tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49324349037742423712024-03-19T18:26:03.962+11:00Growing Illawarra NativesNative and indigenous plants and gardensNativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.comBlogger150125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-51334344075325362652024-03-02T21:16:00.006+11:002024-03-17T20:29:32.088+11:00Get active: request stronger protections for our urban forest!<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Headline: please sign <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/Pages/ePetition-details.aspx?q=spDO_eQ0f3NWsj0g5VtjWw" target="_blank">this petition</a> asking for higher penalties for tree vandalism. If you've got the time, read on! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who hasn't had the unpleasant experience of hearing several chainsaws powering up on a Sunday morning, or over the Christmas break, when resources to detect or prevent illegal tree removal are at their lowest? Who hasn't seen tree removers turn up nearby with an unmarked truck and industrial woodchipper? Or complained to a Council about illegal tree removal only to be told that 'it's impossible to prove'? </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiYJqLCMtmuAPh01_ruG1YYDwAbjGkas9IAARcNdU985TnBa2TjR79Re_uislO0iPjuPmrbY9-_0PjDKOG3MDVqIuMyEyfRmBMxCmQVF9MLr16alvBHXO5ldlyu9jZVdPJ9fPyn1DF2z6WwmPpDbM_9BzstfVrnvFM2rdzU7MQua5y3EpVxKbdZ4Uxg/s1632/Eucalyptuspilularis003SH.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1632" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiYJqLCMtmuAPh01_ruG1YYDwAbjGkas9IAARcNdU985TnBa2TjR79Re_uislO0iPjuPmrbY9-_0PjDKOG3MDVqIuMyEyfRmBMxCmQVF9MLr16alvBHXO5ldlyu9jZVdPJ9fPyn1DF2z6WwmPpDbM_9BzstfVrnvFM2rdzU7MQua5y3EpVxKbdZ4Uxg/w640-h480/Eucalyptuspilularis003SH.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These majestic Blackbutts (<i>Eucalyptus pilularis</i>) have the fortune of being on public land (Council road reserve and Education Department land), but trees up to this size may be removed without permission. Image by Emma Rooksby. </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Experiences like this are sadly all too common. We all love our urban forest, and councils across the region have developed urban greening or urban canopy strategies that aim to increase canopy cover. These urban trees are often <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-20/powerful-owls-unlikely-home-in-city-suburbs/10281016" target="_blank">important habitat for threatened species</a>, or are threatened themselves. But canopy cover is actually decreasing, particularly on privately owned land. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A large part of the problem is that collectively we don't seem to value and protect trees. Independent Lane Cove Councillor Bridget Kennedy has pointed out some <a href="https://www.bridgetkennedyforlanecove.com.au/news/sign-my-e-petition-increase-penalties-for-urban-forest-tree-vandalism-and-recognise-trees-as-natural-assets" target="_blank">institutional aspects of this problem</a>: Councils are only allowed to levy puny fines for tree vandalism incidents ($3,000 for an individual and $6,000 for a company). And while fines are much higher if a prosecution through the Land and Environment Court is successful, Councils are not resourced or empowered to carry out the complex types of investigations that are needed to be successful in such prosecutions. The result is very low levels of prosecution. Illegal tree removal goes unpunished. </span></p><p></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">One part of the solution is to significantly increase the penalties for urban tree vandalism. Councillor Bridget Kennedy's <a href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/Pages/ePetition-details.aspx?q=spDO_eQ0f3NWsj0g5VtjWw" target="_blank">petition to the NSW Government</a> is asking for exactly that. Have a read and sign if you agree. The Australian Capital Territory government can now fine tree vandals up to $80,000, more than ten times the current NSW rate, after recent reforms, so now is a good time to ask for NSW to 'level up.' </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can also use the <a href="https://www.snapsendsolve.com" target="_blank">Snap Send Solve app</a> to report individual cases of urban tree vandalism to your local council. But please be careful when documenting possible unlawful activity.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finishing on a positive note, there are many many people doing the right thing and protecting urban biodiversity. Thank you to each and every one of you! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-DpmpDxhGleiLrSItQK2Cl5bywC50429e_dMPCHuoUHxs2iWjdQLJIL4cGFyjT7J3gb-u9kZ3mKgPS6EZJ5WU6LUDz4I0-QYtiBuv_uhM9AbEegGo69NSCl8x-X_QznI-JSSACUDFWKFgOQgOPPZwdH-PqcWFauUF98SqvjxIib6yJrfoSgXPQRJmw/s4032/IMG_2199%20Cyclophyllum.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-DpmpDxhGleiLrSItQK2Cl5bywC50429e_dMPCHuoUHxs2iWjdQLJIL4cGFyjT7J3gb-u9kZ3mKgPS6EZJ5WU6LUDz4I0-QYtiBuv_uhM9AbEegGo69NSCl8x-X_QznI-JSSACUDFWKFgOQgOPPZwdH-PqcWFauUF98SqvjxIib6yJrfoSgXPQRJmw/w480-h640/IMG_2199%20Cyclophyllum.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">These awesome Coast Canthiums (<i>Cyclophyllum longipetalum</i>) are on private property and part of a patch of critically endangered subtropical rainforest. They are being well cared for by the new owners. Three cheers for that!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></div><div><br /></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-70835230683128871782024-02-21T15:53:00.011+11:002024-02-21T16:03:52.868+11:00How to: dispose of weeds thoughtfully<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">An important part of supporting local biodiversity is tackling introduced and invasive plant species. Whether it's being part of a bushcare or Landcare group in a natural area or caring for privately owned land, the struggle to keep on top of weeds is seemingly endless. I often get questions about what to do with the organic matter accumulated through weeding, and there's a lot of uncertainty about what is safe and what is feasible.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately, there are many different factors to take into account when managing weeds. These include the characteristics of the species you're tackling, and the volume of material you will be producing. Principles include disturbing the soil as little as possible, leaving as much organic matter on site as possible, and minimising the amount of follow-up work required. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My main purpose with this post is to make it clear that, across the Kiama, Shellharbour and Wollongong LGAs, green waste bins are suitable for composting weeds, including weed seeds of all kinds, and 'problem weeds' such as Trad (</span><i style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tradescantia fluminensis</span></i><span style="font-family: verdana;">) or Cape Ivy (</span><i style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Delairea odorata</span></i><span style="font-family: verdana;">) that can regrow from a small piece of stem or leaf. Seeds and 'problem weeds' are a particular challenge: they can't just be left on the ground, as they'll only produce more weeds!</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdoerlfQymfa-00yZ2jFM_i8y9VswhAJjjvzRt45QKu9Kl6KZBuDJR90TPODBaYWriJCrWHhHwDmLGPr6hzLZe3sO_R6LfM0Yse7OxLwKyk2pPobQi75ERb4qLeY6m5caFcvZdDJGvPovyeE5YUyz14iwJ2TShYHzmKJ2MM8Ols-fDPVfHE61VWHZSw/s3024/IMG_5660.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdoerlfQymfa-00yZ2jFM_i8y9VswhAJjjvzRt45QKu9Kl6KZBuDJR90TPODBaYWriJCrWHhHwDmLGPr6hzLZe3sO_R6LfM0Yse7OxLwKyk2pPobQi75ERb4qLeY6m5caFcvZdDJGvPovyeE5YUyz14iwJ2TShYHzmKJ2MM8Ols-fDPVfHE61VWHZSw/w400-h400/IMG_5660.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This green bin contains a few weeds that will regrow if not carefully managed, including Kikuyu (<i>Cenchrus clandestina</i>), Buffalo Grass (<i>Bouteloua dactyloides</i>) and Trad (<i>Tradescantia fluminensis</i>). </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I checked in with local councils and with the teams managing green waste across the three LGAs, as well as reviewing relevant webpages. And I can confirm that green waste in all three LGAs is treated via hot composting in tunnel systems for between 14 and 21 days. This is sufficient to kill all weeds as well as other nasties such as <i>E. coli</i>. You can read more about it online, for example </span><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">the Wollongong City Council website's page on FOGO: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/book-and-apply/waste/fogo">https://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/book-and-apply/waste/fogo</a>.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The <a href="https://www.re-group.com/products/green-bin-products/" target="_blank">Re.Group website</a> which covers facilities the Dunmore Recycling and Waste Disposal Depot (managing waste from Shellharbour and Kiama). </span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you do have green waste that can't go in your green bin for whatever reason, and more generally to reduce the amount of organic matter taken off-site, weed management techniques from bush regeneration may come in handy: </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">only dispose of the parts of a plant that will regrow (for many species this is just the fruit and seeds, and the roots, but on some plants can grow new roots, so you need to know which species you're dealing with);</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">hang parts of the weed that won't resprout on a branch or in a tree fork to rot down and return to the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">soil; </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">compost on-site in an old drum or other receptacle, usually with its base open to the ground;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">create a raised 'raft' of dead branches or other material on which weeds (excluding the propagules) can be placed to decompose over time.</span></li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_ghJr_nBQeas3vAxdwYRkPfIXocEKyGH_nYmkOdmcRllceKgPJTxuZVDpTlb7Qz4gbtbWCwnzMiQb_8jci4uGUrNg1kTXZFyNxFWxyGXP6YDJE50yearJxlxIURECICKphRRJbyFlvVQBuxXudb5q6MJi96_3sK-1P87Ksi-qQARn-pTKEAtq0hOcg/s2048/IRRG_regen_Jan_2024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_ghJr_nBQeas3vAxdwYRkPfIXocEKyGH_nYmkOdmcRllceKgPJTxuZVDpTlb7Qz4gbtbWCwnzMiQb_8jci4uGUrNg1kTXZFyNxFWxyGXP6YDJE50yearJxlxIURECICKphRRJbyFlvVQBuxXudb5q6MJi96_3sK-1P87Ksi-qQARn-pTKEAtq0hOcg/w400-h300/IRRG_regen_Jan_2024.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">One way of dealing with green waste is to compost it on-site. This works well if you have plenty of space, can prevent propagules (the bits that will regrow!) from spreading from the composting bin or bay, and are prepared to deal with some follow-up regrowth. Does not work for air-borne seeds. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsTawSwvdiosUBndxM8nnilDQ6n-gb6vwHKAE61KSdz9EhQL4Mn6LdLqE7WmhxzPGIRf-Nqeer6Hx5qe2sydON59EJGRIhs4OKQPiX1AvEMwdEr9KOigfTzRYxwJ4F8QvQxHUWxSqDGbJo9TbSobrnATCGTnLJqUqK8DYLj8fgv3mj6keVDEdN8RuEA/s4032/IMG_1321.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsTawSwvdiosUBndxM8nnilDQ6n-gb6vwHKAE61KSdz9EhQL4Mn6LdLqE7WmhxzPGIRf-Nqeer6Hx5qe2sydON59EJGRIhs4OKQPiX1AvEMwdEr9KOigfTzRYxwJ4F8QvQxHUWxSqDGbJo9TbSobrnATCGTnLJqUqK8DYLj8fgv3mj6keVDEdN8RuEA/w400-h300/IMG_1321.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Bagging up propagules to take them off-site can keep down the volume of green matter you need to move, but in large areas can still result in 'three bags full' - or more - depending on the type of weeds you are tackling. This weeding group in the Wollongong LGA is lucky enough to have volunteers donating space in their green bins.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Are you composting or otherwise dealing with weeds yourself? Making weed tea in your back garden, or using bokashi bins to ferment your weeds? If so, please share your tips and tricks, here or via </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/GrowingIllawarraNatives" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Growing Illawarra Natives on Facebook</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. </span></p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-72340452639511971292023-10-30T17:36:00.010+11:002024-03-17T20:29:21.863+11:00Resources: new report on protecting native plants from deer<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVArV06PDezFbkjH3mm6K_1VM13DysiLUyZ9XUSxdOua4PssI8i1ZcURfQA7IpIbq-vz65lwBRFwtpUK-Ewov1mOuqMLrPFX2Cf3-Dp6sA9HCsa1p7Ui2mo7sk1_bWCqH9AqugUv2zg6fMYp6GvON4cgxmAnmxdPd4V1Q3tEL8waQJPBN-s4AZxMKYw/s286/deer%20fig0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="282" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVArV06PDezFbkjH3mm6K_1VM13DysiLUyZ9XUSxdOua4PssI8i1ZcURfQA7IpIbq-vz65lwBRFwtpUK-Ewov1mOuqMLrPFX2Cf3-Dp6sA9HCsa1p7Ui2mo7sk1_bWCqH9AqugUv2zg6fMYp6GvON4cgxmAnmxdPd4V1Q3tEL8waQJPBN-s4AZxMKYw/w631-h640/deer%20fig0.jpg" width="631" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Kieran Tapsell. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Thanks to Kieran Tapsell from Banksia Bushcare, there is a practical new resource available on protecting native plants from deer. While joined-up bigger-picture approaches are needed to address the feral deer challenge, this report gives individual site managers a range of tools and ideas on reducing the damage done by deer. It has drawn on significant investments in research and monitoring over the years. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IdSvZaI_CQxRLM0CfrUpvA0-Kz_um37u/edit" target="_blank">Click here to view the report</a>. </p><p>Tomorrow, Tuesday 31st October, is also the last day to provide comment on the NSW Government's <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/nsw-invasive-species-management-review" target="_blank">Invasive Species Management Review</a>. There's an easy survey option you can complete, or you can email and ask for an extension of time if you want to provide a longer written submission. </p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-38720683634387510862023-09-23T20:23:00.006+10:002024-02-21T16:04:37.821+11:00Get active: ask for better environmental and biodiversity protection in Wollongong!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WladyGErz6aHuD_Yub4XPfgScR4u8BJ5tHWJYWCBqWXLLqgE-S3V5IiDPN303hufKInxJHqm0CO97_mB0l6epcH4vYdWYjLAYw-ieqn-hKPMNNsTEwvtdhltDi_O5z1RBKePpk4Ae09Yp6iXQVRDGYseIwi-uL2Rolh0X-ow7BoQkFJhh8mqqEmBsg/s1165/Swamp%20WallabyGarryDaly.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3WladyGErz6aHuD_Yub4XPfgScR4u8BJ5tHWJYWCBqWXLLqgE-S3V5IiDPN303hufKInxJHqm0CO97_mB0l6epcH4vYdWYjLAYw-ieqn-hKPMNNsTEwvtdhltDi_O5z1RBKePpk4Ae09Yp6iXQVRDGYseIwi-uL2Rolh0X-ow7BoQkFJhh8mqqEmBsg/w330-h400/Swamp%20WallabyGarryDaly.jpeg" width="330" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swamp Wallaby with young. Image by Garry Daly.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>This is late notice, but there's an opportunity to provide feedback to Wollongong City Council via their annual Community Satisfaction Survey before Monday 25 September. Here's the link if you'd like to complete the survey: <div><a href="https://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/news-and-alerts/alerts2/community-satisfaction-survey-now-open">https://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/news-and-alerts/alerts2/community-satisfaction-survey-now-open</a> </div><div>Wollongong Council is seeking feedback on a wide range of topics, and the survey is quite long, but if you follow the process you can comment on the current level of environmental protection and a range of other important topics. </div><div><br /></div><div>The more responses Council receives, the better! So many of us live in areas where there's amazing local biodiversity still hanging on or even thriving, Council needs to hear from everyone who wants to see the LGA managed for maximum biodiversity benefit. </div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-91508976301701810152023-06-05T19:45:00.011+10:002023-06-05T19:57:05.286+10:00Try growing: Saltbushes<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have been admiring local Saltbushes for years, and Growing Illawarra Natives covers five different species with that name, and there are several others in the area, but in 12-plus I have never done a proper post on them. Crazy - now's the time!! </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlgEMH47ysJ0TmoGlN_ixJb_KDEGjjCeIebMRIqvf1FcH55mNTEKFrnzTYMjHgOYrAO4MERESxVawd0CXr7Qy-m_VlLnaE2lxcRcEkI4D2Oj5HtbtYCCxgiywfhkBs6SFUXjr4KWT6m_4KQ0PXJmZdda8HCmLkwiiiAEuJO83ikIMLChoKhUcJA8/s1632/Atriplexcinerea003LV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1632" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlgEMH47ysJ0TmoGlN_ixJb_KDEGjjCeIebMRIqvf1FcH55mNTEKFrnzTYMjHgOYrAO4MERESxVawd0CXr7Qy-m_VlLnaE2lxcRcEkI4D2Oj5HtbtYCCxgiywfhkBs6SFUXjr4KWT6m_4KQ0PXJmZdda8HCmLkwiiiAEuJO83ikIMLChoKhUcJA8/w400-h300/Atriplexcinerea003LV.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The soft felty grey-green foliage of Grey Saltbush (<i>Atriplex cinerea</i>) is the most classically saltbushy of all the local saltbush species. Image by Emma Rooksby. </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The term 'Saltbush' conjures up images of dry desert landscapes, red earth, and leathery grey-green leaves. There are good reasons for this, and I completely respect them. And some of the local Saltbush species do more or less conform. But the bigger picture is much more varied, and much more interesting!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">'Saltbush' is a term applied to a wide range of plants, but generally it refers to species in the Chenopodiaceae (or Goosefoot) family, so known for the leaf shape of some Chenopods. I haven't studied geese feet that closely so I can't vouch for the range of goose foot shape, but in my experience, most Saltbushes don't resemble geese in any way. The leaf shapes vary from linear, elliptic and ovate (all fairly common leaf shapes) to </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">hastate (spear-head shaped),</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> sagittate (shaped like an arrow-head), </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">triangular, rhombic, or terete (cylindrical). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIb2QDIVjbRCViymX_U3_HXNaauMoQogGkxFSbWlR8W1gf_7DspE_j5tuXLnvJp12R2hEoFutlAynXRe7g3Ya-E5Jdslnu6QAxkHptuAONlQwQR7pCpef8cNEAyFkvX6liQ6nAf-Lbq-w-IplSEBj-0WJnOufNTAp4knRoESO67od3cYWuop5opk0/s3024/Einadiahastata003FR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIb2QDIVjbRCViymX_U3_HXNaauMoQogGkxFSbWlR8W1gf_7DspE_j5tuXLnvJp12R2hEoFutlAynXRe7g3Ya-E5Jdslnu6QAxkHptuAONlQwQR7pCpef8cNEAyFkvX6liQ6nAf-Lbq-w-IplSEBj-0WJnOufNTAp4knRoESO67od3cYWuop5opk0/w400-h400/Einadiahastata003FR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The spearhead or hastate leaf shape of Berry Saltbush, scientific name <i>Einadia hastata</i>. The small but pretty fruit are also visible. Image by Emma Rooksby.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraYoCrQFMMYl3A7viWr0TUOu2Q2KIJhrQVsuK513w7sisSsfumN6NgSEmUA8RqX4nYm9EL_NtadlYSx4jvRF1M7dK6fPoAje8RzspnPc_h4VmAsQmVpAwKEhYCYC2w2TRcXuR66VotvM5O_60fGUq6fG2MWNzS6gdPrNZUTEaN8XLPTni9ea2nZ4/s3024/Enchylaenatomentosa003FR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraYoCrQFMMYl3A7viWr0TUOu2Q2KIJhrQVsuK513w7sisSsfumN6NgSEmUA8RqX4nYm9EL_NtadlYSx4jvRF1M7dK6fPoAje8RzspnPc_h4VmAsQmVpAwKEhYCYC2w2TRcXuR66VotvM5O_60fGUq6fG2MWNzS6gdPrNZUTEaN8XLPTni9ea2nZ4/w400-h400/Enchylaenatomentosa003FR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby Saltbush (<i>Enchaelena tomentosa</i>) has small cylindrical (terete or semi-terete) leaves. The ruby colour of the fruit is clearly visible here; unripe fruit can be green, yellow or orange. Image by Emma Rooksby.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexGJvNHGBaQnbKvfdUKpbJR0w9equUwe54u6ackktTsRPYOO2s7htuxNfpSW0Oi7WnYm2RVKiIi4djDDDH9BG3kkHDIIHmcFw7a7V7a_ACXDNQ7nErrI14Wbub49DKo4MmJ-ldJCeGIxK4mqwheoaWf_O9N7-ipMOodXHaxheD1OX5rHmBbnNTYg/s960/Rhagodiacandolleana007FR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexGJvNHGBaQnbKvfdUKpbJR0w9equUwe54u6ackktTsRPYOO2s7htuxNfpSW0Oi7WnYm2RVKiIi4djDDDH9BG3kkHDIIHmcFw7a7V7a_ACXDNQ7nErrI14Wbub49DKo4MmJ-ldJCeGIxK4mqwheoaWf_O9N7-ipMOodXHaxheD1OX5rHmBbnNTYg/w400-h266/Rhagodiacandolleana007FR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Berry Saltbush (<i>Rhagodia candolleana</i>), are about as plain as it gets. The flowers are insignificant. But the fruit are succulently delicious! Image by Emma Rooksby.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFeAZQ7sCVetUzrIYOGoigTX_vrCGLBQpibeo3kC6tTvwqe_QAsyO8E4Hy1D1LYT3ZT_laM8YeyMxn6WPyifouviohaDx2DD-XJuWBafwxf8VIO7YhnP90xYhhWwtkodASPtrRGuib7WXtONF-d2a456r7dEO9l7W36WzojNjiYDA7KgXyyvAaNA/s960/Einadianutans_3_036LV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFeAZQ7sCVetUzrIYOGoigTX_vrCGLBQpibeo3kC6tTvwqe_QAsyO8E4Hy1D1LYT3ZT_laM8YeyMxn6WPyifouviohaDx2DD-XJuWBafwxf8VIO7YhnP90xYhhWwtkodASPtrRGuib7WXtONF-d2a456r7dEO9l7W36WzojNjiYDA7KgXyyvAaNA/w400-h266/Einadianutans_3_036LV.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the smallest local saltbushes is this cutie, Climbing Saltbush or <i>Einadia nutans</i>. The leaves can be linear (long and slender) or narrowly sagittate (arrowhead-shaped). You can see some very sagittate leaves in this pic, along with the tiny red fruit. Image by Tony Rodd. </td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just the pictures above of the leaves give some sense of the variety of saltbushes in the region. There are several other species too. In terms of cultivating them, one general constraint applies, as suggested by the reference to salt in their names. Most saltbush species are plants of seaside areas, adapted to grow in sandy soil or in harsh seacliff environments. They will grow best in coastal areas with these conditions, and this limits their horticultural applications.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Two exceptions seem to apply. Based on my experience, I've seen Sea Berry Saltbush (<i>Rhagodia candolleana</i>) and Berry Saltbush (<i>Einadia hastata</i>) growing happily in gardens across the coastal plain and into the escarpment foothills. Given their dense shrubby character and their appealing, edible and bird-attracting fruit, they are both worth trying in almost any garden. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PxU1807TF6Fm_8w8A1-ModU7C8PFbrq9TdKN0jFXEYqzI8Z8XS8UttYHV2tpL1OqwBQTZC-GRAsYpEvBF9cGnz8WNwfEM8fsW5PFnv4i6drxwAbkVotmK3V0-Dye8Jp8blC_Won3BcmeX6v1mDBIDYLUhaoz8D72B8A75Tw3QJjCDdWaHzsVBW8/s3024/Einadiahastata003SH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PxU1807TF6Fm_8w8A1-ModU7C8PFbrq9TdKN0jFXEYqzI8Z8XS8UttYHV2tpL1OqwBQTZC-GRAsYpEvBF9cGnz8WNwfEM8fsW5PFnv4i6drxwAbkVotmK3V0-Dye8Jp8blC_Won3BcmeX6v1mDBIDYLUhaoz8D72B8A75Tw3QJjCDdWaHzsVBW8/w400-h400/Einadiahastata003SH.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berry Saltbush (<i>Einadia hastata</i>) in a garden situation. Image by Emma Rooksby. </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59nclZUsWk2Vt4XTjuR7MrAgiyo_n5RdW7ZwbScisr4njBNpYpzy0kOOKYyGgXy02JCBUdw1290zrAj9HtA6T64nwrmKw7lzOfm7tZX6in4aNzyo41BjBIa8v1OkvDBP4BJoNzla7Y2KO6Evscph0TQM6XORP0PsiEdP_giIE1hp5iZqCiBTiVWM/s960/Rhagodiacandolleana003SH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59nclZUsWk2Vt4XTjuR7MrAgiyo_n5RdW7ZwbScisr4njBNpYpzy0kOOKYyGgXy02JCBUdw1290zrAj9HtA6T64nwrmKw7lzOfm7tZX6in4aNzyo41BjBIa8v1OkvDBP4BJoNzla7Y2KO6Evscph0TQM6XORP0PsiEdP_giIE1hp5iZqCiBTiVWM/w400-h266/Rhagodiacandolleana003SH.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Berry Saltbush enhancing a green wall. Image by Emma Rooksby.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">A point of interest around our local saltbush species is that, while they're all in the Chenopodiaceae family, they come from several different genera. Some are Einadia, some are Rhagodia, some are Chenopodium, and one is Enchylaena. <i>Plus</i> some of the important Chenopodiaceae are represented in the area by delicious edible plants in the genera Suaeda and Sarcocornia - that's right, Samphire!</span><p></p></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qjuVnX6Rm8yMVcZA4Yag_rPEx0hqcW3815Ew9yAuUs9fCm5AftLbXOdiO2u-OoBqgIB3JzLab5kmJVhro9k5TDLSaxe5uKxKAtSkiOaNvzrG8mo5Nj91DnqK_A89hKoxbXG5lvDujFlA7ZbkzxQHf86UEc4hjnQgQNdrO-tIG63MyVachcVnPmg/s2856/Sarcocorniaquinqueflora012LV2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2142" data-original-width="2856" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qjuVnX6Rm8yMVcZA4Yag_rPEx0hqcW3815Ew9yAuUs9fCm5AftLbXOdiO2u-OoBqgIB3JzLab5kmJVhro9k5TDLSaxe5uKxKAtSkiOaNvzrG8mo5Nj91DnqK_A89hKoxbXG5lvDujFlA7ZbkzxQHf86UEc4hjnQgQNdrO-tIG63MyVachcVnPmg/w400-h300/Sarcocorniaquinqueflora012LV2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samphire (or <i>Sarcocornia quinqueflora</i>)....yum. Image by Barry Ralley.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-80474071551666228682023-04-11T23:16:00.005+10:002023-04-12T08:23:17.667+10:00Get active: make a submission to the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act review!<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1c09CpiHZ450qozLqtmGABdiYSLVGCDO5tdfGeVJzPTb-MZy-Bfkh2OZjjCPvEqeu1QuXZ44tHUmiKsxhsQpLPWaDyLonnAm6k_24uOitWvp-3RoNOuOgSQ27YKWsYxcQKfTJHMATYbHNLZ5S-JF5Ju3WPZRlEN3qxoMs4p8bH8ffJgpJOR0pLo/s4272/Habitat%20lowland%20grassy%20woodland%20Croome%20Rooksby%2020150829.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1c09CpiHZ450qozLqtmGABdiYSLVGCDO5tdfGeVJzPTb-MZy-Bfkh2OZjjCPvEqeu1QuXZ44tHUmiKsxhsQpLPWaDyLonnAm6k_24uOitWvp-3RoNOuOgSQ27YKWsYxcQKfTJHMATYbHNLZ5S-JF5Ju3WPZRlEN3qxoMs4p8bH8ffJgpJOR0pLo/w640-h426/Habitat%20lowland%20grassy%20woodland%20Croome%20Rooksby%2020150829.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Endangered Illawarra Lowland Grassy Woodlands, Croom Reserve in Albion Park. Image by Leon Fuller.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">We all enjoy growing local native plants in our gardens, and seeing them growing in natural areas around the Illawarra. We can each do a lot locally to protect biodiversity right on our own doorsteps. But sometimes there are opportunities to support wider positive change. Now is such a time!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We have an excellent opportunity, via the statutory 5-year review of the NSW <i>Biodiversity Conservation Act</i> 2016, to improve how the Act works in practice to conserve biodiversity! You can have your say, until April 21, via <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/biodiversity/overview-of-biodiversity-reform/statutory-review-of-the-biodiversity-conservation-act-2016/biodiversity-conservation-act-review" target="_blank">the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment website</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are some thought-starters if you'd like to make a submission.</span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The NSW Audit Office released a report in August 2022 that was critical of the biodiversity offset scheme established under the Act, finding that it was failing to protect some of the state's most endangered species and ecosystems and was 'riddled with integrity and transparency concerns</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">' according to a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/30/utterly-damning-review-finds-offsets-scheme-fails-to-protect-nsw-environment" target="_blank">Guardian Australia report</a>. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">A NSW upper house inquiry into the biodiversity offset scheme heard in 2021 that</span><a class="Link_link__nE06W ScreenReaderOnly_srLinkHint__83_S_ Link_showVisited__gmCxW Link_showFocus__0kDeK" data-component="Link" href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-details.aspx?pk=2822" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom: 1px solid var(--link-border,var(--black-20)); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--link-visited-text,var(--colour-visited)); font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; text-decoration: none; touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank"> </a><span face="abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif"><span color="var(--link-visited-text,var(--colour-visited))" style="border-bottom: 1px solid var(--link-border,var(--black-20)); box-sizing: border-box; touch-action: manipulation;"><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-20/integrity-of-the-nsw-biodiversity-offsets-scheme-inquiry/100712056" target="_blank">schemes set up</a></span></span><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-20/integrity-of-the-nsw-biodiversity-offsets-scheme-inquiry/100712056" style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"> to halt or reverse the loss of biodiversity values are not working and, in some cases, did more harm than good</a><span face="abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif">. The NSW Local Government Association's draft submission to the inquiry stated that 'Councils have expressed a general concern that biodiversity offsets are not leading to net improvements in biodiversity.' </span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Environment Defenders Office has put out a </span><a href="https://www.edo.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EDO-Submission-Guide-5-year-statutory-review-of-NSW-Biodiversity-Conservation-Act-.pdfhttps://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/biodiversity/overview-of-biodiversity-reform/statutory-review-of-the-biodiversity-conservation-act-2016/biodiversity-conservation-act-review" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">submission guide</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> which points out defects in how the <i>Biodiversity Conservation Act</i> works in practice and suggests ways to improve the operation of the Act. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you have time to make a quick submission, you could include points suggested by the Environment Defenders Office, including for example: </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Biodiversity Offsets Scheme does not align with best practice, and does not contain the ecologically necessary limits to prevent extinctions. It needs to be strengthened and aligned with best practice. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">For example, like for like offset requirements need to be made more restrictive - variation rules and indirect offsets need to be strictly limited. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Biodiversity Offsets Scheme needs to adopt a clear and objective environmental standard to improve biodiversity outcomes - that is it must aim for no net loss of biodiversity or better. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Transparency of the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme needs to be improved. For example, there should be publicly available information/registers of approvals for development, clearing and forestry, offsets and biodiversity conservation agreements. More transparency will support more accountability and better outcomes. </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Taking action now could help protect remnant vegetation on public and private land around the Illawarra region. Please take five minutes to ask for the Biodiversity Conservation Act to be reformed so that it better protects biodiversity!</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZWVsYUtL69JLnwFRaQn4fBjym3C6mRt0Hr3NKIISYgXfkhcL8397EIAlGuVaNWyapP6tae0w2HWQUDd0Gpedat5AN4drKK1nhCBGaLtTqZjXHAzP_6eTQ9goxtuR2uCoX6lMfByMgYyRf5Ea7u9IdjU4OOX-uVja1W6lz7UnRKTtSgblDw_S0Hc/s1200/Zieria_1175.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZWVsYUtL69JLnwFRaQn4fBjym3C6mRt0Hr3NKIISYgXfkhcL8397EIAlGuVaNWyapP6tae0w2HWQUDd0Gpedat5AN4drKK1nhCBGaLtTqZjXHAzP_6eTQ9goxtuR2uCoX6lMfByMgYyRf5Ea7u9IdjU4OOX-uVja1W6lz7UnRKTtSgblDw_S0Hc/w640-h426/Zieria_1175.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Volunteers recording an endangered Illawarra Zieria (<i>Zieria granulata</i>) at risk of destruction due to development plans. This species only occurs in the Illawarra.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p></p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-38184185740817421002023-03-12T21:19:00.010+11:002023-10-30T17:39:06.581+11:00Celebrating: local eucalypts!<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">March 23 is National Eucalypt Day, and this year there are some great local activities to help demystify our local eucalypt species, courtesy of Landcare Illawarra and Eucalypt Australia. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Eucalypts are some of the biggest trees of the Illawarra region, some of the most important habitat species, and also some of the most dominant species in many local vegetation communities. The coastal plain would once have been home to large areas of Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland, full of Forest Red Gums (</span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Eucalyptus tereticornis</i><span style="font-family: verdana;">), Cabbage Gums (</span><i style="font-family: verdana;">E. amplifolia</i><span style="font-family: verdana;">) and the local 'stringybarks' (which, yes, have stringy bark)! And the escarpment foothills would have hosted extensive forests of Blackbutt (<i>E. pilularis</i>) and Grey Ironbark (<i>E. paniculata</i>). Sadly most of these areas have been cleared of forest, but that doesn't make the trees any less significant. The remnant trees and forests are if anything even more important for local biodiversity, supporting possums, gliders, owls and many many more species. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIIznTKy1lvoWNLOsKXFbSuD5hqZwOOjt1z3mn0QDWnDzhSFO0f1q29KnvXd3oBHoTB9rSMp_w6FKWfgE_-5eNH4veRNYFbtAWoZfSAPRxAMdYa0wAEm7jDGV70fwUWj-Lsoe0GB2HMDsm47YRzPX_8cCcBA5Mbeps-EGnJci9dN5MBiMgPUCy68/s4032/IMG_9710.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIIznTKy1lvoWNLOsKXFbSuD5hqZwOOjt1z3mn0QDWnDzhSFO0f1q29KnvXd3oBHoTB9rSMp_w6FKWfgE_-5eNH4veRNYFbtAWoZfSAPRxAMdYa0wAEm7jDGV70fwUWj-Lsoe0GB2HMDsm47YRzPX_8cCcBA5Mbeps-EGnJci9dN5MBiMgPUCy68/w480-h640/IMG_9710.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A magnificent Blackbutt (<i>Eucalyptus pilularis</i>) at Curry's Mountain. Image by Emma Rooksby. </span> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">As well as being large, and ecologically dominant, and excellent providers of food and shelter, eucalypts also have a reputation for being confusing and hard to identify. I understand, I've struggled over the years, it can be really difficult to get your head around them!!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With that in mind, there are a couple of Landcare Illawarra events on for National Eucalypt Day that may help. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">One is a 'Eucalypt Walkshop' led by Leon Fuller, author of <i>Wollongong's Native Trees</i>. This will cover the eucalypts of the region (with a focus on the escarpment and coastal plain). Leon will also give some tips on how to use eucalypts in revegetation projects. </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>When</i>: Sunday 19 March 10am-12pm</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Where</i>: Wiseman Park, Gwynneville</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">A booklet on Eucalypts and Revegetation in the Illawarra will be provided to participants free of charge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Who</i>: 20 places, priority given to Landcare Illawarra members. RSVP to </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">chair@landcareillawarra.org.au or 0438076303</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The other event is a Talking Landcare event with a focus on eucalypts. This is open to one and all, and includes refreshments! </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>When</i>: Thursday March 24 6pm-8pm</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Where</i>: Dapto Ribbonwood Centre (Laurel Room)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Speakers</i>: Leon Fuller on Illawarra Eucalypts, ecologist Gary Leonard on </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Eucalypts and Climate Change, and Margot Law (from DPIE's Saving Our Species program) on Eucalypts and the Fauna that Depend on Them, with a special focus on koalas. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Who: </i>open to the public, no RSVP needed. </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you'd like to know more about local eucalypts, these events should be interesting and lots of fun. </span></div></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSRCigyeEgyvIcZ2Kv6Cgr4TLwd1O9uAYr_mHbOj2skBeXhZrdq1PsuXXGwvNT9rdeqJQZzdIUO-R8FNoJgUjjXZ4_G71iLrtlm_jpryQT7e-pMSJiPdUqF3PatZ7g5XwrB_G5D0p0MX6F9o2lR03o6kJYtDO1mv-DXi79AUl8WQL0xHIRfUBvsc/s960/Eucalyptuslongifolia004LV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSRCigyeEgyvIcZ2Kv6Cgr4TLwd1O9uAYr_mHbOj2skBeXhZrdq1PsuXXGwvNT9rdeqJQZzdIUO-R8FNoJgUjjXZ4_G71iLrtlm_jpryQT7e-pMSJiPdUqF3PatZ7g5XwrB_G5D0p0MX6F9o2lR03o6kJYtDO1mv-DXi79AUl8WQL0xHIRfUBvsc/w640-h426/Eucalyptuslongifolia004LV.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The strikingly long leaves of Woollybutt (<i>Eucalyptus longifolia</i>) together with the new buds, showing the bud cap or <i>operculum</i> that is a distinctive feature of <i>Eucalyptus</i> species. Image by Leon Fuller.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p></p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-68865073354948464482022-11-28T23:57:00.048+11:002022-12-18T20:55:21.772+11:00Get active: Help improve Wollongong City Council's draft Tree Management Policy and Development Control Plan<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjScSrYi46UzzW3LcsmAxC2gnEdM896JQIzsgMhlUoiG80L_5WkTFDlX704E6N2J546PFMsJvk9jK4uUNTUwEb_rEyu1A9fCi7tzP1mYsgsc3WjMAYue1d5DeKrIuwkFamz6Ku0hXsyAQ-g9tiqAWPHjAwbwGSIiX_a_-nf6nR7rXnCmTW7f-3UY/s960/Alphitoniaexcelsa016SH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjScSrYi46UzzW3LcsmAxC2gnEdM896JQIzsgMhlUoiG80L_5WkTFDlX704E6N2J546PFMsJvk9jK4uUNTUwEb_rEyu1A9fCi7tzP1mYsgsc3WjMAYue1d5DeKrIuwkFamz6Ku0hXsyAQ-g9tiqAWPHjAwbwGSIiX_a_-nf6nR7rXnCmTW7f-3UY/w266-h400/Alphitoniaexcelsa016SH.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Ash (<i>Alphitonia excelsa</i>) growing well on verges in Mt Pleasant for 40 years+ <span data-sheets-userformat="{"2":4540,"5":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"6":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"7":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"8":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"10":2,"11":0,"15":"arial,sans,sans-serif"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Image by Mithra Cox, reproduced under CC BY-NC 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/)."}" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-align: start;">Image by Mithra Cox, reproduced under CC BY-NC 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Oooh it's time to get our active hats on again! We have an important opportunity to comment on some proposed changes to <a href="https://our.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/tree-management-policy-and-dcp-chapter-review" target="_blank">Wollongong City Council's Tree Management Policy, and associated changes to the Development Control Plan (DCP)</a> relating to plants and vegetation. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This<i> is a key opportunity to ask for more local native species across the entire LGA, including in the urban greening strategy. </i>Indigenous trees are crucial to local biodiversity, help make this city unique, and include many ultra-hardy species that are adaptable to a wide range of environmental contexts and changes. Let's put them first!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Have a read of the documents and have your say before <u>Friday December 16</u>. Here's t</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">he Growing Illawarra Natives take - use this how you like in your submission. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Positives </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's great in theory to see a focus on the urban forest over management of individual trees, and efforts to encourage people to grow trees on private land. And it's great to see Council trying to reduce the complexity of tree management on private land, with an accessible and user-friendly Customer Guide. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The increase in height of trees requiring a permit to remove (from 3m to 5m) is also consistent with the intended focus on increasing canopy cover. Some other Councils, like Sutherland Shire Council, have an approach of allowing people more discretion over trees on their property, while also doing a lot to promote the benefits of urban trees and vegetation. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Some crucial areas for improvement</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Council could do a lot better in using the Tree Management Policy, DCP and Customer Guide to drive ecological and biodiversity benefits. Here's a few points you could use in your submission. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><i>1. More focus is needed on ecological values, biodiversity and connectivity</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ask Council to do more to prioritise conservation and protection of local biodiversity through its Tree Management Policy, DCP and Customer Guide. </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Council Policy and supporting guidance should prioritise local native trees everywhere, <i>not only</i> in areas close to an existing natural area or riparian zone (see Council Business papers Item 4, p.3). The DCP and Tree Management documentation should prioritise growing local native species in every urban context to support the protection, restoration and re-establishment of biodiversity corridors and connections across the LGA. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Customer Guide should encourage planting of suitable local native trees as the top priority, over the more generic "right tree in the right place" approach mentioned on p.23. </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><i>2. Local natives need to be top priority in the Urban Greening Strategy</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our key observation is that the majority of WCC verge plantings to date are either exotics (e.g. Magnolias) or Australian natives not local to Illawarra (such as Crepe Myrtles or Red Flowering Gums), while the local species planted are dominated by Tuckeroo and the Water Gum 'Luscious' cultivar. Ask Council to do better! </span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Tree Management Policy and the 'palette of tree species' it uses for urban greening (Item 4, p.3) should prioritise (1) local native species where at all possible (2) Australian native species where a local native option is not available and (3) an exotic where literally no other feasible option is available. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Council plans to trial some long-lived and hardy local native species such as Red Ash (<i>Alphitonia excelsa</i>, Native Guava (<i>Alectryon subcinereus</i>) and Illawarra Plum Pine (<i>Podocarpus elatus</i>) that are already doing well on verges around the region and elsewhere. Ask Council to 'just get on with it' rather than doing yet more testing and trials. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ask Council to work harder on ensuring that local native trees are available for planting when required. The nursery at Wollongong Botanic Garden produces a wide range of local native species and should should be able to supply these as tube stock for urban greening projects with sufficient (12-18 months) notice. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ask Council to allow residents to trial selected local native species on their own verges once constraints such as underground pipes etc have been assessed.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqA4f730VrZFx4KIBXOVzM_d5YYSceR3XuT9qn7hs_Ccl7E2E4NHxpvzy9f40h7iHN5ddlsYglREZnLk8H1apBjFJ4IV_xCOZ_hAJDTz4aPrV-Nkq0Ez-HYV1Z0rYkGTj9LQjl9M04FXHKY6arlA0MfeSXuHU_EHDbzauT3Gw-pHA6KBgVx7SiNU/s3024/Alectryonsubcinereus003SH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqA4f730VrZFx4KIBXOVzM_d5YYSceR3XuT9qn7hs_Ccl7E2E4NHxpvzy9f40h7iHN5ddlsYglREZnLk8H1apBjFJ4IV_xCOZ_hAJDTz4aPrV-Nkq0Ez-HYV1Z0rYkGTj9LQjl9M04FXHKY6arlA0MfeSXuHU_EHDbzauT3Gw-pHA6KBgVx7SiNU/w640-h640/Alectryonsubcinereus003SH.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Native Quince (<i>Alectryon subcinereus</i>), a species proposed by WCC for 'trial plantings' although its resilience and adaptability are well known. Why are trials required? Image by Emma Rooksby.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></li></ul></div><div><i style="font-family: verdana;">3<span style="font-size: medium;">. Which trees and other vegetation are protected and require a permit to remove needs to be clearer in the Customer Guide</span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Chapter E17 of the DCP is clear that the definition of 'Declared tree or vegetation' includes a much wider range of trees and vegetation than just 'tree over 5m high or 300mm at its base' (see Item 4, p.22, points 2-5). Properly interpreted, the DCP will protect mapped areas of native vegetation, threatened species habitat and vegetation in riparian zones. Unfortunately the Customer Guide - the crucial document for most people making decisions - doesn't give enough direction as to the full range of declared vegetation. The information on p.19 is general and only mentions trees, not other vegetation, and it refers to 'protected . </span></div><div></div><p></p><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Customer Guide should provide much greater direction regarding 'Declared Trees or Other Vegetation' that require a Council permit to clear. It should make it clear that people need a permit to clear native vegetation, vegetation that provides habitat or likely habitat for threatened species, populations and endangered ecological communities, or vegetation in riparian zones. This is particularly important because some indigenous tree species that provide vital habitat and biodiversity don't reach 5m in height.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>4. Use 'carrots' (incentives) to make growing local easier for residents</i></span><i style="font-family: verdana;"> </i></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Allowing residents to remove trees up to 5m, rather than 3m, gives residents more control and ownership. But without the right incentives and education, this may not result in a net increase in either canopy cover or local biodiversity. The 'missing link' is active community education and engagement around (a) benefits of increased canopy cover and (b) the important role of urban forests in providing habitat for local wildlife. Some options that you could recommend include: </span></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ask Council to provide a free 'local garden consultation' to residents, to help them learn about the ecological communities that would once have grown on their land, choose local species suitable for their property and design a garden to suit them. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ask Council to provide 2-3 free local tubestock from the WBG Nursery to ratepayers each year, with more plants available to residents in low canopy cover suburbs. </span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><i>5. Use innovative 'sticks' (requirements) to increase tree canopy on private land </i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of the key challenges Council faces is increasing canopy cover on private land, which is 75% of the LGA. Pressures on trees on private land are increasing. Current DA conditions such as a requirement to plant 'two for one' on new developments are useless if the new trees can simply be removed by the new owners without a Council permit because they are below the 3m - or proposed 5m - threshold. Alternatives are needed to ensure the new owners actually retain trees planted as a replacement for those removed during development.</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ask Council to review the effectiveness of the 'two for one' tree replacement provision on new developments and consider alternatives such as a total canopy target as a percentage of the lot. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ask Council to consider </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">stipulating minimum tree numbers for each private block based on lot size and/or street frontage. Other Councils take this kind of measure, such as Merri </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bek Council in Melbourne. </span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whatever your views, please write to WCC by their deadline of 16 December and ask them to do more to support growing Illawarra natives. There are lots of options to provide feedback <a href="https://our.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/tree-management-policy-and-dcp-chapter-review" target="_blank">here</a>, including an online information session and an online feedback form. Or you could just send an email to <a href="mailto:records@wollongong.nsw.gov.au">records@wollongong.nsw.gov.au</a>. Go for it! </span></div></div></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdH5wwX2THm0FxLfbppjGR_EFa_jPekbmtsjtJIxeqMS5Ey9W7GlGFRvCiPw9VFvpH5UBKziqgIKSDKIMkKpwnnLzWfF8RcBUsWB7wRdaE4mu9hNUtfDb-1d3VSOnfEknq8BfRXh9XTnMwpTiXATiXk_DXPF3SGMRFe2d8mKSnKupldqcPjKPds6Y/s3024/Podocarpuselatus003SH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdH5wwX2THm0FxLfbppjGR_EFa_jPekbmtsjtJIxeqMS5Ey9W7GlGFRvCiPw9VFvpH5UBKziqgIKSDKIMkKpwnnLzWfF8RcBUsWB7wRdaE4mu9hNUtfDb-1d3VSOnfEknq8BfRXh9XTnMwpTiXATiXk_DXPF3SGMRFe2d8mKSnKupldqcPjKPds6Y/w400-h400/Podocarpuselatus003SH.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This beautifully maintained Illawarra Plum Pine (<i>Podocarpus elatus</i>) is on a quiet street in Lake Heights and appears to be much loved by the property owners. Does this species require further trial plantings, or is it good to go?? Image by Emma Rooksby.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-24133598779988960732022-10-25T21:23:00.009+11:002022-11-09T18:01:45.040+11:00Celebrating: International Bat Week!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuZubonSuBJzSGz-EL0DYOywSBgXU1QbtxxrLBv4Sn01unGYZclzan0FRD8_YZsY6h-b6txPvkXrlNBDnXZEWXMYIcKtV0Nz4t7uxvToajzXCPvZJQE_waqW5JG_Ty4laVpZAJMrwuFFDzRXdw3hfvx2TZ4WKYOJfFArm8XbN2-33bQCkjqwp-hc/s2048/Callistemonsalignus006FNBATS3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1789" data-original-width="2048" height="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuZubonSuBJzSGz-EL0DYOywSBgXU1QbtxxrLBv4Sn01unGYZclzan0FRD8_YZsY6h-b6txPvkXrlNBDnXZEWXMYIcKtV0Nz4t7uxvToajzXCPvZJQE_waqW5JG_Ty4laVpZAJMrwuFFDzRXdw3hfvx2TZ4WKYOJfFArm8XbN2-33bQCkjqwp-hc/w640-h560/Callistemonsalignus006FNBATS3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few Grey-headed Flying-foxes in a Red Ash (<i>Alphitonia excelsa</i>) tree, looking rather sparse in its foliage as it develops fruit. Image by Keith Horton. All rights reserved.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Growing Illawarra Natives provides information about growing local plants that will provide habitat for local fauna. For most people, this is about attracting beautiful birds, and sometimes bees and interesting insects, but bats aren't usually on the list. And in fact some people are so put off by the thought of having bats around that we decided not to emphasise them much on the website. </p><p>BUT! It's International Bat Week, which is an annual celebration of the role of bats in nature (plus a few of us recently got to see a Grey-headed Flying-fox nursery camp). So I couldn't resist doing a post about our local bats, which are such important contributors to the maintenance of ecosystems. Loss of habitat, along with heatwaves associated with climate change, is the major threat to many bat species including ones that occur in Illawarra, so we all have our parts to play in protecting their homes. </p><p>This region is home to nineteen species of bat! Three are Flying-fox species, and the others are tiny little microbats, which flit around the canopy at night and enjoy a diet of moths and other insects. Some species are quite recent arrivals, perhaps as a result of climate change. You can read more about them all and see pictures on Garry Daly's article about <a href="http://blog.growingillawarranatives.org/p/native.html" target="_blank">mammals of the region</a> (note how the word 'bats' isn't included in the title!). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklbByukikcGdpsRQ7afLqIdMi9-nzfpXBFlmW0022h9kyhYzjoX5ahkZCDbzcjHnIlMn3fZTF-Kd09SnNhuemaPAbtKEgtG0dXQgvw9l39Xvv7y11MU8LCOtu7J0BedbL4bsfEqABL6eFcpbnX2XbKRglu_yOBRRHVhFPZyEoSFyJUzzcPsN264E/s1251/Eastern%20Horseshoe%20Bat.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklbByukikcGdpsRQ7afLqIdMi9-nzfpXBFlmW0022h9kyhYzjoX5ahkZCDbzcjHnIlMn3fZTF-Kd09SnNhuemaPAbtKEgtG0dXQgvw9l39Xvv7y11MU8LCOtu7J0BedbL4bsfEqABL6eFcpbnX2XbKRglu_yOBRRHVhFPZyEoSFyJUzzcPsN264E/w492-h640/Eastern%20Horseshoe%20Bat.jpeg" width="492" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Eastern Horseshoe Bat, one of 16 local micro-bat species, has a very distinctive horseshoe-shaped nose. Image by Garry Daly. All rights reserved.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>It's actually breeding season for the Grey-headed Flying-foxes, who have camps around the region. They camp in a range of tree species including Eucalypts, She-oaks (<i>Casuarinas</i> and <i>Allocasuarinas</i>) and assorted other sclerophyll and rainforest trees. The image below shows a mother and baby Grey-headed Flying-fox in a Pink Tips (<i>Callistemon salignus</i>) tree. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXbq5nwr1ILlhEIlTaNMGCMUqql2cEEDt9_FXfgsewY_Qi-dwyhH-ClrAwuk50a44e1PqkYYj0IAkFhXuQthfm8ifJD6oaFm71e6PQfIm1CNgmawOCFqrZietdPaK5agOBlmnF942laywMH2edsDkfL3uD0v82Gz1MvfLQ1bqoPlt-3-UXuZK3gY/s2048/Callistemonsalignus006FNBATS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="2048" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXbq5nwr1ILlhEIlTaNMGCMUqql2cEEDt9_FXfgsewY_Qi-dwyhH-ClrAwuk50a44e1PqkYYj0IAkFhXuQthfm8ifJD6oaFm71e6PQfIm1CNgmawOCFqrZietdPaK5agOBlmnF942laywMH2edsDkfL3uD0v82Gz1MvfLQ1bqoPlt-3-UXuZK3gY/w640-h562/Callistemonsalignus006FNBATS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mother and baby Grey-headed Flying-foxes. Image by Keith Horton. All rights reserved.</td></tr></tbody></table>Flying-foxes are important pollinators of many native species, including Eucalypts and rainforest trees. They rely on native forests for food and shelter, and in turn disperse seeds which contribute to maintenance and regeneration of native vegetation. If you're finding seedlings of Sandpaper Fig (<i>Ficus coronata</i>) in your garden, they might have grown from seed dropped there by a passing Flying-fox, together with a handy serve of fertiliser. Particularly if you live near remnant vegetation, adding a Eucalypt, some Paperbarks (<i>Melaleucas</i>) or even a Fig tree, could help keep the area hospitable for bats. <p></p><p>Some people are (understandably) concerned about their personal safety around bats. As this <a href="https://cdn.shellharbour.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/Environment_documents/flying-foxessigange.pdf" target="_blank">beautiful and informative brochure </a>from Shellharbour City Council explains, there is very little public health risk from bats as long as there's no handling or direct contact with them. Just keep your distance, and if you see a bat that's in trouble, contact WIRES for assistance.</p><p>Happy International Bat Week, and check out <a href="https://batweek.org/" target="_blank">this webpage </a>for more resources (mostly US-based)! </p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-11906712276113780712022-10-07T23:26:00.005+11:002023-10-30T17:39:43.271+11:00Did you know: Growing Illawarra Natives covers permaculture! <div><span style="font-family: verdana;">On my wanders in the last few days I've come across several indigenous plants that would make a great contribution in permaculture gardens. And - coincidence? - I've also run into several people who wanted to know more about how local natives could be used in permaculture. As we walked and talked, we came across so many suitable plants, such as: </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPpUWzEmcvMMkVjBOExP0ZTeifhNznr-86rw1nkUc4lrZJsUOq8CYAGsgnuy9KITb0Vti0YC2LbTqHQXseP00is-OtKbSbSfdgnttI3a3krV9_NysRHyawSp7aXWlQsxTwopXJa__gJTb9baR-bO8nMB4MFtCNYN2CESu3KSOE5CKPl8FghWVnD0/s3024/IMG_7263.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPpUWzEmcvMMkVjBOExP0ZTeifhNznr-86rw1nkUc4lrZJsUOq8CYAGsgnuy9KITb0Vti0YC2LbTqHQXseP00is-OtKbSbSfdgnttI3a3krV9_NysRHyawSp7aXWlQsxTwopXJa__gJTb9baR-bO8nMB4MFtCNYN2CESu3KSOE5CKPl8FghWVnD0/w640-h640/IMG_7263.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">You can't go past Native Broom (<i>Viminaria juncea</i>) as a fast-growing shelter tree that also attracts masses of insect pollinators, plus also fixing nitrogen in the soil. </span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAPh2ggrWHBzrsy7y_K0ZFYNWJRdWoGhOU9EpGUSwYEjhSdtG-aI6q4kAN0AtwqbG_zSTqok5AnJhqcwyuH7KhHRiEm4lC7kdHGA2kovbpZux1LrTd64552Kj49oIoXw-PkVsZDiM8_Nmff-s1nYreglsuTy1Ag5WYJ-gn2UtizMgFHd5_yvmExc/w640-h640/Piperhederaceum003LV2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Giant Pepper Vine (<i>Piper hederaceum</i>) has a wealth of uses in permaculture. The fruit can be used the same way as cultivated pepper (<i>P. nigrum</i>), while the young leaves and growing tips are edible in salads and stir fries. A fast-growing plant, Giant Pepper Vine puts on bulk that could be put to use in chop-and-drop. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAPh2ggrWHBzrsy7y_K0ZFYNWJRdWoGhOU9EpGUSwYEjhSdtG-aI6q4kAN0AtwqbG_zSTqok5AnJhqcwyuH7KhHRiEm4lC7kdHGA2kovbpZux1LrTd64552Kj49oIoXw-PkVsZDiM8_Nmff-s1nYreglsuTy1Ag5WYJ-gn2UtizMgFHd5_yvmExc/s3024/Piperhederaceum003LV2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"></span></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzldx9PVNis4YGGqes1yqihEjSAa4HRTbynD6ljU-6nBH-UEP9gIR-cqRyZA16CFUsRDaZF-byLAw0EO8TScnwCt0UiHDxNRXmx9WH4Di2Ema4OQjTChYUzkxoJ8RVOD52FgCo2ruXqX_Q5wYPs1heWtyDZnfhbR7Ck60-FkhNMridsCM0_1ctWw/s3024/Plantagodebilis003SL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzldx9PVNis4YGGqes1yqihEjSAa4HRTbynD6ljU-6nBH-UEP9gIR-cqRyZA16CFUsRDaZF-byLAw0EO8TScnwCt0UiHDxNRXmx9WH4Di2Ema4OQjTChYUzkxoJ8RVOD52FgCo2ruXqX_Q5wYPs1heWtyDZnfhbR7Ck60-FkhNMridsCM0_1ctWw/w640-h640/Plantagodebilis003SL.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The soft, gently toothed leaves of this native Plantago (<i>P. debilis</i>) are edible, with a mild, pleasant taste. It's also a fast-spreading and growing ground cover that can help cover bare soil.</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3DvW38VRnjGBPhKIuN_zq2T9wNseuXpeoBni9IlCWWssZOY8nMQfFwRXzQKCJS7N1NNbG3SMXvRfO_dFxP70gLu9KbVPVFBdBIyGEnl7-ZQmQ7QaqaXWjwdxlSgXK2XLZa7-xxLRaEVRmP57dObAkV-BrMMgrjRsxTwYVTy-gCK6NhTiYBlrLl0/s3024/Rorippalaciniata003SHW.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3DvW38VRnjGBPhKIuN_zq2T9wNseuXpeoBni9IlCWWssZOY8nMQfFwRXzQKCJS7N1NNbG3SMXvRfO_dFxP70gLu9KbVPVFBdBIyGEnl7-ZQmQ7QaqaXWjwdxlSgXK2XLZa7-xxLRaEVRmP57dObAkV-BrMMgrjRsxTwYVTy-gCK6NhTiYBlrLl0/w640-h640/Rorippalaciniata003SHW.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Many species of native cress, including the <i>Cardamines</i> and <i>Rorippas</i>, are edible and quite palpable. Care needs to be taken in identification. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It reminded me that we did a post on GIN a few years back about local natives in permaculture. It's about as current as ever, so I'm sharing it again <a href="https://blog.growingillawarranatives.org/2018/01/permaculture-with-illawarra-native.html" target="_blank">here</a>. On that note, please g</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">et in touch here or via </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/GrowingIllawarraNatives" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> if you've got questions or permie connections to share!</span></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-75119448907927503462022-09-22T22:11:00.010+10:002022-09-23T11:00:24.393+10:00Garden inspiration: a Mount Pleasant rainforest haven<span style="font-family: verdana;">I had the great pleasure recently of wandering round a garden in the upper reaches of Mount Pleasant, helping the owners learn more about the ecology of the land they care for. It's an astonishing spot, directly adjacent to the Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area, and still home to many native fauna species including local yabbies. </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarfKeRUdlsBSbbNdmZFGnh6Ep2LTAPtdvrRx24CvIOjq5FNoh85dQlmkrTW2fpAzK2fx-sOyWymKXovj3RjabrWvbFmLRrLtQ8xwLprHZC9ts6vy8Fquyi_FEr56k35M1pSOHdoaIT9jZl_EPYsrHUfnwWXrhCRgNoBs5V8-umxhNEQcFD0jZr4Y/s4032/IMG_6480.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarfKeRUdlsBSbbNdmZFGnh6Ep2LTAPtdvrRx24CvIOjq5FNoh85dQlmkrTW2fpAzK2fx-sOyWymKXovj3RjabrWvbFmLRrLtQ8xwLprHZC9ts6vy8Fquyi_FEr56k35M1pSOHdoaIT9jZl_EPYsrHUfnwWXrhCRgNoBs5V8-umxhNEQcFD0jZr4Y/w640-h480/IMG_6480.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The creek that meanders through the lower garden is home to a host of indigenous fern species, up to and including the large Bird's Nest Fern (<i>Asplenium australasicum</i>) and tall Straw Tree Ferns (<i>Cyathea cooperi</i>), which help stabilise the creek bank. We counted about ten indigenous fern species on the block. (NB some species visible in this picture aren't indigenous.)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">One inspiring thing about visiting local gardens is seeing how well they can support natural regeneration processes, with a rich native seed bed and regular visits from birds resulting in a wide range of indigenous seedlings popping up. In this case the owners, Gerard and Sheila, have been actively working to protect the seedlings, and the result is a garden with high and increasing (plant) species diversity. </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As well as many rainforest species, there were also some massive Blackbutts (<i>Eucalyptus pilularis</i>) and and Turpentines (<i>Syncarpia glomulifera</i>), plus a few other species characteristic of the wet sclerophyll (Eucalypt) forest. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0Q97KjFyY_v2m63fIhbgq7BhKVJkDJ6WaILzJNVuwRwviNct9iSIR3tFAH9wCKwNWcLoGvfsGI2GGSRnvCHDNZk-0fboArJL2V2xVRm0mNbrFlM1xpnd6bUrNyGv_cksv0rc23_Pq_wodv24R53UAD4kv568lNt0Oin2t1GaBlmI3djWG89-QQI/s4032/IMG_6503.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0Q97KjFyY_v2m63fIhbgq7BhKVJkDJ6WaILzJNVuwRwviNct9iSIR3tFAH9wCKwNWcLoGvfsGI2GGSRnvCHDNZk-0fboArJL2V2xVRm0mNbrFlM1xpnd6bUrNyGv_cksv0rc23_Pq_wodv24R53UAD4kv568lNt0Oin2t1GaBlmI3djWG89-QQI/w480-h640/IMG_6503.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The tall Euc here is a Blackbutt (<i>Eucalyptus pilularis</i>), while the understorey is quite a mix of natives and exotics. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXCttzMYICptPYaBUUMI3uCVfmpXqlR6S3y0qEzE-rUdvg8PJjCzPa7Hf1_JZjzXh1Z468Qub8D51dg1ecKlNEgjAM4L_UtGjj8W-IqOYk_ArG5Ai8-dxZvyxwfFoDOP9AgOAfafqqcd_YoD1fpskaYcOLBrUYTNmiFLQ1llEcAtHo1XWomn957E/s3024/IMG_6502.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXCttzMYICptPYaBUUMI3uCVfmpXqlR6S3y0qEzE-rUdvg8PJjCzPa7Hf1_JZjzXh1Z468Qub8D51dg1ecKlNEgjAM4L_UtGjj8W-IqOYk_ArG5Ai8-dxZvyxwfFoDOP9AgOAfafqqcd_YoD1fpskaYcOLBrUYTNmiFLQ1llEcAtHo1XWomn957E/w640-h640/IMG_6502.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Below the Blackbutt is growing one of the largest Narrow-leafed Geebungs (<i>Persoonia linearis</i>) I've seen in this area. It's massive, and the distinctive dark flaky bark with rusty-orange tones underneath is clearly visible. This particular Geeing had a lot of fruit on it, not yet ripe, but hanging there in gorgeous greenish bunches. </span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsbibrOOrG0ioee078Lmzh8dBelHWij6um8gaxlbdKJvkMtUMDUCGA7OVxMqtlCIBF7Wd0wyIFR3ZT7QoPaoreBHp1iWTXaqxWQ2rcZm9aI98h6DFKcnD51h3OLU5tjNtSB7QbxvqtTzgdtOfrDeJw37RDwGwfOdMRa39w-W_WbAsutMHF1ykxHI/s3024/IMG_6500.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsbibrOOrG0ioee078Lmzh8dBelHWij6um8gaxlbdKJvkMtUMDUCGA7OVxMqtlCIBF7Wd0wyIFR3ZT7QoPaoreBHp1iWTXaqxWQ2rcZm9aI98h6DFKcnD51h3OLU5tjNtSB7QbxvqtTzgdtOfrDeJw37RDwGwfOdMRa39w-W_WbAsutMHF1ykxHI/w640-h640/IMG_6500.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">OK OK I can't resist sharing a shot of the Geeing fruit, nestled in among the long narrow leaves that give this species its common name. I'd love to see it growing in gardens all over Mount Pleasant, and wherever else in the escarpment foothills it'd be happy to live. </span></td></tr></tbody></table>The garden is an interesting mix of formal lawns and beds and less formal areas. The spot pictured below has a fairly formal aspect, with the Settlers Flax (<i>Gymnostachys anceps</i>) providing a vertical element in the central bed, and low Prickly Rasp Ferns growing around them (see following shot). The leaves of the Settlers Flax seem to be aligning with (?) echoing (?) the tall trunks of Blackbutts and Turpentines in the background. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgNHfP985zOn2Z2ygt2aGI49octo0Z16U0UrXgTLfQpqHh-m_u7syNkwWVTlKcgNhjF4Mmwqc8R9e-AoDpnw_cVIBi7hJ-JAe1TX_hU8oluLvZjp63jeeT-sJDz083gCDHFpcpdsCSeY1rV3C4EqxiKHgyTu-FX2xHN2RP1Mm600Z521iqOV7dnE/s4032/IMG_6485.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgNHfP985zOn2Z2ygt2aGI49octo0Z16U0UrXgTLfQpqHh-m_u7syNkwWVTlKcgNhjF4Mmwqc8R9e-AoDpnw_cVIBi7hJ-JAe1TX_hU8oluLvZjp63jeeT-sJDz083gCDHFpcpdsCSeY1rV3C4EqxiKHgyTu-FX2xHN2RP1Mm600Z521iqOV7dnE/w640-h480/IMG_6485.jpeg" width="640" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS5fo6RF1j3rLB8wPGQiGXvJE_Eb_hm14N-zhBs-WNtL43Cz1CqPOV2MQinvvmRxsukeXaf7HzE5PeNrnGeOptmRst0LbbIM3mFcGq7qhyfIdHrB5EZX3h34YZOvR_smrzk_cvGN6FrFVF_ZualBnAPha96NSCfCvwhW6PokCLc5K6HWqZnTB0bM/s3024/IMG_6488.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS5fo6RF1j3rLB8wPGQiGXvJE_Eb_hm14N-zhBs-WNtL43Cz1CqPOV2MQinvvmRxsukeXaf7HzE5PeNrnGeOptmRst0LbbIM3mFcGq7qhyfIdHrB5EZX3h34YZOvR_smrzk_cvGN6FrFVF_ZualBnAPha96NSCfCvwhW6PokCLc5K6HWqZnTB0bM/w640-h640/IMG_6488.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Prickly Rasp Fern (<i>Doodia aspera</i>) doing what it does best. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A particular delight of this garden was the huge number of native seedlings popping up. They don't yet contribute to the structure or overall look of the garden, but they will do in years to come. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7unK3nTRwbXvQqXSd-1XrZcCv8MQJ_R0866VTr88Tiq5GE-QrZmj12zLBVvY5ERdHu8MtUlR7B1giZvLTgH3bJ8zZ-izCEpG3iAx2lGIOp4cgo3WxxOh01C8RDG1aCjcu1PTlYWt8mTizWyfKY953QxkcX-toMHTd4m8qisTenRpuI9Fg-lfeKsA/s3024/IMG_6487.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7unK3nTRwbXvQqXSd-1XrZcCv8MQJ_R0866VTr88Tiq5GE-QrZmj12zLBVvY5ERdHu8MtUlR7B1giZvLTgH3bJ8zZ-izCEpG3iAx2lGIOp4cgo3WxxOh01C8RDG1aCjcu1PTlYWt8mTizWyfKY953QxkcX-toMHTd4m8qisTenRpuI9Fg-lfeKsA/w640-h640/IMG_6487.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Classic rainforest pioneer, Bleeding Heart (<i>Homalanthus populifolius</i>) coming up to wreck the symmetry and order of the garden bed picture above!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcNawR3miLU5G1i5QZrv_CZSswCDrI6iP1r3k3xGjv03jHTFVnD6yQbD0m4ktvT2aUVl2ikzMMdpjw-Kjt01DiqNAZ3ctxM5ON_l57nJAQgOVqKFKQf3-RYXHEyL6j0zt5YNqBBS8YwJPQL4xburjiUmoOzgcTE3H1A5sXTKDLwL9QAGl0BVo3E0/s3024/IMG_6448.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcNawR3miLU5G1i5QZrv_CZSswCDrI6iP1r3k3xGjv03jHTFVnD6yQbD0m4ktvT2aUVl2ikzMMdpjw-Kjt01DiqNAZ3ctxM5ON_l57nJAQgOVqKFKQf3-RYXHEyL6j0zt5YNqBBS8YwJPQL4xburjiUmoOzgcTE3H1A5sXTKDLwL9QAGl0BVo3E0/w640-h640/IMG_6448.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">This seedling is one I've never seen in a garden before! It's a Hairy Psychotria (<i>P. loniceroides</i>) just hanging out happily in a dry rock wall. The recent La Niña sequences seems to have given this species a bit of a chance to recover from drought conditions, so it will be interesting to see how the new plants go over the next few years. Hairy Psychotria can grow to around 3m tall and has gorgeous translucent green-yellow fruit. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9Crk_FpU5hEHaALXzOo5gmD0Yz3U62JbzJV427PjWUuLr11O3eY2CzglU7v6Pn7QFNyzj4wJ0T4ycaE4RnIQLiO879KwflxwS4cToRtXDKFOgm1Eh3ah7_CebTzLKhNmc9PWM6o3DYS1MlbrRQMuld3sx4heojT0hjpZrh71rlS6musuDEomWKY/s4032/IMG_6467.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9Crk_FpU5hEHaALXzOo5gmD0Yz3U62JbzJV427PjWUuLr11O3eY2CzglU7v6Pn7QFNyzj4wJ0T4ycaE4RnIQLiO879KwflxwS4cToRtXDKFOgm1Eh3ah7_CebTzLKhNmc9PWM6o3DYS1MlbrRQMuld3sx4heojT0hjpZrh71rlS6musuDEomWKY/w480-h640/IMG_6467.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Last but not least, a young Native Tamarind (<i>Diploglottis australis</i>) growing happily in the understorey. This may eventually become a large and handsome tree. </span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">There was so much else to see in this garden, I think I got a bit distracted and forgot to take enough photos! But if you're in Mount Pleasant, this is the kind of thing you could get going without buying in any plants. Just let them grow themselves! </span><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCDDpEQPtv0hNQ-_gwQ05PLCD3J-UAmR5VFnMJYG1qJ9oZcLlJNdaFvuyDT_SgvmTFZUhAJKO5poFtILlVNB2p1lWJPf5t7OLEPgLTbdYvWn7UttGseYSEcVp3bi_k-4kS2jrL4qrpY5tS_UxFVaJY-FUfPN8vdITdqo5FA_JshigsrRR_Vyv8-E/s4032/IMG_6455.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCDDpEQPtv0hNQ-_gwQ05PLCD3J-UAmR5VFnMJYG1qJ9oZcLlJNdaFvuyDT_SgvmTFZUhAJKO5poFtILlVNB2p1lWJPf5t7OLEPgLTbdYvWn7UttGseYSEcVp3bi_k-4kS2jrL4qrpY5tS_UxFVaJY-FUfPN8vdITdqo5FA_JshigsrRR_Vyv8-E/w480-h640/IMG_6455.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The Straw Tree Ferns (<i>Cyathea cooperi</i>) were a conspicuous element along the creek. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-81511290946733187812022-09-13T23:51:00.009+10:002023-10-30T17:15:41.233+11:00Celebrating: spring pinks and reds<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's spring! And my goodness aren't the pinks and reds of all the local plants making themselves known? There's fresh colour appearing right across the escarpment, along the coastline, and in the damp creek gullies, with plants busy putting out new shoots, leaves, flowers and even fruit. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But really the leaves are the thing! So many reds, oranges, pinks, mauves and crimsons are out at the moment. I just had to do a little survey of what's on offer.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdqN2win7mluJiccBP20yZLIeqClF3TyVBNHjTxCe_3frIuVUyBLxhB5BKW0vP3TryQtTxF1aJ1A-UQpCthGxMe1QWXhlWW3ET-jjs8C1d1QW_7bcIHJjiHj6JdeQ3VA0sNiUCE7mdMgje8_eBFvJzU1V3nQEHimIZ9lybbh0topHEWa9G8HXd4g/s2048/ToonaciliataDeonneLV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdqN2win7mluJiccBP20yZLIeqClF3TyVBNHjTxCe_3frIuVUyBLxhB5BKW0vP3TryQtTxF1aJ1A-UQpCthGxMe1QWXhlWW3ET-jjs8C1d1QW_7bcIHJjiHj6JdeQ3VA0sNiUCE7mdMgje8_eBFvJzU1V3nQEHimIZ9lybbh0topHEWa9G8HXd4g/w480-h640/ToonaciliataDeonneLV.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">First and foremost is the new foliage of the Red Cedar (<i>Toona ciliata</i>). It's turning parts of the escarpment purple-red right now. Close up the leaves are absolutely amazing. Image by Deonne Nobbs.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZa7si7a8VwDQP0qCRKvzRH4Bg1KQPslwmWvI32crJobaxr5rc8RhRU-o9fnHR9XUS-HhAG2XbnZJhSew1gICh4SBejkNX2xj1juo4gGsz8dKiVG0RiAs3tpjn6ZohfWPP88m0FL8zju9-Xgxws0aQBc3r0QmptOZCplN-a0GaFqklsTRXHdK42Zk/s3024/Gossiaacmenoides003LV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZa7si7a8VwDQP0qCRKvzRH4Bg1KQPslwmWvI32crJobaxr5rc8RhRU-o9fnHR9XUS-HhAG2XbnZJhSew1gICh4SBejkNX2xj1juo4gGsz8dKiVG0RiAs3tpjn6ZohfWPP88m0FL8zju9-Xgxws0aQBc3r0QmptOZCplN-a0GaFqklsTRXHdK42Zk/w640-h640/Gossiaacmenoides003LV.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Look at the gorgeous peachy and plummy new leaf tones on this endangered Scrub Ironwood (<i>Gossia acmenoides</i>) growing along the lower creek in the Wollongong Botanic Garden. This is one of many amazing Illawarra local plants in that part of the Garden. It's worth a look if you're in the area getting a snack from the coffee cart. Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wwem4X6WEb9noB5-f-Ikv2g4SYkvAzgGFNauO2ZUbQ9-RMHKCifmaML_OS6wxWkmsPzYIFNlt3-mqZ53lMgB7cNx3gVd2OrYlGutDqkVQDFw49vG-MlUBCHy-6mjEraEItQlCB0O36n3PWr7Q88SgJT9Z3tnN4sMAUO8bQI6rEfvpTm8CZCeFsE/s4032/Homalanthuspopulifolius003LV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wwem4X6WEb9noB5-f-Ikv2g4SYkvAzgGFNauO2ZUbQ9-RMHKCifmaML_OS6wxWkmsPzYIFNlt3-mqZ53lMgB7cNx3gVd2OrYlGutDqkVQDFw49vG-MlUBCHy-6mjEraEItQlCB0O36n3PWr7Q88SgJT9Z3tnN4sMAUO8bQI6rEfvpTm8CZCeFsE/w640-h480/Homalanthuspopulifolius003LV.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Who can resist the gorgeous drooping leaves of the Bleeding Heart (<i>Homalanthus populifolius</i>)? This plant's leaves were particularly droopy, to the point where I wondered if the plant was OK. It seems to have perked up again in the last day or so, thank goodness. Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb33BmjBpWnEMRT2ST3D5voV8tpPV9ryzfQ2KIOgjr8EfK58pIdALERfTm_0ux9kFLMgyn0r-6ZosseVshKs9IOv7MviLFx-uNL-5pG8P7YPYSr7RHTwpFCiypMpizKdPL4Wo1nuezn5FXCp6nxOoIh_fsE-XrcIoVpRONoxx9ymcbNG_9k_Yvk8M/s3024/Glochidionferdinandi003LV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb33BmjBpWnEMRT2ST3D5voV8tpPV9ryzfQ2KIOgjr8EfK58pIdALERfTm_0ux9kFLMgyn0r-6ZosseVshKs9IOv7MviLFx-uNL-5pG8P7YPYSr7RHTwpFCiypMpizKdPL4Wo1nuezn5FXCp6nxOoIh_fsE-XrcIoVpRONoxx9ymcbNG_9k_Yvk8M/w640-h640/Glochidionferdinandi003LV.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Everyone loves cheese, or at least a Cheese Tree, right? This little <i>Glochidion ferdinandi </i>is just the right size for the new leaves to fit into a photo. But even the biggest local Cheese Trees, 10m or so more in height, are covered in colourful new leaves right now, after a semi-deciduous period during late winter. Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYMG4u9pDvxw1_NwspJZju1BYEHTJXDAcP2fX8nEPUfIwLyBz3Y1tV7k5vWgQMg75Vz2-5NxVEFGDqGzDLT1LL5y6mznkzAH3WzoDDLtkntXLNcUzNIPubJKdcSowRQa_Lp4h3W90IfWk8raTFvC991OmugtxoTZgzacHC_J4tUNARrR0dRqrhos/s3024/Trochocarpalaurina003LV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYMG4u9pDvxw1_NwspJZju1BYEHTJXDAcP2fX8nEPUfIwLyBz3Y1tV7k5vWgQMg75Vz2-5NxVEFGDqGzDLT1LL5y6mznkzAH3WzoDDLtkntXLNcUzNIPubJKdcSowRQa_Lp4h3W90IfWk8raTFvC991OmugtxoTZgzacHC_J4tUNARrR0dRqrhos/w640-h640/Trochocarpalaurina003LV.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This shot shows striking red new leaves of a Tree Heath (<i>Trochocarpa laurina</i>). This plant is only a baby, but an established tree can be glowing like red-hot pokers when its new foliage appears. </span></td></tr></tbody></table>There are just too many colourful leaf options out there! And that's before we get to the masses of Red Cedars (</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Toona ciliata</i>) putting on new leaves along the escarpment. They're a bit tricky to photograph but I hope to have a decent shot soon. </span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It should be said though that a lot of focus in gardening is on flowers. So I wanted to add shots of a few red and pink flowers that are out at the moment, particularly the Austral Indigo (<i>Indigofera australis</i>), but also a couple of others that call the sandstone soils up on the plateau home (warning: a lecture is coming up!). </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKs0Dfl-CGrIGHjkinlRFIGRDBnmBlahbgp6IAigSpr2fqmi9L_WzC75cXEBH_m1iYG5fPCTY7OA3UhLpOOiDHxVifl7_E5TYHpzPAxmnTV6qnWGrDvQhsSBDBGsZbSly6tXa7egQGkVihM66z5JEtpP0Q-g3GIUvYTtb_4zufCGa8uxUuTxgCNA/s3024/Indigoferaaustralis003SH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKs0Dfl-CGrIGHjkinlRFIGRDBnmBlahbgp6IAigSpr2fqmi9L_WzC75cXEBH_m1iYG5fPCTY7OA3UhLpOOiDHxVifl7_E5TYHpzPAxmnTV6qnWGrDvQhsSBDBGsZbSly6tXa7egQGkVihM66z5JEtpP0Q-g3GIUvYTtb_4zufCGa8uxUuTxgCNA/w640-h640/Indigoferaaustralis003SH.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Austral Indigo (<i>Indigofera australis</i>) doing its thing. So much colour, and it attracts all sorts of insect pollinators too. Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6XaLdOH15RfTVeFIVDdoBnz259LAGn1naarGRDIuhsvkCtsbu6-eKFI4JDXtSGQBhsnZsi_ooldqPhcnU683ESdVren4wdEhgwpw8BLybSGP9t9uP7B05x9zhAbNncpokRVq9LjJzUd7xkDaGR5UbUxvY7l3-kU752-IrkJLFPSexVcOV0of8CY/s3024/Telopeaspeciosissima003FL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6XaLdOH15RfTVeFIVDdoBnz259LAGn1naarGRDIuhsvkCtsbu6-eKFI4JDXtSGQBhsnZsi_ooldqPhcnU683ESdVren4wdEhgwpw8BLybSGP9t9uP7B05x9zhAbNncpokRVq9LjJzUd7xkDaGR5UbUxvY7l3-kU752-IrkJLFPSexVcOV0of8CY/w640-h640/Telopeaspeciosissima003FL.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Ooops, had to add this sneaky Waratah shot. <i>Telopea speciosissima</i> is one of the plants that Growing Illawarra Natives doesn't encourage people to grow if you live on the coastal plain or the escarpment slopes - it is just too unreliable. But now and then, in the right conditions and with appropriate care, a Waratah can do well. This one at Wollongong Botanic Garden is just starting to flower. Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHoNhlK-MiV1NBD6tHIAv7_GZUXCY8bn1DMxjRjNdJyxvAQe_WMygSSEMNL50SjNHDgsG0jvOsIf-ezWGIRsZiP5wrEqd52sASCnwFwmp5Nr8oHYzZW9KasrszMQxIh-bXwhGyh9CwXLx5cagj1ekVJvOIgRPinGv7cEur8RkXDWT-b_2p_IEzdM/s4032/Grevilleaoleoides003FL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHoNhlK-MiV1NBD6tHIAv7_GZUXCY8bn1DMxjRjNdJyxvAQe_WMygSSEMNL50SjNHDgsG0jvOsIf-ezWGIRsZiP5wrEqd52sASCnwFwmp5Nr8oHYzZW9KasrszMQxIh-bXwhGyh9CwXLx5cagj1ekVJvOIgRPinGv7cEur8RkXDWT-b_2p_IEzdM/w480-h640/Grevilleaoleoides003FL.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Oh, OK, so ANOTHER Hawkesbury sandstone species has appeared. Yes, it's true that most of the plants with red flowers that grow naturally in the Illawarra are up on the plateau, growing on sandstone. And most of them do very poorly on clay soils. But this one, Red Spider-flower (<i>Grevillea oleoides</i>) is one that is fairly adaptable. Not that I want to give you any ideas!! Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">So that's a bit of a survey of the local colour at the moment. Much more is happening out there, so put on your walking boots and have a look at what is flowering, fruiting and 'leafing' near you! If you'd like to share, pop over to the Growing Illawarra Natives group on Facebook. </span></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-73555391428959857932022-08-06T22:12:00.002+10:002022-08-06T22:13:10.550+10:00Try growing: Pointed Boobialla (Myoporum acuminatum)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofRmZeLx-GzgsIfHWjuIu_NYUkyzrBy4PKp-8OOB_JugNG5DK39V8APARrO9FwoVPS0cV8IpXs0i9ElwMqDUKt2MfLotwXLXQYbZsyNBdn8y-zt8JaE0q6aRGseQ2eZH0E25Xz4rVuq7RClXrmxCCfsK0vZ78t9nkzHvmGx1bMsB6ZcbaFI3GIVw/s4032/Myoporumacuminatum003SH.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofRmZeLx-GzgsIfHWjuIu_NYUkyzrBy4PKp-8OOB_JugNG5DK39V8APARrO9FwoVPS0cV8IpXs0i9ElwMqDUKt2MfLotwXLXQYbZsyNBdn8y-zt8JaE0q6aRGseQ2eZH0E25Xz4rVuq7RClXrmxCCfsK0vZ78t9nkzHvmGx1bMsB6ZcbaFI3GIVw/w400-h300/Myoporumacuminatum003SH.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />There's always something interesting in flower or fruit around Illawarra, and you don't have to go far to find them. I find I often bump into a beautiful shrub or tree when I'm focusing on something completely different. And so it was with this beautiful Pointed Boobialla (Myoporum acuminatum) which is growing in an estate down at Bellambi, right next to the surf club. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">There I was, on the way to a Landcare meeting, getting lost as usual, so the wrong turn that took me into Stathes Mews was completely random. And there by good luck was this beautiful, hardy tree, growing amid the concrete and asphalt, completely covered in beautiful white flowers speckled with purple. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJ5xi2lU7_htkrUc_MgqpZcST8fUJAxlvL6OFvva9CPb4rjaVvjzrjnqwHWjvNHaxzx6GqxsiGVcoU0DUrHlNlk3fA_UqHswfxKyoDrstGMaHyQ8_zqdfeK4D243tIRw34TzqRms1iKuQaUcapDfNXPUgmOFjO7LhsuVftshlKePxWM3V60UyeAg/s3024/Myoporumacuminatum003FL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJ5xi2lU7_htkrUc_MgqpZcST8fUJAxlvL6OFvva9CPb4rjaVvjzrjnqwHWjvNHaxzx6GqxsiGVcoU0DUrHlNlk3fA_UqHswfxKyoDrstGMaHyQ8_zqdfeK4D243tIRw34TzqRms1iKuQaUcapDfNXPUgmOFjO7LhsuVftshlKePxWM3V60UyeAg/w400-h400/Myoporumacuminatum003FL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, the flowers aren't that conspicuous in the bigger scheme of things. But if you get up close to them, they're absolutely gorgeous. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's a closeup, showing the distinctive purple markings of the flower. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgvRTXZwHbzA50TMQRiB-lOonSiBWQ9j_2BGBNr6z4mRce2Dw1jbkiwLrUcI7x35jEcBmWpySKnJRNIsRc3HP9LfRxIecHFGABeIXamuMkoMWIasiNPha-Gp5Nilp8tUBoGIKMfTA8TK2bc1vT8_oEpsgGdwE88slui-TxeA3vKiipTKfaGOI5so/s800/Myoporumacuminatum016FL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgvRTXZwHbzA50TMQRiB-lOonSiBWQ9j_2BGBNr6z4mRce2Dw1jbkiwLrUcI7x35jEcBmWpySKnJRNIsRc3HP9LfRxIecHFGABeIXamuMkoMWIasiNPha-Gp5Nilp8tUBoGIKMfTA8TK2bc1vT8_oEpsgGdwE88slui-TxeA3vKiipTKfaGOI5so/w400-h400/Myoporumacuminatum016FL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The purple markings on the flower may be a 'runway' for insect pollinators. </span><span data-sheets-userformat="{"2":4540,"5":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"6":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"7":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"8":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"10":2,"11":0,"15":"arial,sans,sans-serif"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Image by Mithra Cox, reproduced under CC BY-NC 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/)."}" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-align: start;">Image by Mithra Cox, reproduced under CC BY-NC 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">One important characteristic of Pointed Boobialla is its tolerance of near-coastal conditions. It grows naturally in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest in coastal areas, and can be seen in the hind dunes at Puckeys Estate or Perkins Beach in Winding, roughing it with Coastal Banksias (B. integrifolia), Coast Teatree (Leptospermum laevigatum) and other super-tough species. <br /><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zmS12DwuNw4d4yZpUiwF218-NjjtGTPv17gs1dY3MrS8cLLNCTO7RzAJkUqG3rFLJknpAqMRbNLPN-ns9nBwtwwmX7oBA1HvgJE1aytPCoUvuG9q1rXWlsfpZgHSMIASOLajjher0DHGiQeNjYqt-TqvCZke3x5In6TeLM5aM0sSI27eyxtuzR4/s4032/Myoporumacuminatum004SH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zmS12DwuNw4d4yZpUiwF218-NjjtGTPv17gs1dY3MrS8cLLNCTO7RzAJkUqG3rFLJknpAqMRbNLPN-ns9nBwtwwmX7oBA1HvgJE1aytPCoUvuG9q1rXWlsfpZgHSMIASOLajjher0DHGiQeNjYqt-TqvCZke3x5In6TeLM5aM0sSI27eyxtuzR4/w300-h400/Myoporumacuminatum004SH.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">A mature Pointed Boobialla growing in a small reserve in eastern Towradgi. This is one of the largest local specimens I've seen. Image by Leon Fuller. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you want to learn more about growing Pointed Boobialla, you can check out <a href="https://finder.growingillawarranatives.org/plants/plant/330" target="_blank">the entry at Growing Illawarra Natives</a>. </span></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3U54lsNG_P-u_GPIIJAFYgcalCU8oSTK1FdUZpEMI0B2XvrgX90ahmS03Dq7krc8f3rHu6kCXBawilrbFwa9rcsBjYctGdho7_AWCzAV-g9SZXzM8RtODmbhw8x_DFrgAxz1Qq5bmCzQc-z70WKBVTGJKz3hq3Hp-1lFi9qkEJnf2cjR9mvxKPY/s4032/IMG_5746.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3U54lsNG_P-u_GPIIJAFYgcalCU8oSTK1FdUZpEMI0B2XvrgX90ahmS03Dq7krc8f3rHu6kCXBawilrbFwa9rcsBjYctGdho7_AWCzAV-g9SZXzM8RtODmbhw8x_DFrgAxz1Qq5bmCzQc-z70WKBVTGJKz3hq3Hp-1lFi9qkEJnf2cjR9mvxKPY/w300-h400/IMG_5746.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Lucky last, a shot of the leaves of Pointed Boobialla, from a plant growing in the hind dunes at Puckeys Estate. Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-3341903116796408282022-07-06T12:35:00.013+10:002022-07-19T18:05:14.612+10:00Get active: protect our precious Illawarra Escarpment!<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2pQ0MeWaCRAz31Y1ESh1SEZlE-rjQQ4zGBLDp7DLfPIfTfWp4Ewn3W5LWvVPWY6a1ulUQzq9z7A62jhoEE4wcpqfN7-5fSgrph6XtU7wwaamNPCGc-W85TS-yh1z5lSinZrzC4s0glLx0FF_2Ket5_vDHtjwJ9JlSRzvhvnjtbJTjSNiqKfRrYY/s1023/Illawarra%20Escarpment%20Lisa%20image%20cropped.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="1023" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2pQ0MeWaCRAz31Y1ESh1SEZlE-rjQQ4zGBLDp7DLfPIfTfWp4Ewn3W5LWvVPWY6a1ulUQzq9z7A62jhoEE4wcpqfN7-5fSgrph6XtU7wwaamNPCGc-W85TS-yh1z5lSinZrzC4s0glLx0FF_2Ket5_vDHtjwJ9JlSRzvhvnjtbJTjSNiqKfRrYY/w640-h158/Illawarra%20Escarpment%20Lisa%20image%20cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's time for more action, this time to help protect the Illawarra escarpment! I post sometimes about opportunities to achieve good environmental outcomes, and there's a really important one now. </span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many locals have a soft spot for the Illawarra escarpment and are concerned about the damage of illegal mountain bike riding to the environment and to Aboriginal cultural heritage on the escarpment. This problem has got completely out of control in recent years, and the official solution is to add formal mountain bike tracks. There is a <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected-areas/park-management/community-engagement/illawarra-escarpment-mountain-bike-project" rel="" target="_blank">Review of Environmental Factors for <i>part of</i> the track network out now</a> - <b>we only have until 5pm on 18 July to comment</b>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Illawarra Escarpment Alliance (EscA) has been working to get a good outcome in this space, and has been calling for closure of the illegal tracks for years but with little action taken in response. EscA would like to see some improvements to the proposed formal track network, to ensure it does the least amount of damage possible, and critically to ensure that there's a credible plan to stop illegal mountain bike riding. I've been involved with EscA since the start, and it's been great to have a wide alliance of groups involved, including the Local Aboriginal Land Council, National Parks Association of NSW and many other local community groups and concerned individuals. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you'd like to have a say, you can see EscA's submission guide here: <a href="http://www.illawarraescarpment.org/haveyoursay" target="_blank">www.illawarraescarpment.org/haveyoursay</a> - have a look and reach out if you have questions or would like advice. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some key changes you could request to the Review of Environmental Factors are: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">The REF needs to include (or be presented jointly with) a detailed, costed plan for closing and remediating all illegal tracks, and ensuring that new illegal tracks aren't created.</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Without seeing a plan for addressing illegal riding, how can the community be confident the new formal tracks will replace the illegal ones, and not just lead to greater overall damage? <i><b>If you only have the time/energy to make one point, make it this one. </b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">2.<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><i style="font-family: verdana;">The REF needs to do more to avoid damage to threatened species and ecological communities. </i><span style="font-family: verdana;">There shouldn't be any tracks through critically endangered Illawarra Subtropical Rainforest, particularly not new tracks, and tracks should avoid moist gullies that are roosting and breeding habitat for Powerful Owls and Sooty Owls.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> (The current proposal is to survey for these species after the tracks are built and try to close tracks near nests during the breeding season - how will that work?)</span></p><p><i style="font-family: verdana;">3. The National Parks and Wildlife Service and Wollongong City Council need to ensure that all the impacts of the Illawarra Escarpment Mountain Bike Project are assessed together in a single REF. </i><span style="font-family: verdana;">This REF needs to cover the track network between Mount Kembla and Mount Keira, the ancillary infrastructure that will impact on the residents of the Mount Kembla and Kembla Heights areas, and the bike track network planned for Balgownie that almost nobody outside of the mountain biking community is aware of. If there is no plan to close illegal tracks, then the impact of the formal tracks will unfortunately be on top of that already done by illegal tracks. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">4. </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">The REF needs to show that it has fully taken into account cultural values through appropriate assessment and consultation with the local Aboriginal community, and details of how any risks and impacts on cultural values have been addressed</i><span style="font-family: verdana;">. The community has not been given access to the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment and so cannot tell whether this has been done. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Send an email to <a href="mailto:npws.scbinfrastructure@environment.nsw.gov.au" rel="" target="_blank">npws.scbinfrastructure@environment.nsw.gov.au</a> or complete the <a href="https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=IYjvljkqHEe4mmewgz3TuY76kSQb0fhPnpazlgSDj_lUNEoxTklZU0oxNlVBTU9aVllHVEwwVkhMVi4u" rel="" target="_blank">survey</a> here. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thank you for reading this far. Here's another image of the Illawarra escarpment!</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOE0eG3G6IbL5qhRTix7MT8Bqq1UbB5PDqVryK0j2pmOMc50epVCYJtW43TgiF9At9-Y6JQbTThyULb2neUdklqPdQ0EZzq_SS3HKKEfCd_PxO7JsdFgXNh28aj8fCJRv3QTefXSic5twTRiqMwLmXLUAQamFVDqfRo3OaM8L192IdMgZwbeSPFM/s800/Illawarra%20escarpment%20Keith%20Horton.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="800" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOE0eG3G6IbL5qhRTix7MT8Bqq1UbB5PDqVryK0j2pmOMc50epVCYJtW43TgiF9At9-Y6JQbTThyULb2neUdklqPdQ0EZzq_SS3HKKEfCd_PxO7JsdFgXNh28aj8fCJRv3QTefXSic5twTRiqMwLmXLUAQamFVDqfRo3OaM8L192IdMgZwbeSPFM/w400-h259/Illawarra%20escarpment%20Keith%20Horton.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Image by Keith Horton. All rights reserved. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-7940524831877784832022-06-08T22:15:00.010+10:002023-10-30T20:53:37.017+11:00How to: regenerate bushland in your back yard<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JdHKs7e04-f9oPgcOTy8Ui-Gr5gyLCh08QQA6wpt8YRE8pJEkL7UjMIXyQXlDWYbGqtBMCWN9lUMeOhddS1xfU0jO0dIIb1MMJFbL_RzW0CH3Hn0b9DJwVQlvPvlkeyrEaYNN9kZe41mWfe9TaXBF9TJ-Iuh4YfTVMCjZt4vZMXG55DJ2B4Ug9k/s2220/Planting%20at%20Govinda%20Valley%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2220" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JdHKs7e04-f9oPgcOTy8Ui-Gr5gyLCh08QQA6wpt8YRE8pJEkL7UjMIXyQXlDWYbGqtBMCWN9lUMeOhddS1xfU0jO0dIIb1MMJFbL_RzW0CH3Hn0b9DJwVQlvPvlkeyrEaYNN9kZe41mWfe9TaXBF9TJ-Iuh4YfTVMCjZt4vZMXG55DJ2B4Ug9k/w640-h312/Planting%20at%20Govinda%20Valley%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: verdana; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>This is a joint guest post with Kath Gadd and Hannah Preston from <a href="https://malleedesign.com.au" target="_blank">Mallee Design</a>.</i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regenerating your own patch of bushland is exciting and rewarding. You get to see first-hand the return of native birds, bees and other wildlife that follow when native vegetation re-establishes. Even the most degraded places can be regenerated with a bit of support, so why not have a go? It might sound daunting, but there are actually some simple steps everyone can take towards looking after whatever patch they have. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First, it is a good idea to assess how healthy your bushland is and become familiar with the weeds that are present. Get to know the key species invading your area and learn about the best way to remove them. Here in the Illawarra region, there are some common weeds, such as Camphor Laurel (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cinnamomum camphori</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), Privet (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ligustrum lucidum </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> L. sinese</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), Madeira Vine (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anredera cordifolia</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), African Olive (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olea europaea </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">subsp. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cuspidata</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), Cotoneaster (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C. glaucophyllus</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), Asparagus Fern (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A. aethiopicus</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), Wild Ginger (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hedychium garderianum</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), Trad (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tradescantia fluminensis</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) and Panic Veldt Grass (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ehrharta erecta</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). You will soon get to know these weeds if they are on your property. Different techniques are used to manage each species, so make sure you know what weeds you’re dealing with and the best way to tackle them. You can reach out to Growing Illawarra Natives or other groups on Facebook, or </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">check out the resources at </span><a href="https://blog.growingillawarranatives.org/p/bush-regeneration-basics-for-illawarra.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this link</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to help you identify and approach your weed situation. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TG4nzn7GN01wm4ZrOFwkSvMhmEi19FUcPtLykLiNb3SklYseZU9nWFGwrQpX7VmdAifu9mXV-nQdWGNGkofwdC2PDfxZr956H7CPdj8ilGWQ1GR9SMzlq17zB9piA8rpH6mbav11mTiPQgmZbo0djQ2hhOX2Zs3YJyAuZ9WDDAzcgTs5xZAKgUc/s1328/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-08%20at%2010.03.46%20pm.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1328" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TG4nzn7GN01wm4ZrOFwkSvMhmEi19FUcPtLykLiNb3SklYseZU9nWFGwrQpX7VmdAifu9mXV-nQdWGNGkofwdC2PDfxZr956H7CPdj8ilGWQ1GR9SMzlq17zB9piA8rpH6mbav11mTiPQgmZbo0djQ2hhOX2Zs3YJyAuZ9WDDAzcgTs5xZAKgUc/w640-h326/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-08%20at%2010.03.46%20pm.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Many useful resources on weed identification and management are available, such as the <a href="https://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au">NSW Government's WeedWise website</a>. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When weeding, it’s generally a good idea to start from the least infested areas and work your way out from there. See what comes up after removal of the weeds - are there natives regenerating already or do you need to go back and weed on a few occasions before natives can re-establish? More often than not, native species will start to come up on their own after clearing and you can work with the natural regeneration process to help restore your site. Hundreds of local species will establish in spots that suit them, including trees such as Bleeding Heart (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Homalanthus populifolius</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) and Illawarra Flame Tree (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brachychiton acerifolius</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), shrubs such as Sandfly Zieria (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Z. smithii</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), groundcovers like Commelina (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">C. cyanea</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) or Native Violet (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Viola hederacea</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), and even some of the local ferns. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAuJXd99LSNnkDkWh5JWxZ3TbeKtZnb-V5rqGal7xR8TP5VfGUPZwOC28HL14fYGvc2aOIVqZCT5NLEooP32H2IOM9mLam7bRzSpi4usVI-VCYS2THM6k4rr5IhOomNmbzYBtjEH6N1MCtAuZTbcacGtAtkJTzAl_B2ZpEvnSmOLiZSj7ORb0saY/s2448/IMG_6116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAuJXd99LSNnkDkWh5JWxZ3TbeKtZnb-V5rqGal7xR8TP5VfGUPZwOC28HL14fYGvc2aOIVqZCT5NLEooP32H2IOM9mLam7bRzSpi4usVI-VCYS2THM6k4rr5IhOomNmbzYBtjEH6N1MCtAuZTbcacGtAtkJTzAl_B2ZpEvnSmOLiZSj7ORb0saY/w640-h640/IMG_6116.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Natural regeneration in action: this area was weeded for around 12 months, after which a range of native species germinated. They include Sweet Pittosporum (<i>P. undulatum</i>), Bleeding Heart (<i>Homalanthus populifolius</i>), Basket Grass (<i>Oplismenus aemulus</i>) and Maidenhair Fern (<i>Adiantum aethiopicum</i>). Image by Emma Rooksby.</span> </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If nothing comes up after the weeds are gone it could mean that much of the remaining seed bank is dormant, depleted or wiped out. This is uncommon and unfortunate, but in these cases you can still plant native species based on what might have been there in the past. Check out resources such as the </span><a href="http://www.irbd.com.au/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Illawarra Remnant Bushland Database</span></a><span style="color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or the </span><a href="https://treesnearme.app/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trees Near Me NSW app</span></a><span style="color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to find native species lists for areas near you. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNluTk2P5lZ0sFUnJIwTbhtbZWyJ-BdyLq3NzSPFT_aVEaZVMhRY7Oxas83iHlImIfs6kbnW0LvgxwOjWBIk0mu4vXcmUHTPpVG5MGtc9kB2atgvMOFQqzjHrvzumJ_SGMYWmCPi4B6IfcLKPmXmdqV4ooSWc8g5Bo1sKOCJicdcrz7m0QXVcvS0/s1280/Corels%20garden%20Aug18.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNluTk2P5lZ0sFUnJIwTbhtbZWyJ-BdyLq3NzSPFT_aVEaZVMhRY7Oxas83iHlImIfs6kbnW0LvgxwOjWBIk0mu4vXcmUHTPpVG5MGtc9kB2atgvMOFQqzjHrvzumJ_SGMYWmCPi4B6IfcLKPmXmdqV4ooSWc8g5Bo1sKOCJicdcrz7m0QXVcvS0/w360-h640/Corels%20garden%20Aug18.JPG" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">This area has been carefully weeded and mulched, and selective plantings added to support local biodiversity. As time goes by, local native species are self-seeding into the area. Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steep sites and slopes require a more careful approach. Removing all the weeds/vegetation on a steep site results in an erosion problem, particularly in rainy periods. To stop a weed issue becoming an erosion issue avoid clearing large areas on a slope, and replace weeds immediately with native species to help stabilise the soil. Alternatively, you can use a natural geofabric pegged into the area once cleared, which will hold the soil in place. Making holes and planting into this fabric straight away will get some soil-binding roots growing through the site as soon as possible. With time the fabric will degrade and you might get some natives regenerating from the seed bank too.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8w0RE4XKb7sWuAAUgj4OyKy3h1FQ9NIZxYoQiHuLN8RccuWdZCRQ63a3bApS0RrC83GGTs838l2a8PPZzvqDYiaB4iVJ5Rn-_D8mJSRGAqyiFdZ09_-FzyGjvOKLOZL6oDCDYCx_JUZBnqh1EKY_agH6XdQemZzQYnEyoK-rVU_86s_nD5Dz5wI/s3264/IMG_1924.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8w0RE4XKb7sWuAAUgj4OyKy3h1FQ9NIZxYoQiHuLN8RccuWdZCRQ63a3bApS0RrC83GGTs838l2a8PPZzvqDYiaB4iVJ5Rn-_D8mJSRGAqyiFdZ09_-FzyGjvOKLOZL6oDCDYCx_JUZBnqh1EKY_agH6XdQemZzQYnEyoK-rVU_86s_nD5Dz5wI/w640-h480/IMG_1924.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">This steeply sloping area is 100% regrowth, about five years after large-scale weed removal was conducted. Much of the vegetation is native, including Brush Cherry (Syzygium austral) and Pencil Cedar (Polyscias murrayi) developing a canopy, and Pollia (Pollia crispata) in the understorey, but weed and erosion management are ongoing challenges on the site. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When regenerating your backyard, follow these four principles:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Retain. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many Illawarra properties adjoin natural areas and contain patches of native vegetation, either regrowth or sometimes older forest remnants that are already doing a lot for the surrounding ecosystem. Let them, grow, persist and if you’re struggling to work out what’s what consult the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/GrowingIllawarraNatives" target="_blank">GIN Facebook page</a> or one of the Facebook Groups on weeds and bush regeneration in Australia.</span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regenerate. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make a plan for treating and monitoring weeds and give your site the best chance for natural diversity to flourish. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Replant. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In those places where the bush has lost its resilience to regenerate naturally, start to plant out with species that are native to the area and which could have grown there in the past. </span></span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seek advice. </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Engage professionals if you need support. There are many conservation and land management / bush regeneration professionals living and working in this region, and some also have skills in working in urban gardens and garden design. We are working on a list of local organisations and individuals who can help, but for now you can pop onto the</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/GrowingIllawarraNatives" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #011993; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GIN FaceBook page</span></a><span style="color: #011993; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for advice and recommendations. </span></span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;">These principles and plenty of other useful information are set out on the <a href="https://blog.growingillawarranatives.org/p/bush-regeneration-basics-for-illawarra.html" target="_blank">this GIN webpage</a>, written by local bush regenerator Louise Brodie. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy regenerating!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfg_z7r_Rvy4GxiwignozMi2vH1-0teu_0nZURe_z_O2k-bwfZbFkd5LHTFF3FuQp49hOADnCdFLlifcClVqm6E1irz6vH_HA1bJEAuGsNjIcg4OxtYs6CLQB7miWxtHkuJJOYsgezvsnw4EKxmQmKnB5wgejH14XUKCwmW_YKo3zPEddofxqnX4/s720/Native%20verge%20Jess%20Whittaker.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfg_z7r_Rvy4GxiwignozMi2vH1-0teu_0nZURe_z_O2k-bwfZbFkd5LHTFF3FuQp49hOADnCdFLlifcClVqm6E1irz6vH_HA1bJEAuGsNjIcg4OxtYs6CLQB7miWxtHkuJJOYsgezvsnw4EKxmQmKnB5wgejH14XUKCwmW_YKo3zPEddofxqnX4/w480-h640/Native%20verge%20Jess%20Whittaker.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Even an area as small as a front verge can be regenerated to provide habitat for local birds and invertebrates. Image by Jess Whittaker.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span></span></div><span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><p></p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-67203354145185506232022-06-05T21:46:00.004+10:002022-06-16T21:32:57.572+10:00Get active: make a submission against the expansion of the Dendrobium coal mine<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOli1GBx9TQQAeaZFniJ8vi_wv1nmTwAInHSjAC2LKmgZx-39ca53Rrh2tFr9RcSiGtxT4-oLiMEfvZbmgNEdUkGzrQn7xgJFmcm3mGI8CKs8YMaPXTKzdUn6DDDV3DWSgQKIJkJCO0Pf8W5iC-IDw3tnVYFr7icRojOgb1SmdzWyJiKbzKDu8Kkk/s2048/IMG_9819%20y%20.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOli1GBx9TQQAeaZFniJ8vi_wv1nmTwAInHSjAC2LKmgZx-39ca53Rrh2tFr9RcSiGtxT4-oLiMEfvZbmgNEdUkGzrQn7xgJFmcm3mGI8CKs8YMaPXTKzdUn6DDDV3DWSgQKIJkJCO0Pf8W5iC-IDw3tnVYFr7icRojOgb1SmdzWyJiKbzKDu8Kkk/w640-h422/IMG_9819%20y%20.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />This is a short post to share an opportunity to get active on behalf of our local environment. South32 is seeking to expand the Dendrobium coal mine in the water catchment of Wollongong and Sydney. The water catchment area is home to precious and rare ecosystems including endangered hanging swamps that occur nowhere else in the world. Mining underneath the water catchment is harmful to the environment and to the integrity of water sources for the Illawarra and southern Sydney. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Protect Our Water Alliance (POWA) has prepared an excellent <a href="https://protectourwateralliance.org/2022/05/23/have-your-say-make-a-submission-opposing-the-dendrobium-mine-extension-project-ssi-33143123/?fbclid=IwAR3w7Hr-Syjt7Zz8fw_3koc5oBSYn-1Sgg2UzeLkN0CoSIHzaol6FpCbUnQ" target="_blank">submission guide</a>, which you can follow to have maximum impact in protecting the water catchment from the destructive longwall mining proposal, all to produce coal that when burnt will only accelerate dangerous climate change.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For those concerned about local employment, there are alternative employment options in the renewables space, and state and federal governments are already putting funds towards transitioning the local Bluescope Steelworks towards producing green (low or no emissions) steel.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Have at it!</span></p><p><br /></p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-69185651313146272802022-05-02T21:56:00.006+10:002022-07-06T12:44:41.977+10:00Try growing: Broom Heath (Monotoca species)<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a short and sharp post about Illawarra's local Broom Heath (<i>Monotoca</i>) species, which are not much known in cultivation. They deserve much wider use, as they are hardy, attractive and will bring in all sorts of insects to your garden. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Broom Heaths are in the Ericaceae family, also known colloquially as the heath family. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are two local Broom Heath species, both of them shrubby in form. The taller of the two is Tree Broom Heath (<i>Monotoca elliptica</i>) </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">which can reach up to around 2m in height, and take on something of a tree form. </span><i style="font-family: verdana;"> </i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiHnGocNZF-wuFSHvCimfITB2VeqSGqf9yol7biqIWr1oJYmEIflYNVblXLzvtOLkLljHzgbFPqZS2Mvs3qQlti3IUHq3VTsO5Tr6-lMX5eB7bZK04K-ZsmUU3qUTG7Z1W0OkKLTpTyAEXUU4JxaSas0fRo21tgkH_ITYd23j5C0dpfPD044p-bw/s4032/Monotocaelliptica003SHW.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiHnGocNZF-wuFSHvCimfITB2VeqSGqf9yol7biqIWr1oJYmEIflYNVblXLzvtOLkLljHzgbFPqZS2Mvs3qQlti3IUHq3VTsO5Tr6-lMX5eB7bZK04K-ZsmUU3qUTG7Z1W0OkKLTpTyAEXUU4JxaSas0fRo21tgkH_ITYd23j5C0dpfPD044p-bw/w640-h480/Monotocaelliptica003SHW.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">This little Tree Broom Heath is growing at Puckey's Estate in Fairy Meadow, and shows the species' capacity for survival in very harsh coastal conditions. Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jEfUDhmwwYlbFwqmWB8IZcYqFiLpS-IsiPsRvWKgqzKFOltA9HDKM67kULaziE8xyI51gX3NZ4HwWygKsHI0tqCexdb_GsX3cC56rwCWCJjXC6CzZROv3A4Exc767NSWYm9SRmNWE-E9IL5vkW0SfrKwpRkwGrfFUzuczoMim_rtI4OVeDHysZM/s4032/Monotocaelliptica004LV2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3022" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jEfUDhmwwYlbFwqmWB8IZcYqFiLpS-IsiPsRvWKgqzKFOltA9HDKM67kULaziE8xyI51gX3NZ4HwWygKsHI0tqCexdb_GsX3cC56rwCWCJjXC6CzZROv3A4Exc767NSWYm9SRmNWE-E9IL5vkW0SfrKwpRkwGrfFUzuczoMim_rtI4OVeDHysZM/w640-h480/Monotocaelliptica004LV2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The leaves of Tree Broom Heath have a distinctive sharp tip. The new growth is a stunning lime green. </span><span data-sheets-userformat="{"2":4797,"3":{"1":0},"5":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"6":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"7":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"8":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"10":2,"12":0,"15":"arial,sans,sans-serif"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Image by John Tann, reproduced from Flickr under CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)."}" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-align: start;">Image by John Tann, reproduced from Flickr under CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3Vd8J3E0QoXMHVGnXz9B-9dJNoH1VURQTG5kIcS4rEvMq0Wc-OIBNs1NoNX5jm1iCa6fQ1Mx1gSrQul90MoW9ycV7E0ohf0vStrC_94oASe3CS9qqpKAqmX_ydzbCOJzWa1NIBEgla1wgs5rdiQqflECSI2YrmTWk3eysbx5CcwTSk_By9l0muM/s4032/Monotocaelliptica003FL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3Vd8J3E0QoXMHVGnXz9B-9dJNoH1VURQTG5kIcS4rEvMq0Wc-OIBNs1NoNX5jm1iCa6fQ1Mx1gSrQul90MoW9ycV7E0ohf0vStrC_94oASe3CS9qqpKAqmX_ydzbCOJzWa1NIBEgla1wgs5rdiQqflECSI2YrmTWk3eysbx5CcwTSk_By9l0muM/w480-h640/Monotocaelliptica003FL.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The flowers can be prolific in good seasons. Individual flowers are quite small, but together the many flowers can more or less cover a plant. Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mShMq6wLdRyVF4UCAv8wiBKo0QTgS4M6VBV_MxdCxpFDpQv_8S69900jTTQhIINTC9I1-CJrDPsOzkJoCubxAffHsqfgCnvo_l6nvWtHqZcdSECyZaQ7Ym4VkPR2830Jx0nlJtmfPtiuH2Dqy1KK3wlQA_QuP_8u5I_ZCJfBbHxaPXIBmOsjxyo/s960/Monotocaelliptica_1_004SH.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mShMq6wLdRyVF4UCAv8wiBKo0QTgS4M6VBV_MxdCxpFDpQv_8S69900jTTQhIINTC9I1-CJrDPsOzkJoCubxAffHsqfgCnvo_l6nvWtHqZcdSECyZaQ7Ym4VkPR2830Jx0nlJtmfPtiuH2Dqy1KK3wlQA_QuP_8u5I_ZCJfBbHxaPXIBmOsjxyo/w640-h424/Monotocaelliptica_1_004SH.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">In natural conditions, Tree Broom Heath may be somewhat sparse and leggy, particularly when they are growing in the shade of taller plants. In cultivation, specimens can be managed for a more compact shape. Image by Leon Fuller. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The smaller Broom Heath is the Prickly Broom Heath (<i>Monotoca scoparia)</i>, which only reaches around 1m tall. It can be dense or somewhat leggy, depending on conditions. </span><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66cPci6vM99aypR-QjE1rV0twmLgbAoEsDi--KZsOIU9fgifyqjL5pQv6DCnJPWTjy8Tc0AYah0UgLti4ND8du4cY-rND7ENx4XEF3fmHQ7XbIvUdqA2R-AUTQKJXYQ117YJNcrleS73AljffrWSe9prU_f8ZJ0TH5gyq6ST7Y5erV22XCda6bNE/s960/Monotocascoparia_1_030SHW.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66cPci6vM99aypR-QjE1rV0twmLgbAoEsDi--KZsOIU9fgifyqjL5pQv6DCnJPWTjy8Tc0AYah0UgLti4ND8du4cY-rND7ENx4XEF3fmHQ7XbIvUdqA2R-AUTQKJXYQ117YJNcrleS73AljffrWSe9prU_f8ZJ0TH5gyq6ST7Y5erV22XCda6bNE/w640-h424/Monotocascoparia_1_030SHW.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Prickly Broom Heath in its natural habitat, exhibiting its characteristic sprawling habit. <span data-sheets-userformat="{"2":4797,"3":{"1":0},"5":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"6":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"7":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"8":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"10":2,"12":0,"15":"arial,sans,sans-serif"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Image by John Tann, reproduced from Flickr under CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)."}" style="text-align: start;">Image by John Tann, reproduced from Flickr under CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq5zMljR_mfdA3TBvF7bPpFtIRhbjoFugXmfaiP0yARa_e2GvUVeWMbsY_RyVyKCqro-LSiczXis8KSRbbc3CkvfxNxhrcY-aAKEWXvgCgW068KXnpnUqY19EqjCgy2tjZh_SyI-NcfrmpdJcW01MlbJN-7AF8NpNPxvhmZFEwEch9PwX-ANpdtQ/s960/Monotocascoparia_2_030FL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq5zMljR_mfdA3TBvF7bPpFtIRhbjoFugXmfaiP0yARa_e2GvUVeWMbsY_RyVyKCqro-LSiczXis8KSRbbc3CkvfxNxhrcY-aAKEWXvgCgW068KXnpnUqY19EqjCgy2tjZh_SyI-NcfrmpdJcW01MlbJN-7AF8NpNPxvhmZFEwEch9PwX-ANpdtQ/w640-h424/Monotocascoparia_2_030FL.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span data-sheets-userformat="{"2":4797,"3":{"1":0},"5":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"6":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"7":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"8":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"10":2,"12":0,"15":"arial,sans,sans-serif"}" data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Image by John Tann, reproduced from Flickr under CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)."}" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The flowers are small but may be present in large numbers. Image by John Tann, reproduced from Flickr under CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Both local Broom Heath species have a natural preference for well-drained sandy soils, but they can be grown on other soil types if sufficient attention is given to ensuring appropriate conditions. Our garden has several <i>Monotoca scoparia</i> plants, growing in clay-rich soil in the escarpment foothills, and we have not lost one yet, despite the very heavy rains in 2022. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Difficult to grow from seed, Broom Heath plants may be hard to find for sale. Luckily for Illawarra locals, the Wollongong Botanic Garden GreenPlan Nursery regularly has both local species for sale. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Are you growing Broom Heaths at your place? How are they doing? What advice do you have for other local gardeners on growing these species? </span></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-76426182608077096272022-04-06T21:31:00.011+10:002022-06-05T21:47:43.274+10:00Celebrating: two years of the Growing Illawarra Natives website!<span style="font-family: verdana;">My goodness has it been two years? Yes it has! The Growing Illawarra Natives website was officially launched in March 2020, just as the eastern Australian states went into assorted lockdowns and other restrictions to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a difficult two years in so many ways.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">But last weekend, we finally got to launch the GIN website down in Berry, home to a strong contingent of website contributors. Lyn Clark, who runs the Natural Studies and Plant Propagation Centre at Berry Public School, encouraged dozens of people to contribute to the GIN project, and was absolutely central to its success. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The pictures don't do justice to the joy and community spirit of the event, where so many new connections were made. But we're sharing them to give a small sense of the amazing 'plant people ecosystem' that thrives across the Illawarra region. </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4N03yClB1n5MqomVo1jjkdxpv5ecQnTHrDreb06TgSQVrghNBc7Bf_HIAgO01qqd3WO8YuvJ_Acx9Il2V4SoaHhOeLoJT1cRwtJPGauil9RdE5zHzlDVcJ9Ufvo0LVwTjc-vyuWAsCMzGrI91Va18LG_Pn5a3o9WXKEBJ6cmJl-LGynuVmolM6c/s2374/DSC01290.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1582" data-original-width="2374" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4N03yClB1n5MqomVo1jjkdxpv5ecQnTHrDreb06TgSQVrghNBc7Bf_HIAgO01qqd3WO8YuvJ_Acx9Il2V4SoaHhOeLoJT1cRwtJPGauil9RdE5zHzlDVcJ9Ufvo0LVwTjc-vyuWAsCMzGrI91Va18LG_Pn5a3o9WXKEBJ6cmJl-LGynuVmolM6c/w640-h426/DSC01290.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Active launching! Leon and Emma speak and many contributors participate. Image by Bill Pigott.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCoU0yfvZjqv8-VLOUOl7UpduaIwbZJb6NG9ZkyBkXZWwyHxx4hsyzMxCJzUBiCKxvPryLIkZyFP2s7EMVJzcNBJgchOxpwJHYpuFSWWDB5fUoSkklxPAUygqRdxpOqZeZaU2nf3XICJEbKKNehzkmgVDj6kphzaOc7-8EjwZD5PROOzioiYIrjPM/s2592/DSC01294.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2592" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCoU0yfvZjqv8-VLOUOl7UpduaIwbZJb6NG9ZkyBkXZWwyHxx4hsyzMxCJzUBiCKxvPryLIkZyFP2s7EMVJzcNBJgchOxpwJHYpuFSWWDB5fUoSkklxPAUygqRdxpOqZeZaU2nf3XICJEbKKNehzkmgVDj6kphzaOc7-8EjwZD5PROOzioiYIrjPM/w640-h426/DSC01294.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Tree identification walk in the Berry Public School arboretum. Image by Bill Pigott.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvZ3xeUlxonJhGrKHnKGF_TPQyyThlbEoLGfn6t54DaX58ozt4YwfX5Wj3wjMSHrXwSqM_TH8l7evDlx5rC0W0Jr4JxxphUXr2quqE7L2rpeHsY5ovW4Urzv9nnouJrPfjGyxYmQperO5Shqz3zfqPTZ1XPVspZYjXaNLBpvIKKYtt-FUNUy_96Q/s2002/DSC01317.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="2002" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvZ3xeUlxonJhGrKHnKGF_TPQyyThlbEoLGfn6t54DaX58ozt4YwfX5Wj3wjMSHrXwSqM_TH8l7evDlx5rC0W0Jr4JxxphUXr2quqE7L2rpeHsY5ovW4Urzv9nnouJrPfjGyxYmQperO5Shqz3zfqPTZ1XPVspZYjXaNLBpvIKKYtt-FUNUy_96Q/w640-h426/DSC01317.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Nothing brings in plant people like a giveaway! Launch attendees admire the wide selection of plants grown at the Plant Propagation Centre, some of which they have propagated themselves. Image by Bill Pigott. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Ikx9KtYdftTRdH9ta2o79cLB373XWryE-K1aGrJAmKCRtHZWe98xJ84mTe8vogtDGnSGUiKaxe_rnUfv_5QUnIdDLsTW7am65qsstL_dEzXd8yHUl25b4sNxvSTHUJx_0pdXGpb74K6k8NhCoiI5yN36JPHRcR2_Pko6NGzz5pNrAycT912pnwk/s2592/DSC01318.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2592" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Ikx9KtYdftTRdH9ta2o79cLB373XWryE-K1aGrJAmKCRtHZWe98xJ84mTe8vogtDGnSGUiKaxe_rnUfv_5QUnIdDLsTW7am65qsstL_dEzXd8yHUl25b4sNxvSTHUJx_0pdXGpb74K6k8NhCoiI5yN36JPHRcR2_Pko6NGzz5pNrAycT912pnwk/w640-h426/DSC01318.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The stripes have it! Lyn Clark in the Plant Propagation Centre, sharing a few tips with GIN's Emma Rooksby. Image by Bill Pigott. </span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiZSQi7QMqTjf1GgF8DFHPSeQynvGs8w_J5QotnHe4HTjl8GoYdB552jAaML1Plu3KI560Xm71D18-DcCp4jcJaElUujpkxBjplBGDTbzC0ACc7AabDQJsbH3mljWQS1LdQhhnn07JMIhSPN763Bz_3WzZAku-D-nYEkBK6Qt8qRhqC0Ds33YZgY/s1032/DSC01306-2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="1032" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiZSQi7QMqTjf1GgF8DFHPSeQynvGs8w_J5QotnHe4HTjl8GoYdB552jAaML1Plu3KI560Xm71D18-DcCp4jcJaElUujpkxBjplBGDTbzC0ACc7AabDQJsbH3mljWQS1LdQhhnn07JMIhSPN763Bz_3WzZAku-D-nYEkBK6Qt8qRhqC0Ds33YZgY/w640-h426/DSC01306-2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Trees talk. This picture might not mean much to people who weren't at the launch, but it shows trees that were planted on the Berry Public School grounds up to fifty years ago. Barry Virtue (second left) planted many of these trees in the nineteen eighties, and they are still growing and providing shade, shelter and education to the school's current cohorts. Image by Bill Pigott.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Despite difficult times, there is much to celebrate in our region. A massive thank you to Lyn Clark and everyone in the Berry region who contributed to the Growing Illawarra Natives website project. We couldn't have done it without you. </span></div></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-37693343056981787792022-03-30T20:31:00.009+11:002022-07-06T12:49:47.587+10:00Did you know: Growing Illawarra Natives includes advice on attracting wildlife to your garden<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U8YGhF3MDmDkFrjDGXFK_wVmbE-EZ7fLKlfqOxbS9TlYjFcnmW0CXR2KdmPUclpi3_fVNJK70Mpqm_v0tCGJbI6zsAPSE49fbiuwgheYivPuhTTHBoNZNIt73ODCGMg4nGClZ8GC_B-DNYPgMcB9vD52a9-QItTmbQ7rFBjpUcTE46KLQDDQHW8/s2976/IMG_2112.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1992" data-original-width="2976" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U8YGhF3MDmDkFrjDGXFK_wVmbE-EZ7fLKlfqOxbS9TlYjFcnmW0CXR2KdmPUclpi3_fVNJK70Mpqm_v0tCGJbI6zsAPSE49fbiuwgheYivPuhTTHBoNZNIt73ODCGMg4nGClZ8GC_B-DNYPgMcB9vD52a9-QItTmbQ7rFBjpUcTE46KLQDDQHW8/w640-h428/IMG_2112.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">You might not think of bats when considering attracting local wildlife, but they are among the most important pollinators of our native forests. They love eucalypts and fig trees! Image by Anthony Wardle. </span> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Growing Illawarra Natives isn't only about local plants! It also has a section on the region's fauna, prepared by local zoologist and ecology expert Garry Daly.</span> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can read Garry's reflections on the Illawarra's native fauna <a href="https://blog.growingillawarranatives.org/p/test-title.html">here</a>. There are separate pages for <a href="http://nativeillawarra.blogspot.com.au/p/native.html">mammals</a>, <a href="http://nativeillawarra.blogspot.com.au/p/local-native-birds.html">birds</a>, <a href="http://nativeillawarra.blogspot.com.au/p/local-native-reptiles_24.html">reptiles</a>, <a href="http://nativeillawarra.blogspot.com.au/p/local-native-frogs.html">frogs</a> and <a href="http://nativeillawarra.blogspot.com.au/p/local-native-invertebrates.html">invertebrates</a>. Each page provides a run-down on the key local species, divided into ones that may occur in urban areas, and those that may occur in rural areas, as well as a list of plant species that are useful in attracting different kinds of fauna to gardens. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Enjoy!</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzLTxU1s9QWqwMcOBRYEJMluwlDUVqYTzK043n2uGQuinZ_2dot1QcJY9jZPcRwT6xMPJuegJt6jzX-GCZdMgTEljIWw1vYSOZUuJXKC4r95m2r-iSme5_SHdQ2wJgs0_ENktaqjfa2y7kPjHD15BHp9AGcNPxvB3dOhrnoWTDEiO8ARBo-ury_I/s1593/Clerodendrumtomentosum074FNCurrawong1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1593" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzLTxU1s9QWqwMcOBRYEJMluwlDUVqYTzK043n2uGQuinZ_2dot1QcJY9jZPcRwT6xMPJuegJt6jzX-GCZdMgTEljIWw1vYSOZUuJXKC4r95m2r-iSme5_SHdQ2wJgs0_ENktaqjfa2y7kPjHD15BHp9AGcNPxvB3dOhrnoWTDEiO8ARBo-ury_I/w640-h426/Clerodendrumtomentosum074FNCurrawong1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Birds are some of the easier fauna to attract to gardens, although different bird species have very different interests and needs. This Currawong is enjoying the fruit of a Hairy Clerodendrum (<i>C. tomentosum</i>). Image by Anthony Wardle. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-27364574375436670992022-02-18T20:46:00.003+11:002022-06-05T21:49:02.089+10:00Try growing: native raspberries<span style="font-family: verdana;">This blog doesn't feature many 'try growing' segments any more because the Growing Illawarra Natives website provides all the information you need to grow (most of) our region's local native species.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">But sometimes there's still a need to promote particular plants and groups of plants. I have recently witnessed people enthusiastically removing native Raspberry (<i>Rubus</i>) species, under the mistaken impression that they were weeds. I guess it's an easy mistake to make, if you don't pay attention and work out what plant you're looking at. So here's a bit of a primer-crossed-with-a-promo on our local native Raspberry species. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Illawarra is home to four different species of <i>Rubus</i>. Two are more familiar and suitable for gardens, while the other two are wild and prickly and not to most people's tastes! They all have edible fruit, though some are yummier than others. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">First up, the one that most people will be familiar with from the Mount Keira (Djeera) ring track and elsewhere, <a href="https://finder.growingillawarranatives.org/plants/plant/443" target="_blank">Rose-leaf Bramble (<i>Rubus rosifolius</i>)</a>. It's a robust plant of many prickly canes/stems that can form a fairly dense mound or even shrub-type structure. The fruit are shaped rather like strawberries, and when fully ripe taste pretty good, though some fruit have a resinous flavour. Unripe they are pretty bland!!</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiI8MmC6VecxSdPUAlczTp9GWnTsFV1ad9uAZCfyBcoY9hseLImKcEjhaOzEGaMfmWdM4SaQejnf7UEWbqvdzll2oLgMFggw58O2hYu_MpbUmCr9LsTCP-LWgddFlHopPMqRdvUg_SeyZurGp5HZs2f2CKIqyCQVseEoRCQSrn_KGJGEzmQnUJ18fc=s800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiI8MmC6VecxSdPUAlczTp9GWnTsFV1ad9uAZCfyBcoY9hseLImKcEjhaOzEGaMfmWdM4SaQejnf7UEWbqvdzll2oLgMFggw58O2hYu_MpbUmCr9LsTCP-LWgddFlHopPMqRdvUg_SeyZurGp5HZs2f2CKIqyCQVseEoRCQSrn_KGJGEzmQnUJ18fc=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">A fully ripe fruit of the Rose-leaf Bramble (<i>Rubus rosifolius</i>). Image by Leon Fuller.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGnhUSEJGqv57D9hADPhCS1H_I95C9ZlYkvGfU0LHqIV9wiOF8DTcIRdt8SvQY-VHbY64b89dmiwK4ZfSoJjL5QInV8ijfZONlabGbxhaUFOCZfwpTZYhh4M9cF71FWU3E0E3-8G6qHInfaRhLJLf7L6_NJJS72rPCffY9Nd1YjpWESVnEyKa598I=s800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGnhUSEJGqv57D9hADPhCS1H_I95C9ZlYkvGfU0LHqIV9wiOF8DTcIRdt8SvQY-VHbY64b89dmiwK4ZfSoJjL5QInV8ijfZONlabGbxhaUFOCZfwpTZYhh4M9cF71FWU3E0E3-8G6qHInfaRhLJLf7L6_NJJS72rPCffY9Nd1YjpWESVnEyKa598I=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">And this is the plant. The canes are covered in thorns, so it can be a very effective deterrent to deer, wallaby or other unwanted garden visitors. Image by Leon Fuller. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also relatively common and well-recognised is the small-leaved <a href="https://finder.growingillawarranatives.org/plants/plant/442" target="_blank">Native Raspberry or <i>Rubus parvifolius</i></a>. It is a smaller plant than Rose-leaf Bramble and generally grows more as a scrambler. Its fruit are small but juicy and delicious when fully ripe. </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguOtU2bddj5xKm3VHNxxFs8vibACaVndluZmP0EdxhvTE2Pw5PAS6Ud0yCKdu7aLujOiN1whh_c9hI8GlxFay81NicHkUnefmTiKjX7DWf48n1DH47sPDdcV8bStgeEvZzEgdSyxok3SS-MKjELejQm0_AqaxinhStSPw12eR-7yxlga2oGkUPx1s=s800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguOtU2bddj5xKm3VHNxxFs8vibACaVndluZmP0EdxhvTE2Pw5PAS6Ud0yCKdu7aLujOiN1whh_c9hI8GlxFay81NicHkUnefmTiKjX7DWf48n1DH47sPDdcV8bStgeEvZzEgdSyxok3SS-MKjELejQm0_AqaxinhStSPw12eR-7yxlga2oGkUPx1s=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The flowers and leaves of the small-leaved Native Raspberry (<i>Rubus parvifolius</i>). You can see how small the flowers are too! Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpk6K0FDPwOb-X0B1VhqpxfmX2mo452TvkaVzmTKqWIgul5UEW6gblcgu8m-5XC1QDD2xxo6gB3mWoC4gQgKwG6Y3ZCbFZNej1I4I3kLduiM9TUCJqtDwWJVtKVFVxWeY258ldxHxUXC__2xPvT6edRR8ZIO52BBB5hepA6_r9Ltl95xrL6BTZNFA=s800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpk6K0FDPwOb-X0B1VhqpxfmX2mo452TvkaVzmTKqWIgul5UEW6gblcgu8m-5XC1QDD2xxo6gB3mWoC4gQgKwG6Y3ZCbFZNej1I4I3kLduiM9TUCJqtDwWJVtKVFVxWeY258ldxHxUXC__2xPvT6edRR8ZIO52BBB5hepA6_r9Ltl95xrL6BTZNFA=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The fruit are small, but very juicy and delicious! Image by Kirsten Vine. All rights reserved.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The other two indigenous Rubus species in Illawarra are large, ferocious, prickly and generally considered too troublesome for gardens. But they both have their virtues. The <a href="https://finder.growingillawarranatives.org/plants/plant/440" target="_blank">Molucca Bramble (<i>Rubus Moluccanus </i>var. <i>trilobus</i>)</a> has very attractive leaves, and can grow into an impressive large shrubby plant over 2m tall. (I have seen a specimen almost 3m tall in the Australian National Botanic Garden in Canberra.) The fruit are fairly yum but you have to be careful getting to them!</span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrYwx_a16eRpQSF3MtPNfkPA4fQRjaZW-cYjnumXcbMJeSxKZFEIlFKYd0Ed32XPrC7EZBAKeaxfx1DDmyXk5aBwJlWFfnq_cYmAPJVaw0LIIzo51UQZ7LiW00bpjMdC_kP1HiRSjWeyE6dXvV11r2H4bZbz5-EQ94qw812YwVZAKEvlHs3iOsHyw=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrYwx_a16eRpQSF3MtPNfkPA4fQRjaZW-cYjnumXcbMJeSxKZFEIlFKYd0Ed32XPrC7EZBAKeaxfx1DDmyXk5aBwJlWFfnq_cYmAPJVaw0LIIzo51UQZ7LiW00bpjMdC_kP1HiRSjWeyE6dXvV11r2H4bZbz5-EQ94qw812YwVZAKEvlHs3iOsHyw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">This plant is still only a baby, but it's rampantly sprawling up a 2m trellis. Image by Leon Fuller. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg44S5HJqmkFaQkq8bM_l-Kk_G4f-IXOMpNpYuG96qPVw54m30tOe4VmvilCQDOyXracD6sTqa5Q7n4Y4GV7PJ3-hkFue69CSSdE1ixKKSPGrlZTqAlH9peWctP2o3JbgLCsh67dowatGTRk2k0phQ-2OuI7u8QOA9ZKbkVRHy6odg_6H5jXg1g9MA=s800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg44S5HJqmkFaQkq8bM_l-Kk_G4f-IXOMpNpYuG96qPVw54m30tOe4VmvilCQDOyXracD6sTqa5Q7n4Y4GV7PJ3-hkFue69CSSdE1ixKKSPGrlZTqAlH9peWctP2o3JbgLCsh67dowatGTRk2k0phQ-2OuI7u8QOA9ZKbkVRHy6odg_6H5jXg1g9MA=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Look at those lovely leaves! Three-lobed, a mix of pale and darker greens, and covered with delicate hairs. Just watch out for the thorns on the stems!! Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The fourth local Raspberry species is the least commonly seen (in my experience at least) and the hardest to love. So wiry, so prickly, so rarely seen in fruit! It's the <a href="https://finder.growingillawarranatives.org/plants/plant/441" target="_blank">Bush Lawyer (<i>Rubus nebulosus</i>)</a>, which can be found in rainforest, sprawling around the place and generally being hard to escape from once you tangle with it. It doesn't have its own profile on GIN, but it's worth knowing what it looks like so that you can respect (and avoid) it while out walking, and also know not to pull it out by mistake, thinking that it's a Blackberry plant!</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXf5L7kKHy3Ah5I5OVTDBH7jeGM0npkn6yubXuJR-gZoiooO1TcWJ_jdfsXzyKFh6Ss4WNlRGJ6WI0biNa0a2VQZy38huCWZ51eXXVjJxIB0Uev4MyOZjnbIenT5cl_8wL_rs1fRiF5u0szMGEWrqK4R1xBkVjyBEhub-pvLgiuI9cX6rcNROooRs=s800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXf5L7kKHy3Ah5I5OVTDBH7jeGM0npkn6yubXuJR-gZoiooO1TcWJ_jdfsXzyKFh6Ss4WNlRGJ6WI0biNa0a2VQZy38huCWZ51eXXVjJxIB0Uev4MyOZjnbIenT5cl_8wL_rs1fRiF5u0szMGEWrqK4R1xBkVjyBEhub-pvLgiuI9cX6rcNROooRs=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Look at all the spikes and spines and prickles on pretty well every part of this plant! Image by Peter Woodard. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">So there you have it, our local Illawarra Raspberry species. Please share what you know of growing any of them, including the trickier ones! You can comment on this post, or contribute to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/GrowingIllawarraNatives" target="_blank">Growing Illawarra Natives group on Facebook</a> if you prefer. Happy Raspberry growing!</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-37319524493889411082022-02-06T17:19:00.009+11:002022-07-06T12:50:47.786+10:00Garden inspiration: creekside in Tarrawanna<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">A couple of weeks I cycled to the upper reaches of Tarrawanna to check out some creekside bush regeneration done by a couple of keen locals, Judy Mitchell and Neville Lockhart. But I was thoroughly distracted by their beautiful garden, a mix of local natives and edible plants from further afield. Here are just a few pictures showing what they've done with indigenous species.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibX17_xHm8XMZyV504NWdupn8cN-PQREZ3BljWmCn4jirbT_VKpsbVRZ8-4tc_MCF6U5ps9pMUwt74Zh8jJEgJMv-N8eT42wssS_4tzdi-qNwmjEkkC630Hlaq9DF55vRECUlL3RNIbS0hUh0x73PvbXzGbgimj4IbJnF_iDoSSX2Ba28Gwdc5OnQ=s3024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibX17_xHm8XMZyV504NWdupn8cN-PQREZ3BljWmCn4jirbT_VKpsbVRZ8-4tc_MCF6U5ps9pMUwt74Zh8jJEgJMv-N8eT42wssS_4tzdi-qNwmjEkkC630Hlaq9DF55vRECUlL3RNIbS0hUh0x73PvbXzGbgimj4IbJnF_iDoSSX2Ba28Gwdc5OnQ=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Robust and tolerant of full sun and harsh conditions, Red Flowered Paperbark (<i>Melaleuca hypericifolia</i>) is ideal as a screening hedge in full sun situations. It can be pruned to keep it fairly neat and narrow, or left to do its own thing, in which case it will be quite broad, as befits one of its common names, Hillock Bush. It also has beautiful orange-red flowers in spring or summer. NB the Kangy Paws aren't local! Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLYQCuQsoEzpwVug9kDqv3rUvdcV0AURpewQLZacmw_AYPvIx-hAh--Ev6NLeB_sJZ8Ex3LuE7oyoDMNrL7PAbVnUjThkVIbcVcyjWDvN4t0t0p7x_BdgcUjJa3oFU5-PVBVLIwxJuAdygpPzLEXRtW7CesA0CppZVRVGUPZGWgk7g2HEnoJil3dM=s3024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLYQCuQsoEzpwVug9kDqv3rUvdcV0AURpewQLZacmw_AYPvIx-hAh--Ev6NLeB_sJZ8Ex3LuE7oyoDMNrL7PAbVnUjThkVIbcVcyjWDvN4t0t0p7x_BdgcUjJa3oFU5-PVBVLIwxJuAdygpPzLEXRtW7CesA0CppZVRVGUPZGWgk7g2HEnoJil3dM=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The entrance to the house features a striking large Rough Tree Fern (<i>Cyathea australis</i>) which helps shade and shelter a Bird's Nest Fern (<i>Asplenium australasicum</i>). The low plant in the foreground is a Fan-flower, probably Fairy Fan-flower (<i>Scaevola aemula</i>), a tough and colourful little groundcover. Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitaWL3ZD0Cv0jOTvzLmaSulzzPgk-O-kAJPlvGFPjN02a1xPo-rGALpS5HY8SuH4mFvyfJS6v6x8ysiocHlKp_fXo26KpXzJ4ZU2OuPjVAenelmBhxa3glqkxMLIwzeMz6WDb0HbezkFufRPDvrr3GgqTueJ0-4hmf05UEeGAR-UnDNxbRHVcGdI8=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitaWL3ZD0Cv0jOTvzLmaSulzzPgk-O-kAJPlvGFPjN02a1xPo-rGALpS5HY8SuH4mFvyfJS6v6x8ysiocHlKp_fXo26KpXzJ4ZU2OuPjVAenelmBhxa3glqkxMLIwzeMz6WDb0HbezkFufRPDvrr3GgqTueJ0-4hmf05UEeGAR-UnDNxbRHVcGdI8=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">A pond below the deck helps with cooling. It's full of a range of native plants including more Birds Nest Fern, Bleeding Heart (<i>Homalanthus populifolius</i>), Binung fern (<i>Christella dentata</i>), Prickly Rasp Fern (<i>Doodia aspera</i>) and many others. Frogs love this kind of habitat. Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_18l6OQAwjHxP0g-wtZ0aSp4kFPXTRuLnCVHdtixxj2dh09l1_W3sR1nKttM894j4DL8Nq6c5M_smS8-UcDHl7a8vpxJdQz93kksx1sR1XVo_ykjlzTMcqPyDXf8aNUWyUKeelDHpGKjDp77NRF1IPbgBLTXb-GUxs-9gXeJb9NqesguuwtFQLSo=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_18l6OQAwjHxP0g-wtZ0aSp4kFPXTRuLnCVHdtixxj2dh09l1_W3sR1nKttM894j4DL8Nq6c5M_smS8-UcDHl7a8vpxJdQz93kksx1sR1XVo_ykjlzTMcqPyDXf8aNUWyUKeelDHpGKjDp77NRF1IPbgBLTXb-GUxs-9gXeJb9NqesguuwtFQLSo=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Garden borders are filled with a range of self-selecting local native species such as Pollia (<i>Pollia crispata</i>) top left, Kidney Weed (<i>Dichondra repens</i>), the ubiquitous Snake Vine (<i>Stephania japonica </i>var. <i>discolour)</i> and small local sedges (<i>Cyperus </i>sp.). NB couple of exotics in there too! Image by Emma Rooksby.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">At the bottom of the garden is public land adjoining Towradgi Creek. This land, which runs behind private houses, is cared for in various ways by local residents. In this particular spot, lots of time and care have gone into </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">removing troublesome weeds and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">supporting the local species to regenerate. </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCngVH8jIh7aLl1RGgj-yZXlgPvx61C9Kk1V3oLuOXj6a2p4MHifYOzE1fc68p2-d8OAOpmvjg6D5Q8eWY6pJtDRrt5eLwkosLX9dv3jf-oqVfVK1rrG-SREJI4_HdUQqm6C5OBgTx7OOjECpbEYyzCJxWV8Z01oef-JmJzb6o1U-2k6gG4lxPByM=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCngVH8jIh7aLl1RGgj-yZXlgPvx61C9Kk1V3oLuOXj6a2p4MHifYOzE1fc68p2-d8OAOpmvjg6D5Q8eWY6pJtDRrt5eLwkosLX9dv3jf-oqVfVK1rrG-SREJI4_HdUQqm6C5OBgTx7OOjECpbEYyzCJxWV8Z01oef-JmJzb6o1U-2k6gG4lxPByM=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">These beautiful small trees are Whalebone Trees (<i>Streblus brunonianus</i>), a tough tree that copes in some of the driest local rainforests. It's a key component of the endangered local <i>Illawarra Subtropical Rainforest</i>. Also a great small tree to attract birds, which love the fruit. Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi31c0wl9RDrQaOtgKatjtgg76tny9OOH1ipWhwFAoIWk3VNs6dBVO0Bofc0_DkCsJwW85S92eijR5U0epokU4T9xW9V1NfJxR8KkBoJxzI3OTVpGp1sNiCFuaHVEf64MuLndG4lMU0P81yoAKt-35uQNejI1EZqO5485YIyAHJF96oSY5r3jEz2jY=s3024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi31c0wl9RDrQaOtgKatjtgg76tny9OOH1ipWhwFAoIWk3VNs6dBVO0Bofc0_DkCsJwW85S92eijR5U0epokU4T9xW9V1NfJxR8KkBoJxzI3OTVpGp1sNiCFuaHVEf64MuLndG4lMU0P81yoAKt-35uQNejI1EZqO5485YIyAHJF96oSY5r3jEz2jY=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Beneath the Whalebone Trees is the start of an impressive native meadow of mixed grasses and other ground cover plants including Kidney Weed (<i>Dichondra repens</i>), Weeping Grass (<i>Microlaena stipoides</i>) and Austral Bugle (<i>Ajuga australe</i>) (not pictured). Image by Emma Rooksby. <br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjepvX5mS5y-cIBb8yv_38NPik5_YPG0pnkXnuqyHoUd-2az1KVmOQ09SoWCsW2GQai-LsZadmkkXG82YvFCVqwdxeZcIyk-BOZZge09HUlYtMg5j_RGickeMhc9xtceI8r-AuUQykOWj0b097dVex7NYFM4Vl68pgIGMIUGkT9zMcuT0IEdOeU2r8=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjepvX5mS5y-cIBb8yv_38NPik5_YPG0pnkXnuqyHoUd-2az1KVmOQ09SoWCsW2GQai-LsZadmkkXG82YvFCVqwdxeZcIyk-BOZZge09HUlYtMg5j_RGickeMhc9xtceI8r-AuUQykOWj0b097dVex7NYFM4Vl68pgIGMIUGkT9zMcuT0IEdOeU2r8=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">This area features some spectacular larger plants too, including this Bird's Nest Fern (<i>Asplenium australasicum</i>). Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuXpubetw7IoUW4HVmCI9elyKkiTbSJ5b_OPMET6tjJtv4M46ikI6f-i1qj6kiLeC0oXmg5EGNdR4-QEUqPJaRA1UOtf9o9JOLGKNKi1V11sNR_7eCHf5Ln9f9KzyR_T_Z54BAVvFxfcIK-sh7rygPCRLU6GfmZ79SaSgF-2VzUJuMyjODdREjKq4=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuXpubetw7IoUW4HVmCI9elyKkiTbSJ5b_OPMET6tjJtv4M46ikI6f-i1qj6kiLeC0oXmg5EGNdR4-QEUqPJaRA1UOtf9o9JOLGKNKi1V11sNR_7eCHf5Ln9f9KzyR_T_Z54BAVvFxfcIK-sh7rygPCRLU6GfmZ79SaSgF-2VzUJuMyjODdREjKq4=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Towradgi Creek at the bottom of the slope is a difficult area to manage, with many weeds along its length and a mix of land tenures. This section is looking good, with Sandpaper Figs (<i>Ficus coronata) </i>and other rainforest species developing a canopy and mixed ferns, groundcovers and tree seedlings growing underneath. The water is clear and flows well. Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7pg2pL0XujnplirKBcrNgBUtyA178p6TJQd8q385_o4Ho-XPUEliKBVu5RL1NNackTSv1reBhJp5PZrRDoMAiN9BnaJKMLAkqtzONJrEIHc1jh3D1lMwRLqh6bIeP1qRNlE7_k0jdfqhLaJDGgtrJnXmsD59ot6EMMBa-fHOW0SCu_hJ_MUbiXRM=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7pg2pL0XujnplirKBcrNgBUtyA178p6TJQd8q385_o4Ho-XPUEliKBVu5RL1NNackTSv1reBhJp5PZrRDoMAiN9BnaJKMLAkqtzONJrEIHc1jh3D1lMwRLqh6bIeP1qRNlE7_k0jdfqhLaJDGgtrJnXmsD59ot6EMMBa-fHOW0SCu_hJ_MUbiXRM=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Establishing native species include Bungalow Palm (<i>Archontophoenix cunninghamiana</i>), Sandpaper Fig (<i>Ficus coronata)</i> and Scentless Rosewood (<i>Synod glandulosum</i>). Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbRcN4lNbSMD0-_9iCQmztFK_xyA2vqVwXC1syjrmirlVYsRWJTTBXPQZgJOTcZ7carpe1SM-K9AstHW9eA4I2sk3ticIY55qW4e1AhQaPiZrVNYFruSH64e-2B3f-DmkHxCwYS_ZzF75oGhXKUyaSsdJUAnC2xFemFu0ON6w_6zkKgyu92nUn0OQ=s3024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbRcN4lNbSMD0-_9iCQmztFK_xyA2vqVwXC1syjrmirlVYsRWJTTBXPQZgJOTcZ7carpe1SM-K9AstHW9eA4I2sk3ticIY55qW4e1AhQaPiZrVNYFruSH64e-2B3f-DmkHxCwYS_ZzF75oGhXKUyaSsdJUAnC2xFemFu0ON6w_6zkKgyu92nUn0OQ=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Native ferns growing along the creek bank include Binung (<i>Christella dentata</i>), Bird's Nest Ferns and Prickly Rasp Ferns (<i>Doodia aspera). </i>This shot shows the Binung, which is quite common along creeks in the region. Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-4dXYXYGbfMJOI_2gAwoMfLB0sv9ht20kFCHAMVbu8Oxa46KRD44ef-Fjs7-NMNrPkV1U_0cpdEe_4iM6NTJypkycyMgEYoL-Qgksz8g-iO79VTrJDrU9xwYcIe7BhuC7ZoPHFmA_9qLZGu4j_OaxOMbssmsK8YbDbqrQCSmtNTIeZlOP4xvkzbY=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-4dXYXYGbfMJOI_2gAwoMfLB0sv9ht20kFCHAMVbu8Oxa46KRD44ef-Fjs7-NMNrPkV1U_0cpdEe_4iM6NTJypkycyMgEYoL-Qgksz8g-iO79VTrJDrU9xwYcIe7BhuC7ZoPHFmA_9qLZGu4j_OaxOMbssmsK8YbDbqrQCSmtNTIeZlOP4xvkzbY=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">A native beehive provides habitat for solitary bees. Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">Illawarra is full of interesting gardens like this, each cared for in a unique way and contributing to protecting and restoring local biodiversity. They may be less showy than some gardens focused on exotics, but they play an important part in our local environment. And there's usually at least one or two flowers to see if you keep your eyes peeled!</span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5xKpgz5xXJrPxDrIIrPu6nohWNd_G_GbYASR1ZXg2pLhEerZD2oImDxBx1bSKctCAijBgYbPP-NdARnmvL-xBit1VzXOZ47cOKXyHf0o-2spaeK1aWxB5fmlc7iCcCgecfL4ZvGxIdrYcbe4XSbuf_JwSAKqImwhKhuOnCoRfMWuCiRAY3D1Hj7w=s635" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="488" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5xKpgz5xXJrPxDrIIrPu6nohWNd_G_GbYASR1ZXg2pLhEerZD2oImDxBx1bSKctCAijBgYbPP-NdARnmvL-xBit1VzXOZ47cOKXyHf0o-2spaeK1aWxB5fmlc7iCcCgecfL4ZvGxIdrYcbe4XSbuf_JwSAKqImwhKhuOnCoRfMWuCiRAY3D1Hj7w=w306-h400" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Small but pretty, this is a small colony of Pastel Flowers (<i>Pseuderanthemum variabile</i>), just starting to flower near the creek. Image by Judy Mitchell. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-76973999366233831192022-01-27T23:54:00.072+11:002022-06-05T21:48:20.086+10:00How to: take photographs of plants for identification <p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Guest post by Kevin Mills</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The best technique to obtain good photographs for plant identification is an important consideration for those sending plant photos to others for ID. I must admit that I have received many photos that make it near impossible to identify the species involved. With so many people taking plant photos with their phones, it is timely to set out some guidance. While this is not a photography lesson, I hope that the points below are helpful to those taking plant photos.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What are the key features that need to be shown?</span></h4><div><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Taking a photo of a plant from 10 metres away and expecting someone to ID it is being a bit too optimistic. Most such photos could only show growth habit at best. Taking a close-up photo only of a single flower may not be much use either. Ideally, the following features should be captured on the photographs of a plant where possible for accurate ID.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">A clear photo of the leaves at a reasonable scale, showing their arrangement (e.g., opposite or alternate), venation, etc. In some species a photo of the underside of the leaf is important and should be included.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">A photo of the flower or flower head should be taken if present, along with the adjoining stems and leaves.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fruit come in all sorts of colours, shapes and sizes and may be important for accurate ID. A photo of a fruit or cluster of fruit should be taken if available.</span></li></ul><p></p></div><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Obviously, all relevant features are unlikely to be present all year round or at the same time, so one needs to make the best of the available features of the plant.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieXEmbDYuUP2gTZMjSCR4V2bRiDyQM47efDc2TDscFjXYAuGv2-l9oPREKZSyjrYuvt9zSO2zSG5wxeuwUYwTGY3huPbXTwWTQTQwlzPBj1mnIFmRLcry9A3pGFSPIwKco6liDlZGHWl6OeEGy9ZAwQ7JH7vSR3RXEKZX87JCq-B4hVkQdQtzGevo=s380" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="380" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieXEmbDYuUP2gTZMjSCR4V2bRiDyQM47efDc2TDscFjXYAuGv2-l9oPREKZSyjrYuvt9zSO2zSG5wxeuwUYwTGY3huPbXTwWTQTQwlzPBj1mnIFmRLcry9A3pGFSPIwKco6liDlZGHWl6OeEGy9ZAwQ7JH7vSR3RXEKZX87JCq-B4hVkQdQtzGevo=w640-h430" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">Long distance shots such as this are not much use as an identification aid; compare this shot with the photograph below, both showing a Cheese </span><span style="font-family: verdana; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">T</span><span style="font-family: verdana; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">ree (</span><span style="font-family: verdana; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;"><i>Glochidion ferdinandi)</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For some species, particular features may be important, such as the bark and capsules of a eucalypt (see photos below). The idea is to provide as much information as possible.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To identify a eucalypt from photographs, images of the bark, leaves and fruit should be provided. For example, Brown Barrel (<i>Eucalyptus fastigata</i>), is readily identified using the below photos.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin9uXTEpE8JTnplrgJRPowb2wpDu2hNVueQNWONYgQs0cADA0K7qI3wWMjGt8pPmBJZfwHjUyysRwPsARj1O32Hy88Njcf3CIP7bmvGn3ohQ22Xqtqp82mHifdeVAK9QFcFVDrFlSPp5lQZh9kjlKvmaFtjuWHrU6YMFKA_owMUYZmIFXjFwKgYbk=s745" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="573" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin9uXTEpE8JTnplrgJRPowb2wpDu2hNVueQNWONYgQs0cADA0K7qI3wWMjGt8pPmBJZfwHjUyysRwPsARj1O32Hy88Njcf3CIP7bmvGn3ohQ22Xqtqp82mHifdeVAK9QFcFVDrFlSPp5lQZh9kjlKvmaFtjuWHrU6YMFKA_owMUYZmIFXjFwKgYbk=w306-h400" width="306" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAJJK2NklmEFrpvHeSryMoDEDAZvCNiVEgxXC6qVSHhOCn-xH7ckTwmzFq3NALpICHj4hgKQCgpOJqtlclCkptG4Wez_molWyy_23PIknLwvpqVrmL7HilLUnjHWHeKCfPU8ocBY3L8Xfv_7mgaN0X97r1aT2_Vg-eX8UY4tVpJLHsAjQ55TtcAH4=s230" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="230" data-original-width="152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAJJK2NklmEFrpvHeSryMoDEDAZvCNiVEgxXC6qVSHhOCn-xH7ckTwmzFq3NALpICHj4hgKQCgpOJqtlclCkptG4Wez_molWyy_23PIknLwvpqVrmL7HilLUnjHWHeKCfPU8ocBY3L8Xfv_7mgaN0X97r1aT2_Vg-eX8UY4tVpJLHsAjQ55TtcAH4=w263-h400" width="263" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje9vHtZUQoDA-_PbhpkzxutvA1mV0q8DfhQX3XWzQeicK9QEZyQXfdOxGbT83RTXn_oA0jxFomwvKnn0JTNENwIA6LFArYjc9UfN8zS_cOb0fzAspuCCRuhD2EpfhwLoPbX1bUavn4OGbGhuOB0h9JBHa9d4hPSgYIHP6EJNLZ0yDhFu_66OA8DxQ=s658" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="438" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje9vHtZUQoDA-_PbhpkzxutvA1mV0q8DfhQX3XWzQeicK9QEZyQXfdOxGbT83RTXn_oA0jxFomwvKnn0JTNENwIA6LFArYjc9UfN8zS_cOb0fzAspuCCRuhD2EpfhwLoPbX1bUavn4OGbGhuOB0h9JBHa9d4hPSgYIHP6EJNLZ0yDhFu_66OA8DxQ=w265-h400" width="265" /></a></div><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Providing other information</span></h4><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Additional information on location, habitat, habit and environmental situation can aid identification. Geographic location can quickly eliminate similar-looking species that do not occur in the area. Habit, such as herb or shrub, is always useful information to have. All species grow in a particular environmental setting, such as vegetation type, geology (soil type), altitude and local topography. While such information may not always be essential, it adds to the whole picture that the person asked to identify the plant has available to accurately ID the plant.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some additional things to keep in mind</span></h4><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The field of view should be considered. As much as possible keep the parts of the plant you wish to highlight in focus by looking for a picture that shows the features more or less in the same plane.</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Consistent light across the frame is best, high contrast across the photo should be avoided (e.g., patches of bright sunlight).</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">You do not need to skimp on photos with digital cameras, so take as many as you like and send in only the best ones.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The use of flash can be helpful in darker situations and to highlight the whole plant in the frame.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Make sure that the leaves you are photographing are associated with the flowers or fruits in your photos. Having multiple plant species in the shot is a common error that makes it hard to identify the plant in question.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Remember that some species have compound leaves (e.g., pinnate), so be sure to photograph the whole leaf not just a leaflet.</span></li></ul><div></div><p></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The following are good photos for identifying a plant.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxnkgpPSYUiwgGTjNPFnpFyVv2sHBdV6Pq0oyb2PtIHK9rbTrIu7X7itJwUSi3hpm9ahKwL3QtgTNDN4XlxAw4J3wbEs_1qNQwn4tp0btlqcezqr6WUL6Nzidp170LOaCoMOIoXcKVZYBLZAhjxSN6rkcTqEtGfCFjhaDAZfZiV6C9QA_tl7uZ-vA=s360" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="360" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxnkgpPSYUiwgGTjNPFnpFyVv2sHBdV6Pq0oyb2PtIHK9rbTrIu7X7itJwUSi3hpm9ahKwL3QtgTNDN4XlxAw4J3wbEs_1qNQwn4tp0btlqcezqr6WUL6Nzidp170LOaCoMOIoXcKVZYBLZAhjxSN6rkcTqEtGfCFjhaDAZfZiV6C9QA_tl7uZ-vA=w400-h297" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p align="justify" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="background-color: white;">Narrow-leaved Bottlebrush</span></span></span><span><i> (Callistemon linearis)</i></span><span>, showing leaves, flower spike and mature fruit (capsules); the flower colour and the narrow linear leaves clearly identify it as this species.</span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKy3lWuRNKTwIU-7eO9FwPDB8BlHn4fo0aAwhmqCMb16iy5jj1gVdO39nxapBcl9sz6JEzFZyoo8Ui1nILtdSth2BFCH51-8nnvQXOTVFG_Y0-FgrsKXYvjrKFXW0EPM1y80GRpaUBZuE75HrtfoNpr5X9JLKfuhWYStGd2mKoo6KOe11Otrm3lDw=s361" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="361" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKy3lWuRNKTwIU-7eO9FwPDB8BlHn4fo0aAwhmqCMb16iy5jj1gVdO39nxapBcl9sz6JEzFZyoo8Ui1nILtdSth2BFCH51-8nnvQXOTVFG_Y0-FgrsKXYvjrKFXW0EPM1y80GRpaUBZuE75HrtfoNpr5X9JLKfuhWYStGd2mKoo6KOe11Otrm3lDw=w400-h304" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p align="justify" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span>Cheese Tree (</span><span><i>Glochidion ferdinandi</i>)</span><span>, showing leaves and a fruit capsule; the glossy, alternate leaves and distinctive fruit capsule leave no doubt about its identity.</span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><h4><span style="font-family: verdana;">Detail may be important</span></h4><div><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some closely-related species (i.e., those in the same genus) can be difficult to identify without attention to particular small details that aren’t obvious to the casual observer. These might be the presence of hairs of different types on stems, leaves or flowers, or the way ferns produce their spore. In these cases, ID from the above types of photographs alone may be inadequate. Learning more about the plants that grow in this region will help you learn what to photograph and perhaps get closer to making an ID yourself.</span></p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWJdpcMak0TlODVJ4F7lh-zHIH90KSD5-HuTUREYpIqTfKi0j0Qcbqje3h9FJhLD3C8_VqNDO3yp5XkMjJdPEW8iNAfK3kimIcqbiKx3iC8JC0Ty_r3NkAW1pN7wDiBaXZQfY9XhABnqkbRptDoZb99XgqsGlubBntv3yaT94F1wWVd2759Yoxx4c=s272" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="272" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWJdpcMak0TlODVJ4F7lh-zHIH90KSD5-HuTUREYpIqTfKi0j0Qcbqje3h9FJhLD3C8_VqNDO3yp5XkMjJdPEW8iNAfK3kimIcqbiKx3iC8JC0Ty_r3NkAW1pN7wDiBaXZQfY9XhABnqkbRptDoZb99XgqsGlubBntv3yaT94F1wWVd2759Yoxx4c=w400-h306" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p align="justify" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span>Sori (aggregates of spore-containing sporangia) on the underside of a part of a frond of Sickle Spleenwort (</span><span><i>Asplenium polyodon</i>)<i>. </i></span><span>Ferns have distinctive arrangements and structures of sori that can assist in identification.</span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7LG0gH6zZxSnSUl9ueoHePKumZL0qdFd9EeI9-r8M53HWeGd3bx7uV7PPJ92sc-_raP0ZJtACpPEPtNGUQBtkrUMtGIjGhdFy1yB_GF8eXInl4iLE_c9DmLJU0kbDxvOrbA4bNmI6fBELq6_3x_xc2AWln58zancWwX3vT8zH4Smq8RVuTclmons=s251" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="155" data-original-width="251" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7LG0gH6zZxSnSUl9ueoHePKumZL0qdFd9EeI9-r8M53HWeGd3bx7uV7PPJ92sc-_raP0ZJtACpPEPtNGUQBtkrUMtGIjGhdFy1yB_GF8eXInl4iLE_c9DmLJU0kbDxvOrbA4bNmI6fBELq6_3x_xc2AWln58zancWwX3vT8zH4Smq8RVuTclmons=w400-h248" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p align="justify" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin-bottom: 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span>Upper leaf surface (photo above) and lower leaf surface (photo below) of a leaf of </span><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="background-color: white;">Rusty Pomaderris</span></span></span><span> (</span><span><i>Pomaderris ferruginea</i>)<i>.</i></span><span> The type, colour and density of hairs are important features in this genus.</span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">-----</span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kevin Mills is the author of many articles, books and reports on the plants and vegetation of the Illawarra area. His monthly <i>Budawangia </i>newsletter is a great local resource, and you can subscribe by emailing him at kevinmillskma@gmail.com </span></p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-26246003869758991662021-11-17T19:19:00.008+11:002022-01-13T09:23:41.086+11:00Celebrating: ecosystem restoration with Landcare Illawarra <p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UfWmzTkSSqPBDLB8hHyn4wZ3ruKw48dp2BhgwPjdp3GZMjXBlHY7tGZIqLHast6eQwWweF_QYdMfrX79_gnT8ZJg86hoLo83Z8tDYX1C9H5cB-0a3gO1C1QFtZcaOfW4jscyyYRR3q0/s2048/Killalea+June+2021.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UfWmzTkSSqPBDLB8hHyn4wZ3ruKw48dp2BhgwPjdp3GZMjXBlHY7tGZIqLHast6eQwWweF_QYdMfrX79_gnT8ZJg86hoLo83Z8tDYX1C9H5cB-0a3gO1C1QFtZcaOfW4jscyyYRR3q0/w640-h480/Killalea+June+2021.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the many amazing vistas at Killalea. Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">For anyone whose interests include local ecosystem conservation and restoration, Landcare Illawarra's Annual General Meeting (AGM) is always a great event to attend. (<i>Disclosure from Emma: the 2015 AGM helped convince me to get on board developing the Growing Illawarra Natives website, so it can be pretty inspiring.</i>)</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This year the AGM will include a guided walk around the subtropical rainforest at Killalea, led by Jeff Harbrow, Landcare Illawarra's new seed collection officer, showcasing the work done there over the years by Friends of Killalea. It will be followed by a yummy picnic meal. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you'd like to get more involved with Landcare Illawarra, this is a good opportunity to do so. There are a couple of vacancies coming up on the committee, so if you'd like to contribute, please consider putting your hand up. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The AGM will be held on Thursday December 9. It starts at 5.30pm with the guided walk, with the picnic happening around 6.45pm. The gates close at 8pm. Location is shown in the image below. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">All are welcome, but </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>it is essential to RSVP by emailing coordinator @ landcareillawarra.org.au</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> - this is to manage catering and ensure the event can be COVID safe. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jZGp2fK8lop1uhl_66WiYPCZL7M-NrRqLHwvuS5_khAOPV_0B6-7OJ63L_sqvaNVvjVuJnvfIGLt39yir6hnkatmiONWcaU8YrLjJev7GH3btkhx0MjRN0_06V-js0PdFe6pQaeK2QM/s952/location+for+Landcare+Illawarra+AGM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="952" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jZGp2fK8lop1uhl_66WiYPCZL7M-NrRqLHwvuS5_khAOPV_0B6-7OJ63L_sqvaNVvjVuJnvfIGLt39yir6hnkatmiONWcaU8YrLjJev7GH3btkhx0MjRN0_06V-js0PdFe6pQaeK2QM/w640-h448/location+for+Landcare+Illawarra+AGM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Location for the 2021 Landcare Illawarra AGM.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can learn more about Landcare Illawarra on their website: <a href="http://www.landcareillawarra.org.au">http://www.landcareillawarra.org.au</a>. </span><p></p>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-28417312318959053922021-11-07T22:03:00.005+11:002022-02-06T17:26:34.574+11:00Garden inspiration: a Mount Kembla rainforest garden<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are so many ways to grow and appreciate the indigenous plants of the Illawarra. They can be incorporated into edible gardens, mixed in with exotics in garden beds and borders, grown as lawns, or used as feature plants. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The garden shown here uses local native plants, and a small number of other species, to create leafy outdoor spaces. As well as being visually delightful, this garden was designed by its creator Philip Zylstra to use rainforest plants that are more suitable in areas of high fire risk than eucalypts or acacias.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASV2KPyzOWH8Aah3vIvmTXXFFtVhzAB78e_9W_jC_-piAsArJnBdtk4PCikleBOxM9Zs-RvZwWAcPJiRhC_bxLSswrO0D5yU1xMbs73SwwxIFEqsdxB_uZSZg0N1HHbzqaTR3GlK8p-w/s1280/Philip+Zylstra+garden+best.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASV2KPyzOWH8Aah3vIvmTXXFFtVhzAB78e_9W_jC_-piAsArJnBdtk4PCikleBOxM9Zs-RvZwWAcPJiRhC_bxLSswrO0D5yU1xMbs73SwwxIFEqsdxB_uZSZg0N1HHbzqaTR3GlK8p-w/w640-h360/Philip+Zylstra+garden+best.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The garden features local native plants, with an open space designed to allowing people to socialise and enjoy the surrounding vegetation.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">Growing on deep rich soils in the Mount Kembla area, the plants in this garden are doing extraordinarily well, surviving the difficult summer of 2019-20 and powering on since then. Plants that might, in Towradgi or Port Kembla, look a bit scrappy, are lush and sleek in this context. </span><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK0AEvCBCfQiUM_yHt41TmwfN2ROkU60AM15w_13QwkYH28fs9Pw8x5M3ohEb8utCC0Hwe046akDQqStYwqqu7PU9mYR1zPasHJpQwz276xd2dpfpdHJtHU2dVNM8hwiAqA7f0TotIxQ/s2048/IMG_2057.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnK0AEvCBCfQiUM_yHt41TmwfN2ROkU60AM15w_13QwkYH28fs9Pw8x5M3ohEb8utCC0Hwe046akDQqStYwqqu7PU9mYR1zPasHJpQwz276xd2dpfpdHJtHU2dVNM8hwiAqA7f0TotIxQ/w480-h640/IMG_2057.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Luscious Downy Ground Fern (<i>Hypolepis glandulifera</i>) is surprisingly tough and sun-tolerant for a fern, and can be used to shade smaller seedlings during the hot dry summer months. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9_a7CnZYhoC-_hT6lriegONQtOAPzrQLN-ZU7tNujS_j9Qa5SdT3iZpvNj4VA6ziGtZpNWHzx2lwpdc0qIHVnEgE9mJMEIVs7lrJmKmbxVaYD2Mo6ezTdlDXp7iq0cmEadBB5VUT8S8/s2048/IMG_2060.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9_a7CnZYhoC-_hT6lriegONQtOAPzrQLN-ZU7tNujS_j9Qa5SdT3iZpvNj4VA6ziGtZpNWHzx2lwpdc0qIHVnEgE9mJMEIVs7lrJmKmbxVaYD2Mo6ezTdlDXp7iq0cmEadBB5VUT8S8/w480-h640/IMG_2060.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">The reddish new growth on the plant in the centre of this picture makes a striking contrast with the range of greens of the surrounding foliage. The central plant is Brush Pepperberry (<i>Tasmannia insipida</i>).</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBTym3kk9HnVPfdC5fArjnrPNU-Yfj4IjIJsJ5YBDyS3bAePy5JvQhi8Ey3Mqej4rvIBKiuzUBorCixr45MjCPB6vRrcAczMoRkpOX3dm-cRsobSyDrUfgArnZ54FLiD6KIZrkQR96zg/s2048/IMG_2062.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBTym3kk9HnVPfdC5fArjnrPNU-Yfj4IjIJsJ5YBDyS3bAePy5JvQhi8Ey3Mqej4rvIBKiuzUBorCixr45MjCPB6vRrcAczMoRkpOX3dm-cRsobSyDrUfgArnZ54FLiD6KIZrkQR96zg/w480-h640/IMG_2062.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">So much going on, up to and including a young Red Cedar (<i>Toona ciliata</i>), all framed by some stunning Wollongong Woollybutts (<i>Eucalyptus saligna </i>x. <i>botryoides</i>) in the background!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are some of Philip's own words and images showing the progression of this beautiful garden over the last couple of years. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lEJ-x1UbFzy5p7BZ_LHFFtYj29ZWmlgXp5eybgAnVZWxdckzN_-VIG5U6T3EyxCk4w3bDlr7afedFQPnmsNkvojpHHb__oypdvGcNyI2pJD-QlZ0fdL_oZshXGxWk3CwWXVbJQ2elWo/s946/Zylstra+garden+April+2019.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="946" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lEJ-x1UbFzy5p7BZ_LHFFtYj29ZWmlgXp5eybgAnVZWxdckzN_-VIG5U6T3EyxCk4w3bDlr7afedFQPnmsNkvojpHHb__oypdvGcNyI2pJD-QlZ0fdL_oZshXGxWk3CwWXVbJQ2elWo/w640-h360/Zylstra+garden+April+2019.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>April 2019: </b>You can see the general design of the area and the beds as I expand them. Watch the young Pencil Cedar (</span><i style="text-align: left;">Polyscias murrayi</i><span style="text-align: left;">) near the centre of the left-hand bed as the garden ages.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxd485yJLoVISNEHcmzQNCeXeYGZ8dMwpPh5D7maApEfl_i45ZQxXrZ2hmC5szcUSZ-N7XtG_Wu6fNcASgoUmhgi82YHivyCzZJ0NKoleXoGRBpibepmRblEAPMW-BU-Uyy15xyTAdDI/s944/Zylstra+garden+April+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="944" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxd485yJLoVISNEHcmzQNCeXeYGZ8dMwpPh5D7maApEfl_i45ZQxXrZ2hmC5szcUSZ-N7XtG_Wu6fNcASgoUmhgi82YHivyCzZJ0NKoleXoGRBpibepmRblEAPMW-BU-Uyy15xyTAdDI/w640-h480/Zylstra+garden+April+2020.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><b>April 2020. </b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>I’ve expanded the bed in the foreground and added a path along with a</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>n Illawarra</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>F</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>lame </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>T</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>ree </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>(</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>Brachychiton acerifolius</i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>, </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>Soft Tree Fern (</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>Dicksonia </i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>antarctica</i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i> </i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>against the fence, and a series of </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>Cheese Trees (</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>Glochidion </i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>ferdinandi</i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>)</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>, </i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>Scentless Rosewood (</i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>Synoum </i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>glandulosum</i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>) </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>an</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>d Sassafras (</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span><i>Doryphora sassafras</i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span>) trees.</span></span></span></span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETS3ZdQpSn64PvKRztza92TwB00ukNm-eTZKZzE6uw3pNL5edyoEnhCQSmjrw6QEFAat55BIyhBZZO5WAgpA8NPpDRADLkc8NzjzRFrMpjzZir1ndfU5NriwdEnRAjO1yeddNMxRPxSc/s946/Zylstra+garden+October+2021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="946" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETS3ZdQpSn64PvKRztza92TwB00ukNm-eTZKZzE6uw3pNL5edyoEnhCQSmjrw6QEFAat55BIyhBZZO5WAgpA8NPpDRADLkc8NzjzRFrMpjzZir1ndfU5NriwdEnRAjO1yeddNMxRPxSc/w640-h360/Zylstra+garden+October+2021.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: start;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"><b>October 2021</b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">. A lot of growth has happened in the foreground beds, and I’ve added some more structure with stone steps. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">The m</span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">id-storey trees are much larger now, and the </span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"><i>Polyscias murrayi </i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal;"><span style="color: #262a33;"><span face="apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Helvetica Neue, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 7pt;">has grown from 1m to 6.5m in 2.5 years.</span></span></span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's inspiring to see what has been achieved in this garden over just a few years. The ideas here could be used in gardens across the region, providing a huge range of benefits, from aesthetic charm, to retaining local ecosystems, attracting local wildlife, and cooling urban areas. </span></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4932434903774242371.post-63425823387574082382021-10-16T18:15:00.006+11:002021-11-08T23:37:20.743+11:00Did you know? Growing Illawarra Natives covers garden design<div data-contents="true"><div class="bi6gxh9e" data-block="true" data-editor="5u29r" data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKxmYfwod1nwU3PLqZM4gKgQbIZzluZScrLrllTEKpj99tBRS8BxKXGaHHNEmweQAUs0TQeZ7-FI2RClcowlDoXsADH3eIEQ_HnYoFdfrNoVykobjRluaRjvQ-IfC52cky3joFjloXco/s2048/Calochlaena+dubia+garden+Mt+Pleasant+Rooksby+Dec+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKxmYfwod1nwU3PLqZM4gKgQbIZzluZScrLrllTEKpj99tBRS8BxKXGaHHNEmweQAUs0TQeZ7-FI2RClcowlDoXsADH3eIEQ_HnYoFdfrNoVykobjRluaRjvQ-IfC52cky3joFjloXco/w400-h266/Calochlaena+dubia+garden+Mt+Pleasant+Rooksby+Dec+15.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A garden in Mount Pleasant featuring a range of local species, including Rainbow Fern (<i>Calochlaena dubia</i>) and Swamp Lily (<i>Crinum pedunculatum</i>). Image by Emma Rooksby.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0">Did you know that there's a whole section of the Growing Illawarra Natives website dedicated to designing gardens using local native plant species? It's not a detailed step-by-step guide (there are many of these available already), but gives lots of tips on what species will work well in a few common styles of garden. </span></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0"><br /></span></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0">Here's the link: </span><span class="py34i1dx"><a href="https://blog.growingillawarranatives.org/p/garden-design-using-illawarra-natives.html " target="_blank">https://blog.growingillawarranatives.org/p/garden-design-using-illawarra-natives.html</a> </span>With everything from bushtucker to verge gardens, there are heaps of ideas included. </span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span data-offset-key="50sdn-2-0">A few of the many volunteers who contributed to the website helped to develop this material, including </span><span class="diy96o5h" data-offset-key="50sdn-3-0" end="536" spellcheck="false" start="523">Louise Brodie</span><span data-offset-key="50sdn-4-0">, </span><span class="diy96o5h" data-offset-key="50sdn-5-0" end="551" spellcheck="false" start="538">Ginny Sadubin</span><span data-offset-key="50sdn-6-0">, </span><span class="ms7hmo2b m9osqain" data-offset-key="50sdn-7-0" end="566" spellcheck="false" start="553">Penny Sadubin</span><span data-offset-key="50sdn-8-0">, Jenny Clapham, </span><span class="diy96o5h" data-offset-key="50sdn-9-0" end="595" spellcheck="false" start="583">Katie Wright and </span><span data-offset-key="50sdn-10-0">Ryan Hogan. </span><span class="diy96o5h" data-offset-key="50sdn-11-0" end="621" spellcheck="false" start="612">Kath Gadd made many helpful suggestions</span><span data-offset-key="50sdn-12-0">. Huge thanks to all contributors! </span></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="50sdn-0-0"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSLMo6qIOhMdqeKSz57M8hatAjSg5EE6LzRp6OSOahac9a6NZsRrdYWxzPstytODnoXGdrXNzXsLY9MUn5DjNBwP9On85J2GhufaCOmUXOCAnA34Jcc28m0iYCqCSFQtjWYuCsQ3eCnY/s2048/IMG_8614.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSLMo6qIOhMdqeKSz57M8hatAjSg5EE6LzRp6OSOahac9a6NZsRrdYWxzPstytODnoXGdrXNzXsLY9MUn5DjNBwP9On85J2GhufaCOmUXOCAnA34Jcc28m0iYCqCSFQtjWYuCsQ3eCnY/w640-h640/IMG_8614.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Landscaping using local natives at the Robson's Road entrance to Wollongong Botanic Garden. Image by Emma Rooksby. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span data-offset-key="50sdn-12-0"><br /></span></span></div></div></div>NativeIllawarrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13686062482472684634noreply@blogger.com0