NEW MEMBERS, NEW PLANTS, NEW FLOWERS AND 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

I enjoyed yet another lovely walk through the park this afternoon, lots more buds bursting forth/flowering and birds with nesting material in their beaks. Hope that is a sign of an early spring or at least warmer weather to come. Hello and welcome to our new members, not sure I can publish names so I will play safe. A very big welcome to our new member from MIDDLE RIDGE (outside of  Highfields area-Woohoo) they will know who they are. A very eventful POST follows with lots of information.

The NURSERY has a heap of new plants for sale, both different and colourful, some in bud and some flowering. BE QUICK they will be very popular. A range of new plants in 140mm pots is available now with a heap of tube stock arriving before Thursday 2nd July. Our full range of  local/indigenous rainforest trees and shrubs is always available.

Some of you may be aware of the upcoming PEACEHAVEN 10th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, THE POSTER BELOW OUTLINES SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES AND THE TIME LINE. More to follow.

 Assuming that most FRIENDS and READERS of the BLOG are interested in Native Plants I thought I might post some information about other related activities. The Native Plants Queensland (NPQ) Plant Show is being held on the 15/16 Aug 9am-3pm at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens (BBG) , it is a real eye opener. For me  it is akin to a 'kid in a lolly shop' scenario. Grab a few friends, jump in the car and drive down there, after you have been to the Peacehaven Bash first of course. The Native Plant Gardens section at the BBG Mt Coot-tha is a great destination by itself.


This beautiful yellow flower is from Hibbertia Scandens which is a fast growing vine that can be quite rampant but prunes readily. It is covered in flowers from end of Winter through to Summer, it can also SPOT flower throughout the year. It does well in shade or full sun and can take light frosts. Check out the one behind the Nursery on the fence line. The Callistemon below is Viminalis, check out the Scaley breasted Rosella in the left hand top branches. It will grow virtually anywhere, including Black Soil, has a weeping habit and is great for the birds. Prune off the spent flowers while they still have a little colour/before the seed pods form, for an even better flowering next time. The next photo shows just how well the Rainforest edged creek line is coming along, it looks very lush. I've decided to write some articles on all aspects of Native Gardening in SERIAL format starting next BLOG. Hopefully that will keep you hooked and the BLOG size and production time, manageable. Thought I had forgotten didn't you, nothing else has developed on the FRIENDS/LOVERS relationship yet, BUT! things are afoot. Watch this space.

ACACIAS BLOOMING

Tuesday 23rd June 11.35am

New plantings- Hedges??

Grasses at edge of Lake

Hi,I am going to endeavour to walk through the park 2 or 3 times a week and bring things of interest or significance to your attention. The TRC planted annuals are progressing nicely with colour showing through already. I think it will add a point of interest and a splash of colour to what at this time of year is a relatively drab pallet. You may say that it could be done with Native plants, and it could. Maybe that is something that could be looked at in the future. WHAT WILL BECOME OF THOSE GARDEN BEDS AFTER THE ANNUALS HAVE PASSED THEIR BEST ??? Could be an opportunity here.But, bang for your buck in a short time frame, annuals are hard to beat. Overall I think it will produce a great result and help lift visitors spirits during this rather drab time of year. GOOD ONYA TRC.

Acacia

Acacia at edge of new Frog Pond

Every time I visit the Park I think WOW, how lucky is HIGHFIELDS to have this fantastic facility. The best way to keep it progressing and developing is to support it HIGHFIELDS RESIDENTS. How do we show TRC how much we LOVE our Park. A visitors book/comments perhaps, supporting the NURSERY to increase funds that go towards the Garden development, or Posting comments/ideas on this site ???. THE BEST WAY IS TO USE IT !!! All ideas/comments are welcome.

Petrofile Canescens

Pittosporum berries

You may have noticed I used that LOVE word again in the text, our relationship (Friends of Peacehaven)  still hasn't progressed, we are still only Friends not Lovers  !! I STILL HAVEN'T DIVULGED MY SEX YET, SO HOPEFULLY THE BLOG WILL APPEAL TO BOTH SEXES. Hoping to get my PARTNER to contribute to the BLOG as well. Watch this space, it won't be long and Spring will be in the air. Change will be afoot. Talking of which I watched a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets enlarge a hole in one of the Eucalypts today, potential nesting site. Even the birds love building in Highfields.

DURING SUMMER I RECKON YOU WILL NEED TO BE DOWN AT THE NEW BBQ AREA BY 6am TO GET A LOOK IN, WOW !!! WHAT A GREAT AREA.

Thinking about putting in some articles about growing Natives, preparing soil, watering, feeding, pruning etc. Don't know if that is within the scope of the BLOG though. What do ya reckon  ???

TEST RUN-REACTIVATION OF BLOG

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.

Acacia

                                         

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  !!!



          cunjevoi in creek line