Remember Show and Tell in primary school?
Well, Friday Gardening Group are still doing it at the Eco –Centre!
We start each Friday morning session with an array of wonderful things gardeners bring in, sharing our knowledge of the amazing plants in our local area. Did you know that edible pine nuts come from pine cones found in the park? Have you ever seen the golden chalice flower and smelt the incredible coconut fragrance? Or looked at the wide variety of shapes and sizes in gumnuts?
And thanks to Peter’s generosity with his comprehensive home library, we’re often able to identify mystery items.
Want to try?
What do you think this is?
(Answer at end of blog.)
The summer period has been very fruitful in our Cora Graves centre garden, with an abundance of tomatoes, lettuces, zucchinis and herbs growing in our side planters.
Lots of salads for lunch!
The new automated water system has worked very well too, once we set it to early morning. (It seems plants, like us, don’t like having water thrown on them in the middle of the night when they’re trying to sleep!) More problematic are the grape and mulberry vines on the pergola as it turns out possums like to chew the new growth. Netting is the current deterrent but any suggestions are very welcome.
Outside of the Eco centre a lot has been happening too. Fruit and vegie guru Eddie, has helped us identify edible plants, native and non-native, in the Blessington St Gardens; we have continued to help maintain the Salvo’s secret garden; and taken part in the biodiversity census in the new urban forest strip in Bothwell St Balaclava. It was wonderful to see that insect-life was thriving since our baseline survey last year. And of course, propagation of noon flower continues, with many trays ready for the community replanting projects.
And as the weather cools and the seasons turn, our thoughts turn to soup…
Happy gardening,
Wendy Joseph
Answer time! – This is the seed pod of a grandiflora magnolia
The Friday Group welcomes new members. All that is required is a prior attendance at an EcoCentre Volunteer Induction. Check our events page for the next session coming up.
