Australian Plants Society SA Expo 12 - 13 October 2019
Australian Plants Society SA Expo
When: 12th and 13th of October from 10am each day
Where: Stirling Angus Hall, Adelaide Showgrounds
Who: Australian Plants Society SA
Guest Speakers:
Dan Duval, South Australian Seed Bank
Gill Muller, ‘Growing Australian Natives in containers’
Mike Gardiner, Flinders University, On the Pygmy Blue Tongue Lizard
Anthony Morley, ‘Designing with pots, includes irrigation’
Participating Organisations:
Native Orchid Society of South Australia
Butterfly Conservation
Ikebana
Gondwana Landscapes
Medika Gallery
Australian Plants Society SA Expo 12 - 13 October 2019 - Contributed by Matthew Blandford
I have been known to dabble in gardening. This included a solitary and miserable vegetable patch in a hidden corner of my garden. Initially, inspired by thoughts of self-sufficiency and stir-fried vegetables, I watered, ploughed and fertilized with vigor. For weeks I leapt up each morning to check my garden’s progress, eagerly anticipating those first signs of life: the fruits of my dedication and labor. Inevitably though my interest wavered when my seeds didn’t sprout right away. Months later I stumbled upon my lonesome experiment, the remnants of my small few vegetable plants now ravaged by seven different kinds of weeds that seemingly flourished in spite of my inattention.
I think it can be agreed that gardening is widely considered a popular pastime among many Australians. It is only natural when you consider our affinity with the outdoors combined with warm summers, rich soil and the freedom afforded to us to cultivate. For some people this passion for gardening manifests as fleeting interest in growing their own vegetables – for others, gardening can be about self-expression or a means to decorate your home.
'Gardening is about engaging with the land and the native plants Australia is blessed with'
For some gardening is about engaging with the land and the native plants Australia is blessed with, and that is the case for John Fleming from the South Australian leg of the Australian Plants Society. SAcommunity spoke to John Fleming to find out about the Society and its upcoming event at the Adelaide Showgrounds. John and his partner were drawn to the Society due to their passion for Australian plants, their uniqueness and diversity, and the sense of place Australian plants give us all.
The Australian Plants Society SA and other societies like it sprouted in the early 1950s, inspired by a man by the name of Arthur Swaby. For several years from May 1954 Swaby wrote a column ‘Know Your Natives’ in the popular gardening magazine ‘Your Garden.’ The first state based society was setup in Victoria in 1957 and the South Australian branch soon followed in 1958.
The Society has a number of purposes including to encourage the cultivation and study of Australian plants, the promotion and establishment of gardens in all types of soil and climate, and to support or initiate efforts to protect Australian plants and their habitats. Another significant purpose the Society has is to pass on its extensive knowledge as widely as possible. This is achieved in part through their regular newsletter known as The Journal. In addition, the Society runs a number of national study groups looking at various aspects of Australian plants ranging from food plants to garden design.
A conservation arm also exists, called Conservation of our Threatened Species – COOTS for short. COOTS run workshops where people get together to learn propagation techniques, and this supports work in a number of project sites across a diverse range of habitats and geographic regions. Here, through the power of volunteers, work is done to restore and protect natural ecosystems.
Australian Plants Society SA Biannual Expo - 'expert advice to make your gardening dreams a reality'
If you require expert advice to make your gardening dreams a reality, the Society hosts an expo twice a year at the Adelaide Showgrounds, attend and the collective expertise of the Australian Plants Society SA will be at your disposal. The event offers a range of services to participants including soil testing and advice on choosing the right plants to match your growing conditions.
The next expo for the year is locked in for the 12th and 13th of October in the Stirling Angus Hall at the Adelaide Showgrounds from 10am each day. The theme for this edition is Australian Plants in Containers, and Australian plants grown by members themselves will be for sale. Other features include a spring flower show, workshops and a range of guest speakers as well as children’s activities.
If your grand gardening ideas are yet to flourish, and you need advice, consider this your opportunity. Or maybe you already consider yourself a green thumb, and would love the chance to mingle with people who share your passion? Either way, come down to the Adelaide Showgrounds on the 12th and 13th of October and support a great community organisation!
If you wish to take your commitment one step further and become a member, The Australian Plants Society SA would love to have you! The Society meets every month except for December, on a Thursday evening at the Unley Community Centre.
