Welcome back to Galston Garden Club 2019!

Our February meeting started with a well-attended AGM where all the Executive positions were filled. Our President Sue Montgomery welcomed everyone back, especially those who had joined during the Christmas break and informed us that our club numbers had grown throughout the past year.

Socially it looks like there are some exciting trips planned throughout the year for club members. As a taster from our Social Committee… a drive to Bowral Open Gardens and Plant Fair, a garden ramble where Fuchsia and Bromeliads are the stars as well as a long weekend trip to Canberra to see the new Arboretum, gardens and other places of interest

Our club Patron Judy Horton was our guest speaker and she took us on a pictorial tour of Japan, Canada and USA two tours that Judy did last year. Judy is a tour guide for Botanica Tours and the gardens she visits are just beautiful. The Japanese have a real love and appreciation of gardens and she observed that it was a real pleasure to see people in a frenetic city able to stop and enjoy the peace and beauty of the garden. Japan has almost no unemployment and what struck Judy was the number of people who had jobs in the gardens, in one garden there are people who scrub off the bark of the Crepe Myrtles, they are so precious and special to the people. At another garden the water on the pond was being swept, the gardens were beautiful and kept in pristine order. Onto The US to Santa Barbara and Lotusland was a garden that reminded you to think differently about what you plant and where, this was evident in the stunning lemon tree archway. At the Butchart Gardens in Canada years of work was lovingly evident in this beautiful garden that began as a limestone quarry it is known as one of the world’s most amazing garden, with a marvellous Japanese garden, beautiful fountain and beautiful plantings, it even has its own stunning carousel to ride.

And while October seems a fair way off our Open Gardens Committee is already on the lookout for new gardens for this years Open Gardens Weekend. So if you are a garden owner who would like to be a part of the Open Gardens weekend or do you know someone that has a garden and might be interested in being part of our Open Gardens weekend? The Committee is always looking for new gardens to maintain the variety of differently styled gardens on the weekend. All money raised on the day goes towards a number of charities and in 2018 we were able to assist 31 charities with donations. Please contact Bill Fleming our Open Gardens Convenor on 96532394 or email: [email protected] if you would like to be a part of this wonderful event.

The Galston Garden Club meets on the 2nd Weds of the month at the Galston Community Centre 37 Arcadia Rd., Galston 8.00pm, new members and visitors are warmly welcomed. For more information, visit our website: www.galstongardenclub.com.au