Event 2 2022 Spring Park Nursery - Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens

EVENT REPORT by Leona

We gardeners are a curious lot. We want to know what's going on next door, down

the road, in the next town and across the globe. Thus, on the very 1st day of Autumn, accompanied by appropriate turn of the season weather, a goodly posse of U3A gardeners set off in the direction of Daylesford, armed with a desire to discover, learn, be inspired and simply to enjoy.

Our 1st destination was Spring Park Nursery Eganstown, whereupon we had a refreshing cuppa before dispersing into the greenery to admire a diverse range of roses, perennials, grasses and shrubs. We then settled down to an engaging and informative talk by Nursery owner Ken.

Following are some snippets from his talk.

* The nursery is a family operated business, involving Ken, his wife, Dot and 2 sons, Chris and Brenton. One son has a scientific bent, the other is a mad keen propagator of plants. Handy skills indeed for a nursery.

* Each year Spring Park stocks 300 to 400 rose varieties - this includes a mixture of old and new releases.

* The nursery introduces new perennial releases, sourced from plant developers every year.

* Propagation of a large number of plants also occurs on site.

We were introduced to a variety of newly arrived plants, including Digiplexis, (impossible to resist) Hydrangeas (promising to be more cooperative in our challenging conditions), Heucheras (very attractive little specimens) and salvias (thought you'd seen them all? Think again) Peonies - tree and herbaceous, so beautiful yet so transitory. Not to worry, feed them up and plant them in sun, (but whatever you do, don't cut them back given the time they take to mature) The new 'Itoh' peony certainly sounds charming.

Following question time, we were let loose in the nursery again. Dangerous. Some made a determined dive at the table of new release plants, while others threw caution to the wind and were seen exiting with bulging bags of garden treasures.

Such joy!

Many thanks to Ken and family for their friendly attitude and sharing of their expertise.

Photos by Andrew

Redbase Jezebel (Delias pasithoe thyra)

Onward to Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens Daylesford.

For some of our number this was a new experience, for others a renewal of acquaintance with this delightful and historic site. Ah, but first lunch was to be had.

For this we very happily sheltered under a veranda with a backdrop of beautiful begonias in full bloom, in the Alf Headland Begonia Conservatory.

In response to a cooler moist Daylesford Autumn day, coats, hats and brollies appeared and we strolled amongst the sloping garden beds, explored and admired moist fern gullies, impressive conifers, avenues of elms and oaks of considerable age and grace, and discovered that the plant nursery was open (more bulging bags of greenery).

Now we were ready for a talk by Patrice O'Shea, secretary of Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens.

So much to be said. Where to start?

Wombat Hill is one of a range of Botanic Gardens established in Central Victoria around the 1860s. Such gardens, established post goldrush, were seen as a reminder of homelands, but they also afforded a certain status to a town, were a social gathering point, and of course a place to house an ever-increasing horticultural collection.

The initial set up of Wombat Hill involved removal of a large amount of existing native vegetation and the planting of Royal oaks and conifers. This coincided with a Royal Wedding. (of course) Along with considerable community involvement, famous names pop up. Baron Ferdinand Von Mueller (1853, botanist for the colony of Victoria and later director of Melbourne Botanic Gardens) Andrew Laidlaw, (Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and Burnley College) and Melbourne design firm Sangster and Taylor (very sought after apparently) Over time plans were hatched, drawn up, partially implemented, re hatched and re drawn. Currently there is a project underway which aims to redevelop various sets of steps, the concrete day basin and the conservatory.

Now Who Knew?

* The Pioneer's Tower, giving uninterrupted views of Daylesford, was constructed in the 1930's as part of an employment program.

Herald Saturday 19 November 1938, page 7

. . New Look-Out Tower Opened by Governor

STRIKING Pioneers' Memorial Tower, erected at a cost of £800 by the Daylesford Borough Council was opened today by the Governor (Lord Huntingfield). Tower is 70 feet high and overlooks beautiful surroundings in Wombat Hill Gardens.

* The 'Day Basin' visible as you enter the gardens as a decidedly unattractive open concrete tank, was a repository for a day's water for the town.

* Von Mueller donated 100s of plants to the cause.

Mr Headland, in army great coat and accompanied by his trusty kelpie, visited every day during the 1970s and is responsible for the begonia conservatory being established. Thank you, Mr Headland.

* The 40-acre gardens are set on the summit of an extinct volcano, on Council owned land.

* All plans for development must be approved by Heritage Victoria.

* The Friends Of The Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens have been operating for 11 years.

* There is a new project involving the re development of the Day Basin as a water feature, surrounded by planting, with a rill and leading to a cascade. The conservatory will also be renovated.

* Hepburn Council, the State Government, and the Friends of Wombat Hill group have combined to provide funding for this project.

* Unbelievably Wombat Hill is maintained by 1 part time gardener. Imagine what he could achieve in our gardens!

And last but not least, the word of the day goes to PINEETUM, as in arboretum.

Patrice mentioned this title as significant due to the inclusion of many varieties of conifers which formed the basis of the gardens.

And now my acquired treasures have all found homes in my plot, not necessarily where I had initially envisaged, mind you. I trust yours have too. We will give them lots of TLC. Now what could possibly go wrong?

We look forward to the April expedition to Ripponlea.