The weather was wonderful and perhaps this explains that people were energetic, therefore hungry and why the sausage sizzlers had to make a mercy dash to the Bay for extra supplies.

The cake stall, always popular, and volunteers could barely keep up, while the Berry Farm ice cream van supplied young and old with its tasty cones.

“Many people told us they had been to the fair before, some for several years in a row,” Friends of the Gardens spokesperson Heather Haughton said.

“Certainly people appreciate the value of our native plants, propagated, potted and hardened up at the gardens. They were marching out to waiting cars in bags, boxes, on trolleys, waiting to rejuvenate domestic gardens by sensitive new owners.”

At the advice kiosk, staff and volunteers with years of experience were on hand to suggest what would grow well in conditions as described.

The fair was also a financial success, Ms Haughton said, with every dollar raised contributing to the redevelopment of the garden’s visitors centre, where the first step would be to move the heritage-listed Wallace Herbarium up the hill to an expanded science precinct.

“Our precious collection of specimens collected over nearly four decades will at last have its own climate controlled, insect proof accommodation augmented by decent work space.”

A number of books were donated to the second-hand book stall, including one book entitled Appalachian Clogging.

But when ERBG manager Michael Anlezark is ever going to have enough spare time to take up Appalachian clogging is another question, but the Friends look forward to the occasion, Ms Haughton joked.

“Friends of the Gardens appreciate widespread community support that resulted in so many books being donated, and a great financial outcome at the end of the day,” she said.