Unfortunately our Garden Club meeting are still suspended while the COVID19 restrictions on members being able to attend. The restriction being ‘one person per four square metre rule for indoor gatherings’. Meanwhile our members are enjoying the rain and jobs in the garden, lots of pruning and dead heading. We love the Wattles, Camellias, Rhododendrons and colourful perennials flowering throughout the suburbs.
I picked up the NRMA Open Road Magazine and read an article from the Group CEO Rohan Lund which stated “We hear a lot of talk about the ‘new normal’ going forward. I hope a new normal means we keep spending time in our neighbourhoods, getting to know our neighbours and visiting local cafes and butchers”.
I do not know about you, but I am itching to go get out and enjoy our local neighbourhood, staying safe, taking the thermos and picnic lunch to explore those gardens that are not too far from our doorstep. Just to name a few gardens that you may have visited in the past, but gardens are forever changing and they will be well worth a second or third visit now or in early spring.
• Lex and Ruby Graham Gardens – Sydney’s first guerrilla garden’ started in 1959 by a couple living adjacent to what was steep, weed-infested wasteland. Walk along the foreshore path from east side Cremorne Point Reserve, Cremorne Point.
• Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden – steep hillside ‘guerrilla garden’ created by cultural icon Wendy Whiteley OAM, on vacant railway land in Lavender Bay. Now preserved under a 30-year lease. Access through Clark Park off Lavender crescent, Lavender Bay.
• Lilian Fraser Gardens, Cnr. Bellamy and Laurence Streets Pennant Hills – a large, traditional woodland garden open every day from sunrise to sunset, free entry, contains many unusual plants.
• Lisgar Gardens, Lisgar Rd, Hornsby – 2.6 hectare traditional woodland garden cascading down a steep hill to lawn areas and fish ponds below, open M—F 8am- 3.30pm, Sat and Sun 10am- 4pm. Closed public holidays
• Fagan Park – 38/48 Arcadia Rd, Galston – 10 hectares of ‘Gardens of Many Nations’, including Japanese, Dutch, Chinese and Mediterranean gardens, plus the Eco Garden. Open 7am-5.30 every day except Christmas Day.
• Swain Garden 77 Stanhope Rd Killara – 3.4 hectares of rambling traditional English gardens and natural bush. Sunrise to sunset every day, free entry.
• Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden, 410 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives – native gardens and natural bush. 8am-5pm every day except Christmas and Easter public holidays.
• Stony Range Regional Botanic Garden, 810 Pittwater Rd, Dee Why – an oasis of 3.3 hectares of Australian native plants located at Dee Why in the heart of the northern beaches. It is famous for its spring floral displays and is the perfect place for a walk or picnic. Every year it hosts a Spring Festival. Open every day 8.am – 5pm
• A little further afield is Mt Penang Gardens at Kariong – a modern-design Australian native plant garden covering 8 hectares and featuring 12 separate garden rooms, a large collection of sandstone sculptures, water cascades and an aquatic garden with an adjacent café. Open 9.30 to 4.30 each day (except major public holidays) Free entry.
When our meeting do resume, we are taking it month by month, visitors and new members are welcome. We usually meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 7.00 pm at the Galston Community Centre, 37 Arcadia Rd, Galston.
For further information, visit our website: www.galstongardenclub.com.au. Email: [email protected]
