May 2011
This April the Garden Group did not have any activities because there were so many open gardens to visit.
One of the loveliest was the Town and Country open garden weekend in the middle of the month; the accompanying photos are of Prittlewell at Fitzroy Falls.
This was to raise funds for the new Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens (SHBG) a not for profit voluntary association, on the corner of Kangaloon and Old South Roads on the site of the “Old Skin Shed” (now demolished) and to include the existing series of linked retention ponds as the “Pond of Reflection”.
The Friends of SHBG had lobbied Wingecarribee Council for ten years to agree to this proposal, but now the Draft Plan of Management can be seen on the Council’s website. The aim of this arboretum is to represent the four seasons in a cold climate with scarce water. The mixture of trees will be 70-80% exotic and 30-20% natives.
The purpose is to study, research and educate the population, especially on those trees identified by Louisa Atkinson and her granddaughter Janet Cosh. Louisa lived in Sutton Forest in the first half of the 19th century and her botanical drawings were so accurate that four species have been named after her. Janet lived in Moss Vale and carried on her grandmother’s tradition as well as donating money to establish the herbarium at Wollongong Botanic Gardens.
If you are interested in educating the public about horticulture and landscaping, plants and biological communities, raising community awareness about biodiversity and plant conservation then you may wish to become a Friend of SHBG and receive regular newsletters. Information can be found at info@shbg.com.au or by phoning 4861 4899. There are no staff and the only funding is by donations; over $2 is tax deductible.
Another fund raising activity is to be on Thursday 26th May at the Bowral Cinema where they will be showing the movie Russian Ark. Tickets will be $20 and include a glass of wine and refreshments.