflection in a pool of water.
Hyacinths: Originated in Turkey and is the flower of the sun god Apollo. It symbolises peace, commitment and beauty. The flowers are highly fragrant and come in a wide variety of colours. Their perfume is sometimes used in the perfume industry. The flowers are said to resemble a cluster of tiny star fish.
Spanish Bells: Also known as Blue bells or Woodland bells originate in Western Europe and come in blue, white & pink. Folklore says if the bells were ‘rung’ the fairies would emerge. It was considered bad luck to walk on the plants. The Spanish Bells look pretty when planted en-masse but are extremely invasive and difficult to get rid of. Australia has it’s own native blue bell (Wahlenbergia Stricta), found through every state and territory except the Northern Territory and often found on roadsides.
Snowflakes & Snowdrops: Snowdrops have 2 linear leaves and a single white drooping bell shaped flower with 6 petal like tepals in two circles (shaped like a propeller). The small inner petals have green markings.
Snowflakes are taller with multiple blooms on each stem, the petals are more rounded with a green marking.
What did the bee say to the daffodil? Hey Bud, when do you open?
September Meeting: Monday 25th September at 9:30am
Doors open 9am for setting up. Entries for show bench to be placed for judging prior to 9.30am
Morning tea duty: Kath Gribben, Bronwyn East, Barbara Auldist (please bring milk and biscuits)
Flower of the month: One stem of a Magnolia, Lilac or Rhododendron
Arrangement of the month: A host of golden daffodils
Guest speaker: N/A **Plant Auction Day**
Please support our Club sponsors: Don’t forget to check their updates on our Club website.
- Rowes nursery, ture of peet moss and top soil. The potatoes keep the stems moist and help develop the root systems. It’s a perfectly simple way to multiply your rose garden without spending lots of $$$.Landsborough Road, Warragul. They have a large range of plants for sale (many grown in-house to save you money) and offer free garden advice. Ask about receiving their regular email newsletters.
- Drouin Mitre 10, Princes Way, Drouin. (On the Melbourne side of Drouin) Check their hardware, gardening products and plants.
- Mattz Mowing and Garden Services. Lawn mowing, garden edges, hedge trimming, weed control, pruning, gutters cleaned etc. Free quotes. Phone Matthew 0439 312 465
- Drouin Nursery. Princes Way, Drouin. Extensive variety of plants including advanced trees. Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) Phone 0417 041507
- Down to Earth Garden Centre, Cnr. Longwarry & Weerong Rd, Drouin. Landscaping supplies, mulch, soil, rock, pond supplies, garden hardware. Phone 5625 5166
- Here We Grow, 2/30 Masterson Street, Warragul. Everything for hydroponics. Open 6 days (closed Sundays) Phone 5604 7847
Printing courtesy of Wayne Farnham MP & staff, 2/24 Mason Street, Warragul. 3820. Phone 5623 1960
Winners of the June show bench
| Section | First | Second | Third |
| 1 Flower of the month (Native flower) | Ralph Slaughter | Aileen White | Ralph Slaughter |
| 2 One Rose | Ralph Slaughter | Carol Burns | Aileen White |
| 3 One stem of other flower (not a Rose) | Denis Hall | Hilary Height | – |
| 4 Stem of foliage (no buds or flowers) | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter |
| 5 Flowering Shrub (in flower) 1 stem | Joy Vikas | Ralph Slaughter | – |
| 6 Floral Art (in water) | Annette Willmott Eq1st | June Dineen Eq 1st | Annette Willmott 3rd |
| 7 Arrangement of the month (Native) | Hilary Height | Hilary Height | – |
| 8 Flowers of tubers, corms, bulbs, Rhizomes | Carol Burns | Carol Burns | Ralph Slaughter |
| 9 Container of flowers | Carol Burns | Annette Willmott | Carol Burns |
| 10 Flowering shrub | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter | – |
| 11 Potted plant (incl. Cacti or succulent) | Ralph Slaughter | Ralph Slaughter | – |
| 12 Above ground vegetable | Carol Burns | Kerry Elliott | Carol Burns |
| 13 Below ground vegetable | Carol Burns | Carol Burns | Carol Burns |
| 14 Herbs (flowering, non-flowering, mixed) | Joy Vikas | Carol Burns | – |
| 15 Fruits, Nuts | Joy Vikas | Robert Robertson | Ralph Slaughter |
| 16 Novice | Gary Butler | Gary Butler | Gary Butler |
| 17 BEST EXHIBIT | Hilary Height | Native | |
July Meeting: Monday 24th July at 9:30am
Doors open 9am for setting up. Entries for show bench to be placed for judging prior to 9.30am
Morning tea duty: Heather Palmer, Carol Burns, Margeau Buzza (please bring milk and biscuits)
Flower of the month: One stem of a Camellia
Arrangement of the month: Christmas in July
Guest speaker: Mat Griffin from ‘Here we Grow’ Hydroponics in Warragul
August meeting: Monday 28 August at 9.30am
Doors open 9am for setting up. Entries for show bench to be placed for judging prior to 9.30am
Morning tea duty: Linda Higginbotham, Val Dak, Carol Burns (please bring milk and biscuits)
Flower of the month: One Spring bulb flower
Arrangement of the month: A modern arrangement with flowering bulbs
Guest speaker: Walk through the Show bench and discussion on how to best exhibit plus general Q&A session
President’s Report:
Dear Fellow Gardener,
I have just returned from a lovely walk on this brisk cold wintery day, beanie, scarf and a warm jacket and no wind, it was a very pleasant morning followed by breakfast at the café. A wonderful start to a Sunday. While Winter is a great time to sit in front of a warm fire with a good book and a nice warm cuppa it is also is a great time to be able to get out and enjoy the season. While many escape the cold to find the sun in the north of Australia, many love to get to the snow fields. Did you venture out to Snowfest in Warragul on Friday night with the hundreds of other people? What a fabulous night it was and so many different beanies, scarves and gloves adorning the night festivities. Have you ever wondered why those warm caps so many of us wear during the cold wintery months are called “A Beanie”? I am certain many of you know the answer, but I didn’t until I researched it on Google and found:
“The cloth-covered button on the crown is about the size of a bean seed and may be the origin of the term “beanie”. Some academics believe that the term is instead derived from a type of headgear worn in some medieval universities.”
I like the first origin and think how appropriate for gardeners; a “bean seed” at the crown of the beanie. A beanie, gardening gloves and a warm jacket and you can still garden and do all the jobs that Ralph has told us to do during the wintery months.
At our last meeting a few members were wearing some rather incredible beanies and it was decided that at our July meeting we would invite all our members to wear a beanie. It can be beautiful, fanciful, imaginative, or just plain crazy. A very special prize, chosen by Annette, is awaiting one lucky winner. So, get your thinking caps on and join in the fun and let’s have some laughs on Monday 24th July.
Happy Gardening and keep well and warm.
Cheers
Joy
Symposium-The Well-Gardened Mind:
Our new sub-committee formed, to organise the visit next year of Dr Sue Stuart-Smith has had its first meeting. The date of Monday March 4th 2024 is confirmed and will take the form of a symposium involving other Australian speakers who have had experience in this field. Members are reminded that copies of her book ‘The Well -Gardened Mind’ are held in the Warragul Library.
Please keep this date free as we will need your assistance prior to the event and on the day.
Things to do in the garden in August:
August is when the ‘Gardening Year’ starts all over again. Air temperatures begin to rise but the most important is improved soil temperatures. which assist both germination of seeds and new growth of plants. August is also the best time to start applying fertiliser. Mid-August is ideal as the various plants make their new roots underground. When you see new shoots appearing, not only is the plant waking up above ground, but it will be doing the same below ground.
Flower Garden: Complete Rose pruning and spray with Lime Sulphur or Liquid Copper, spraying both the rose bush and the soil all around it, to destroy all the fungal spores that have overwintered. Apply Dolomite lime. Apply rose fertiliser (Neutrog Sudden Impact or Black Marvel) during third or fourth week. Watch for Aphids to make their first appearance. Complete dividing perennials, cut back Fuchsias and prune hydrangeas back to the best big fat buds, thinning out old wood. Plant Alyssum, Aquilegias, Delphiniums, Violas, Primulas and Pansies as potted colour to get a quick result. The first petunias can be planted under cover or raised in the greenhouse. Weeds will begin to grow quickly so hoe regularly.
Vegetable Garden: Plant Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cabbage and Silver beet. Plant seed potatoes but watch for late frost. Earth up or cover with newspaper if frost is forecast.
Prepare Garden beds with top-up of soil if necessary. Apply plenty of rotted compost, Seamungus or Searles Five-in One. Then apply Dolomite lime, turning over the soil a spade depth.
Peas and Snow Peas can be sown but wait until September when the soil warms, for sowing beans. Plant tomatoes under cover at the end of the month.
Lawns: This is the best month for essential weeding as the broad leaf weeds are now growing fast and will absorb the sprays well. Cape Weed will flower in October so a second spray may be needed to kill the big “Old Man” ones that can cover so much lawn. An application of some lawn seed to repair the patches left behind may be necessary. Mow regularly but not 4 days before or after the application of lawn weed spray. Yates lawn weeder, despite being the cheapest, seems to do a great job when used as directed.
Home Orchard: Complete pruning of Apples and Pears. Spray them with Lime Sulphur. Spray Peaches and Nectarines with Liquid Copper or other copper sprays for the control of Curly Leaf, being ready to spray as soon as bud colour is present. Apply spray until the product can be seen running down the trunk of the tree. Watch for the presence of Scale and “Sooty Mould” on Citrus trees and spray if necessary, with White Oil. Prune to shape after harvesting fruit. Black Peach aphid may appear on Peach, Apricot. Nectarine and especially plum trees, early in Spring so be ready to deal with it also.
Upcoming Events:
Welshpool visit: Wednesday 20 September 2023. Carpooling to be arranged for this jam-packed day out.
West Victoria trip: 12-18 November 2023. Have a look at the itinerary and put your name down now.
The Orchid Club Meetings: Held on the 1st Thursday of each month at the Scout Hall, Victoria St, Drouin. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30 start.
Symposium-The Well Gardened Mind: Monday 4 March 2024 at West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul
Fertiliser orders:
Spring order: Cut-off date – 10 July, Delivery 4 August
Summer order: Cut-off date – 9 October, Delivery 3 November
Thanks to the people who have ordered the Special small orders. We still have some availability, and you can order and pay for 2kg or 3kg small bags at our July meeting. The collection will be at the Warragul Community Garden after the order has been delivered on 4 August. You will be notified of the collection date after the bags have been packed.
Please support our Club sponsors: Don’t forget to check their updates on our Club website.
- Rowes nursery, .Landsborough Road, Warragul. They have a large range of plants for sale (many grown in-house to save you money) and offer free garden advice. Ask about receiving their regular email newsletters.
- Drouin Mitre 10, Princes Way, Drouin. (On the Melbourne side of Drouin) Check their hardware, gardening products and plants.
- Mattz Mowing and Garden Services. Lawn mowing, garden edges, hedge trimming, weed control, pruning, gutters cleaned etc. Free quotes. Phone Matthew 0439 312 465
- Drouin Nursery. Princes Way, Drouin. Extensive variety of plants including advanced trees. Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays) Phone 0417 041507
- Down to Earth Garden Centre, Cnr. Longwarry & Weerong Rd, Drouin. Landscaping supplies, mulch, soil, rock, pond supplies, garden hardware. Phone 5625 5166
- Here We Grow, 2/30 Masterson Street, Warragul. Everything for hydroponics. Open 6 days (closed Sundays) Phone 5604 7847
