Monthly newsletter of Coffs Garden Club

1. 8
CHGC Newsletter No. 115 March 2016
Changes to our meeting venue will be
advised in the newsletter, our website
and on facebook.
Any cancellations to outings will be
advised in the same manner.
Wed 6 Apr Maintenance at the air-side gardens at Coffs Regional Airport
contact Peter 6650 0985
Thu 7 April Outing to 2016 Reserve Champion garden, Council Nursery,
Coffs Museum, lunch at Hoey Moey
Sat 9 &
Sun 10 Apr
Garden RELEAF at Total Gardens—fund raising for
beyondblue
Sat 16 Apr Monthly Meeting—Guest Speaker to be advised
Sat 23 &
Sun 24 Apr
Coffs Harbour Show
Helpers needed for the set up and break down of Pavilion
Call Peter 6650 0985
For competition information for the following two sections:
Section 10 Fresh Produce & Honey and
Section 14 Flowers & Plants
Please call CHGC Chief Steward Margaret Franks 6656 0941
For all other inquiries and on-line entry visit
pavilionchshow@live.com
Sat 4 June Masters BBQ
Contact Geoff 6656 2429
Sat 13 Aug Zone Day at South West Rocks
Meetings are held the 3rd Sat of the month (Jan-Nov) and commence at
1:30pm, Botanic Garden Display Room, Hardacre St, Coffs Harbour
Any meeting venue changes will be advised in the newsletter, CHGC website
and on facebook.
CHGC welcomes anyone who has great ideas on how to meet the needs of
our membership. Please call Geoff if you would like more information on the
various roles within the Club or to discuss your ideas T:6656 2429.
President: Geoff Bell 6656 2429
email: presidentchgc@gmail.com
Secretary: Michael Reid 6650 9485
email: secretarychgc@gmail.com
Treasurer: Anne-Maree Ely 6656 4229
email: treasurerchgc@gmail.com
www.coffsgardenclub.com
Editor: Maria Bell 6656 2429
Email contributions/feedback to:
coffsharbourgardenclub@gmail.com
Coffs Harbour
Garden Club Inc.
Newsletter Number 115
March 2016

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CHGC Newsletter No. 115 March 2016
FLOWER OF THE MONTH
April—Pentas (Pentas lanceolate)
This nectar-rich flower is an absolute
beacon for butterflies. It is an old-
fashioned favourite that is just so well
suited to the Coffs Coast.
Pentas are also called Egyptian stars for
the bloom’s five pointed shape. The
plant is a shrub that can grow as high as
2 metres tall and half that size wide if
left unpruned. It is a scrubby plant with
an unruly shape sporting oval to spear-shaped hairy foliage. The
flowers cover a wide spectrum of colour—from white, through the
pinks, lilac, mauve & purple, to a rich red and there are new
cultivars that have pink blooms with red centres!
If you have a pentas that is looking very bedraggled, do not
despair, with a good hard prune it will reinvigorate and be living
up to its reputation as being a colourful stalwart of our gardens.
Pentas are a real good all round plant—good performers in the
garden, terrific attractant for ‘good’ insects and a great cut flower
which may last more than a week in the vase.
Pentas are a bit slow in growing however, a plus is that they are
not prone to many diseases with the main pest problem being
spider mites who seem to enjoy their leaves.
Pentas is just one of the many cut flowers which are listed in the
Coffs Show Schedule—why not cut some and enter the Show to
add to the display in the Pavilion.
THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
What a man needs in gardening is a cast-iron back with a hinge on it.
- Charles Dudley Warner
7
Thanks to previous Editor Pat for this, it’s too good not to reprint!
Do you remember these?
1. My parents taught me to appreciate a job well done. “If you’re
going to kill each other, do it outside...I’ve just finished cleaning.”
2. My parents taught me logic. “Because I said so, that’s why.”
3. My parents taught me about religion. “You better pray that comes
out of the carpet.”
4. My parents taught me about foresight. “Make sure you wear
clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.”
5. My parents taught me about irony. ”Keep crying like that and I’ll
give you something to cry about.”
6. My parents taught me about stamina. “You’ll sit there until that
spinach is gone.”
7. My parents taught me about anticipation. “Just wait until we get
home.”
8. My parents taught me about genetics. ”You’re just like your
father.
9. My parents taught me about medical science. “If you don’t stop
crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way.”
10. My parents taught me about justice. “One day you’ll have kids,
and I hope they turn out just like you.”
Coffs Harbour Show - 22, 23 & 24 April
Member Margaret Franks is the CHGC Chief Steward for the Fresh Produce
& Honey and the Flowers and Plants Sections and she needs our help:
Take a walk through your garden with the schedule in hand and note what
flowers, fruits & vegies you may have around show time. Keep an eagle eye
out for any pests and give them short shift before they can do damage. It is
easy to find something to enter in the show—for example there is a category
for foliage in Sect 14. This is a lovely class to enter, it’s amazing how easy it is
to come up with 5 different foliage stems. By starting to look at what we can
enter in the show it is not so hard selecting things closer to the show judging
date. In regard to our pots and plants, we want them in tip top condition for
the show, give them a little feed now to encourage good lush green growth,
remove spent or damaged leaves and give them a good clean (including the
pot) closer to the show. Why not give floral art a go? It all makes for a better
show if there is plenty to see. These two sections are always very popular
with the general public. Have a good read of the schedule—if you are not in it
you can’t win it, but have some FUN doing it.
Peter Kimber is the Pavilion Co-ordinator for the Show and needs help with
set up and break down. If you can assist please give him a call (phone
number on Page 8) - all other enquires, contact detail is also on page 8.

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CHGC Newsletter No. 115 March 2016
Don’t know how many members submitted photos for the Garden
Clubs of Australia’s ‘Beautiful Gardens of Australia’ but I know that
we have once again got a large main photo accepted from one
member and also a small ‘filler’ from another member—’tis all
good folks—CHGC certainly are successful in this competition.
There is a further Garden Clubs of Australia photo competition which closes
on 14 October 2016. There are five categories in this competition:
 Garden Scenes, covering all environments around the world;
 Garden Visitors (birds, bees, bugs, animals etc);
 Abstract photo of flowers or foliage;
 Close-ups of flowers, foliage or flower arrangements;
 Productive Gardens or Edible Plants.
If you would like to enter this competition please visit:
www.gardenclubs.org.au and follow the link under the heading 2016 Photo
Competition (found on the right hand side panel). You will also see a link for
the submission form at the same location.
There are still some outstanding membership fees. The Executive feel that
five months is more than enough time for members to pay their membership.
After the 16 April meeting only current members will receive the minutes and
newsletter.
You can pay by bank transfer— the details are:
Suncorp Bank
BSB 484 799
Acct #: 079 118 136
Name of Acct: CHGC Business Everyday Account
Don’t forget to put your name in the Reference Box
OR you can pay Treasurer Anne-Maree at the April meeting.
If you are making a payment to CHGC
Anne-Maree has asked that you place
the money into an envelope and write
your name and contact number on the
outside and what the payment is for.
3
Firstly, can I say a very big thank you to Bob Tarry
for standing in for me whilst I’m in Sydney for the
Royal Easter Show. I note from the meeting
minutes that plenty of ground was covered as
usual.
Particularly important for us gardeners was the
presentation by Marg Murray from the Friends of
the Botanic Garden who spoke about the current review of the
structure and management of the Garden. The Garden Club and
the Friends have worked closely over the years and I’ll be getting
in touch with Marg to discuss how our Club might be able to help
out in putting forward it’s views on the review draft outcomes.
I’ve read the draft report, which is available on the Coffs Harbour
City Council website, and there are some concerning aspects
that I’ll discuss with Marg before preparing a response on our
Club’s behalf. Responses are due in by 6 April, and although
time is short, I really encourage you all to have a look at the draft
report and perhaps put in your own personal submission as you
see fit.
On a happier note, the Sydney Royal Flower & Garden Show is
quite something to behold this year. We focussed the 2016 Show
around the theme “Art in Bloom”, and so in addition to all the
dahlias, roses, Australian natives, cacti, orchids, carnivorous
plants, potted plants, bonsai, African violets, and fruit and
vegetables that people are exhibiting, we have a truly fantastic
display of outstanding floral art from some of Australia’s best
exponents. Their exhibits have been judged by a gentlemen
from Germany by the name of Gregor Lersch, who is an
extremely fine, internationally acclaimed floral artist himself. I’ll
try to get some photos to show you at a meeting later in the year.
President’s Message
Geoff Bell

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CHGC Newsletter No. 115 March 2016
Garden RELEAF is once again being supported by Total Gardens over
the weekend 9/10 April. The whole weekend is about supporting beyondblue.
There is documented research which proves the benefits and enrichment that
gardening provides not only for our physical wellbeing but our mental health
as well. Over this weekend we are encouraged to get out and garden. Visit
Total Gardens for the chance to win a national prize and get great specials.
If you are wanting up-to-date information
about our club or activities please visit our
website at www.coffsgardenclub.com
Jane D. presented the crepe myrtle at the March meet-
ing as her plant of the month. The crepe myrtle shrub/
trees have been looking really good on the Coffs coast
for some weeks now. For further information please
visit:
http://www.coffsgardenclub.com/2016/03/janes-
gardeners-diary-march-2016.html
for the full presentation with illustrations on how to prune.
Also at the March meeting Gavin R. had for his
Sub-tropical Plant presentation, Anthuriums. For further
Information please visit:
http://www.coffsgardenclub.com/2016/03/sub-
tropical-presentation-from-gavin_21.html
Thank you Jane and Gavin for your presentations.
Wishing these members a very happy birthday:
Mary Booth, Margaret Crawley, Margaret Crane, Anne-Maree Ely,
Jan McGeorge, Donald McKetin, Michael Pearson, Warren Ross,
& Leigh Stephens
5
9:30am—Meet at the Botanic Garden to car pool for a terrific outing.
The first destination for this outing is the beautiful garden of Robyn & Jim
Tozer. This garden was the Reserve Champion in the 2015 Spring
Garden Competition and well deserving of that award too. Jim is an artist and
will open his gallery for us to browse through as well.
Address: 74 Bailey Avenue, Coffs Harbour (Sorry I don’t have any map
references as I’m away from Coffs and don’t have my trusty copy of the yellow
pages.)
Robyn & Jim have the most beautiful pool area and they have invited the club
to have their BYO morning tea beside the pool (you’ll think you’re on an island
paradise) - also, don’t forget to have a look at their ‘borrowed’ garden space
to the rear of their block.
Second stop is at the Coffs Coast Tree Nursery at Nana Lane, Coffs Harbour.
This nursery is operated by Coffs Council and Paul Sullivan will be on hand to
not only answer any questions about what grows best on the Coffs Coast, but
will conduct a tour throughout the nursery. The operations here in Nana Lane
are relocating to the northern beaches so this will be the last opportunity to
have a look.
Third stop is at the Coffs Regional Museum and garden at 215A Harbour
Drive, Coffs Harbour. The museum is $3 (concession entry) and is just
fantastic and is a credit to the volunteers who work here. The garden is also
maintained by volunteers.
Lunch is at the Hoey Moey, 90 Ocean Parade, Coffs Harbour here, you
can get a $7.50 special for lunch. Also worthy of a look are the garden beds
in front of the Hotel.
If you require any further information about this outing please contact
Pat on 6690 2511 or you can email patriciaroser@dodo.com.au Hope to see
lots of members on this outing as all destinations will be terrific.