Copy of december 2011.pub - Lazyfish Technology

December 2011 Kangaroo Valley Voice www.kangaroovalley.nsw.au Page 29
A stroll down Tindall’s Lane
The first November Garden Group
outing was on Wednesday 9 to Tindall’s
Lane just north of Berry on the Prince’s
Highway.
There, Harvey Blue showed us his
magnificent garden that he has developed
from scratch over the last fifteen years or
so.
Sweeping lawns, mature trees, water features
and a number of European “follies” make it a
most interesting and relaxing place to visit.
Harvey has also been active in Landcare.
They have done a tremendous amount of work
along Tindall’s Lane. As we all know, these
areas can be a tangle of lantana, blackberries
privet and other exotic weeds.
Harvey and his team have been very diligent in
removing many of these pests. This has
allowed native plants from the natural seed
bank already in the road verges to establish
themselves and in turn, keep down the
regrowth of the exotic plants.
One of the secrets to his success is being able
to identify the native seedlings from the exotic.
This is not as easy as it sounds as many of the
natives look very similar to some of the weeds,
especially at the seedling and sapling stages
and before they flower.
To this end he has spent a great deal of time
and effort in developing a guide to identify
many of the plants he has come across,
including photos, particularly of plants that are
easily confused.
So after we had been strolled along the lane for
some time while we learned about the different
plants and the challenges they presented we
found we were being tested on how much we
had absorbed.
This proved it wasn’t a trip down Memory
Lane as it brought home how many different
species there are (many of which grow in
Kangaroo Valley), and how easy it is to get the
identification wrong.
Unfortunately only three of us were able to
take part in this fascinating and enlightening
excursion. However Harvey has offered to
host a similar event in 2012.
Anyone who is interested in rehabilitating
areas that have been taken over by introduced
plants should make every effort to get there.
His achievements are inspiring.
A Valley gem
As you drive out of the Valley towards
Fitzroy Falls to your right there is the
most beautiful garden tucked in below
the road and most of it not visible to
those passing by.
It’s probably a good thing that this is the
case, as it would turn the head of far too
many drivers for the road to remain safe
right there.
On November 14, Leah Parrish kindly hosted the
Garden Group for a tour of this wonderful
sanctuary.
Our senses were delighted by magnificent rose
blooms, a smoke tree, steep banks covered in
native plants, and a host of other trees, shrubs
and plants all looking very happy with their lot in
life.
Leah also has a vegetable patch made out of
former water tanks cut down to a height that
means they can be tended without bending over –
a gardener’s dream.
Kangaroo Valley
Garden Group
What’s more it reduces to almost zero the
damage to the vegetables caused by the fauna,
both domestic and wild that inevitably roam
around a garden.
Leah had some very helpful hints on how she
keeps her garden in such great condition.
For example, if plants are not doing
particularly well in a certain position she has
no compunction in transplanting them – no
matter how big the plant may be.
Usually she will dig half way around the roots
and leave it for a week before digging up the
other half.
In that way the first half of the roots are
already recovering from being cut before the
plant is actually moved.
Besides that she is blessed by having access to
the manure and mulch generated by the dairy
on which she lives.
Thank you Leah for being so generous with
your time, your knowledge and your seeds.
It was a marvellous couple of hours.
Passionate about gardening.
We specialise in;
• Garden advice
• Constructing vegetable gardens
• Constructing vegetable enclosures
• Garden maintenance
• Lawn care
Simon Harrington
Design Construction Maintenance
0439 456 356
info@deliciousgardens.com.au
Our aim;
Visit us at;
‘To see every backyard with an edible garden’
www.deliciousgardens.com.au