Australian Plant Society kicks off the year

Mark Noake and John Knight had spent some time experimenting with a system of projecting the plant specimens onto a screen so that not only were the plant specimens displayed in minute detail but photos could be taken at the same time. 

The range of plants on display was quite extensive and considering how dry the spring and summer months have been it is a credit to our members who maintain such diversity and to the plants which exhibit such tolerance.

After lunch we joined the Friends of ERBG for a presentation by Professor Tony Haymet who discussed his work of accurately measuring the heat in the ocean and the effects this is having on the climate.   

Oceans comprise 80 per cent of the world’s surface, and as such have the dominant effect on weather.

Our March meeting was held at the property of Jenny and Peter John at Narooma.  Mercifully the rain held off and 30 members attended. 

Vice-president Geoff Gosling began the Q & A proceedings and soon banter travelled back and forth as members offered advice or asked further questions on various topics raised.

The most highlighted topic was pruning. It seems that many members are still unsure as to the best time to prune, how certain plants should be tackled or even if some plants could be pruned.  The advice was as varied as the expertise in the room.  Mark Noake’s projection technology was again brought into use to illustrate the various plants.

Our next meeting is at Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens where we will hear a talk from Peter Ollerenshaw of Bywong Nursery on April 1 at 10am. 

Peter had worked for many years at the Australian National Botanic Gardens then  left to establish Bywong Nursery concentrating on Australian plants.