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Canberra Today 12°/15° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Fine feast from a garden

Rhubarb... there will be lots of old-fashioned veggies in the Floriade Victory Garden.
FLORIADE, Canberra’s celebration of spring, is here with this year’s theme “A Feast for the Senses”.  

In reality, the massed floral displays of annuals and bulbs have little to do with real gardening and the home gardener. And, indeed, it is not meant to be, as opposed to the Melbourne International Garden and Flower Show.  No gardeners are going to have massed displays of just spring annuals, but like the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland, it is all about presenting a “wow” factor.

Folk come from far and wide to enjoy Floriade and it gives visitors the opportunity to explore other Canberra garden delights. I do hope that if you have visitors, particularly if they are from overseas, you take them to “our” National Botanic Gardens.

The talks and demonstrations at Floriade’s previously called Kitchen Garden, now renamed the Victory Garden, are always popular. This is presented by the Australian War Memorial and will feature the sorts of  food-producing plants and veggies grown by families in their backyards during the war years.

It is interesting that many of the varieties growing in the Victory Garden are now making a comeback, combined also with the increasing popularity of community gardens and organically grown foods.

I will be giving talks on Mediterranean plants that have a direct connection with World War I and II. Many of our most popular herbs come from these regions which featured some of the fiercest fighting in World War II.

The Mediterranean rock rose... a flowering comfort to soldiers in Gallipoli during World War I.
The Cistus or rock rose was introduced into Australia after World War I. It covered the hills around Gallipoli and, when in flower, was said to give soldiers comfort and hope. They brought back seeds to Australia and scattered them in their home gardens.

The Yarralumla Nursery in conjunction with the Australian War Memorial has grown one in particular, the Cistus “Gallipoli Rose” with its pure white flowers to commemorate the spirit of Anzac. Growing to 1mx1m this is perfect for home gardens.

From Morocco comes Convolvulus mauritanicus “Moroccan Beauty”.  I was recently reading an account of the desert campaign of World War II when, during a lull in bombarding Rommel’s forces, one soldier – obviously knowing his plants – spoke of the rich blue of this Convolvulus growing wild in the desert sand.

Rosemary is the most important commemorative plant in this country and it, along with many other Mediterranean plants, will be discussed in my talks and demonstrations at the Victory Garden. Please make yourselves known, as I always like to meet readers of this column. Check out the program for details of my talks.

ACTEW Corporation will have on display at Floriade a 1:50 scale model of the new Cotter Dam that, when full, promises Canberra and Queanbeyan water security for many years to come.

The scale model will be located next to the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection of Australia building, which will  feature many new bonsai “works of art” that have been brought to Canberra especially for Floriade.

THE Horticultural Society of Canberra’s “Spring Bulb and Camellia Show”, one of the Society’s great events, will be held in Lancaster Hall, at the Wesley Church Centre, National Circuit, Forrest, on Saturday, September 17, from noon (after judging) to 5pm and on Sunday from 11.30am to 4pm.  It will feature a magnificent display of flowers and floral art, plus the ever-popular plant stall. Entry is free and refreshments are available.

GUEST speaker Paul Tyerman will talk on “Buried Treasures” at the Horticultural Society’s meeting at the Wesley Church Centre, from 7.30pm, Monday, September 19. Many readers will be familiar with Paul’s  incredible collection of rare and unusual bulbs at Bunnings Belconnen Garden Centre. All welcome with supper at the end.

NO work hints in the garden this week as I assume everyone will be at Floriade!

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Cedric Bryant

Cedric Bryant

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