Here we go FRIENDS, I hear we will soon become LOVERS, watch this space. Bear with me while I find my way around the site. I will start by posting excerpts of an article I wrote recently about a visit to Peacehaven by SGAP TOOWOOMBA. This will bring you up to date with some of the developments that have occurred around the park. Since then the Council has planted out some Spring flowering colour plants which should add a little glam. A lot of the existing plants are in bud at the moment showing promises of things to come. Future articles will not be this long, I am just bringing you up to date and letting other bloggers in the Toowoomba Regional Council area THE WORLD really, know what a fantastic Park we have.
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| Acacia |
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| Callicarpa Pedunculata |
The Nursery was kindly opened and manned by Dorelle, it is normally open THU and SAT from 9AM until 12.30PM. There is a large selection of Native plants, dare I say it is the largest Native Nursery in the Toowoomba area. The majority of plants are propagated by cutting or grown from seed by the 'Friends' and supplemented by tubestock ordered from wholesale nurseries. Quite a few plants were bought which was a pleasant surprise considering most SGAP members have well established Native gardens. This means that the plants bought were different, interesting, the 'right price' or all three. For those that haven't been to the Nursery a quick rundown on activities/facilities there-it consists of a shade cloth covered Retail/plant display area, a Greenhouse and a Hothouse where many hundreds of seedlings grow on before being moved out to the shade cloth area to harden up. Everything is done Inhouse from washing/disinfecting pots, mixing up our own potting mix and striking our own cuttings. The Nursery has a high success rate due to the expert supervision of Joy Sheath, the facility Manager and the very experienced/dedicated Volunteer staff. Most members of the 'friends' supply cuttings and seeds from their own gardens which generates a diverse supply of often hard to get plants. I highly recommend dropping into the 'Peacehaven' Nursery from time to time to find 'Gems' for your garden and if not, just to talk to the friendly/knowledgeable staff/volunteers. The setting of the Park has to be mentioned, the Park slopes gently downhill where the eye is immediately drawn to the magnificent vista of the distant Bunya Mountains. You need to explore the fabulous gardens/facilities that 'Peacehaven' has become to fully appreciate it, and allow yourself a bit of time. The Park is child and Pet friendly, has nice clean modern toilets, plenty of parking, has BBQ facilities and 3 New Pergola/Under cover areas with seating/tables in addition to a large Rotunda with seating. The Gardens have wide winding pathways that are suitable for all levels of personal mobility. Along the pathways you will find features such as ants carved into large sandstone blocks, large free standing ants that the kids will love and great Mosaic depictions of Native animals/birds set into the concrete paths. Most trees/plants have permanent nameplates set into the ground in front of them making identification/education easy. Some of the standout/flowering plants were a Sturts desert pea in full flower, a Callicarpa covered in red berries that hadn't quite turned their typical candy pink colour yet, an apricot flowering Hibiscus Splendens, Cats whiskers in purple and white, Syzgium Wilsonii with a vibrant new flush of colour, Cordyline Petiolaris in flower/fruit as well as Native Gingers and several Wattles. Further along in the dry creek bed there were Bangalow palms, Cyathea Cooperi and Dicksonia Antartica tree ferns, this area will be fantastic with a bit more growth, it is already starting to get that Rainforest feel. All in all it is not only a great Botanical Park but a great destination that one should allow a couple of hours to visit, and have a cuppa, especially on a Thursday or Saturday morning where yours truly will be labouring away in the Nursery looking for an excuse to take a break and sell you a PLANT OR TWO. All of this is surrounded by magnificent Gums of different varieties backed up by a cacophony of Birdlife and their calls. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR !!!
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| cunjevoi in creek line |
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