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FRIENDS OF SOUTH SURREY PARK
SEPTEMBER 2020 NEWSLETTER
Working Bees - Due to Stage 4 Covid-19 restrictions in Melbourne all working bees have been cancelled until further notice.
It has been interesting to see how people have used the park during these restrictions. People walk, run and play, during the one hour of exercise we were allowed, in South Surrey Park.
At the start of restrictions in March people put teddy bears in their windows so children going around the suburb with their parents could enjoy 'going on a bear hunt" (inspired by the children's book "We're going on a Bear Hunt). Maggie drew some lovely bears on the footpath and on the rocks below Essex Road. Here is one.
This was fun and there were bears popping up everywhere. Now its spoon people. The kindergarten teacher asked if we would let the children build Spoonville in the park and here is what they did. The photo was sent to Pam by Angela Rowe from Verdun Street Kindergarten.
Spoonvilles are appearing in various places, I saw one in Fritz Holzer Park in Hawthorn and the bakery in Hamilton Place is rewarding children with a muffin if they make a spoon person to display in the shop window.
Our park is providing a much needed outlet for us in this difficult time. We have seen so many people walking there and being happy with what they have found. Many of them tell us they did not know it was there and they are so appreciative of our efforts. Not so, the bike riders.
We have been very distressed by the many bike riders coming to the park and riding all over our plants. Not only riding, but digging up whole areas and turning them into mountain bike tracks. They randomly ride down the hills, over our carefully planted, maintained and loved indigenous plants. Twenty-five years of work disappears in a moment. It is an issue in parks all over Melbourne and a hard one to solve. It is good that people are out exercising in the open but not in this destructive manner.
Tuesday Toilers have been meeting on Zoom on Tuesday mornings to chat and discuss ideas of how to further the park's interests despite our restrictions.
Weeding has been done on a regular basis in one hour blocks as our keen toilers take their exercise in the park. It is looking really good. Fran has been very regular and has been complimented on her work by passers by.
Here is a reminder of a lovely Tuesday Toiler trip to see Peter Tucker and his work along the Yarra which we did around this time last year.
General News
Annual General Meeting to be held on 7th October, 2020 by Zoom.
At our committee meeting last night on Zoom, we planned our AGM to be held using the Zoom platform. Our speakers will be Brian Cooney and Phil Rowland who will help us celebrate our 25th anniversary with tales of the park as they knew it in the past.
Formal notice of AGM and invitations to join will be emailed to paid up members two weeks before the event. After they have replied accepting the invitation a link will be sent together with the usual reports and 2019 minutes.
Planting plans - Pam has made a plan, which, of course, is conditional, so that the plants we have ordered for our 2020 plantings will actually be put in the ground. The plan, beginning on 29th September, involves members of the group working in pairs and maintaining one and a half metres distance at all times. They will, of course, be wearing masks. The seedlings will be delivered to Jenine and David's house where they will be collected by workers over a number of days and planted and watered in. Pam has allocated time slots and the Toilers will work out who works together either on Tuesday's Toilers Zoom meeting or by using WhatsApp.
The National Tree Day seedlings will be planted by contractors.
We are hoping to have them all in by November and hope that we have rain until then.
In the Park this month - Bulbine bulbosa or Bulbine Lily
The following information, (with some parts omitted) was taken from Australian National Gardens website. You can find the full article if you click here. The photo below was taken by Maggie in our park this week.
Bulbine bulbosa is a member of the family Asphodelaceae, although until recently it has been included in the Liliaceae family. This attractive plant has many common names including Bulbine Lily, Wild Onion, Golden Lily, Leek Lily, Yellow Onion Weed and Native Leek. Aboriginal names for B. bulbosa include "Parm", "Puewan" and "Pike".
It grows along the eastern coast in a variety of habitats including red gum woodland and dry sclerophyll forests and is common in grasslands and rock crevices.
B. bulbosa is a densely tufted perennial. The green – grey leaves are succulent and channeled growing to 40cm. The bright yellow star-like flowers are approximately 2cm wide and are borne on simple racemes of up to 50 flowers. Each flower lasts for just one day, with one to several opening at a time. The stamens bear prominent tufts of hair. Flowering occurs from September to March. Despite its name, B. bulbosa does not have bulbs. Instead, a subterranean stem called a corm is present, from which the aerial stems, leaves and flowers are produced and in which food reserves are stored.
B. bulbosa is an attractive species with fragrant flowers. It is especially suited to rockeries and cottage gardens and is also excellent as a container plant. Like in the wild, it can look stunning grown in clusters and is a great native alternative to the foreign daffodil. B. bulbosa has actually been grown in the northern hemisphere for many years and is sadly under appreciated in Australia. It will grow in full or part sun and tolerates a variety of soils provided reasonable drainage is available. It is also frost hardy making it suitable for regions with cooler climates. B. bulbosa is best maintained with regular watering throughout the year. During dry weather plants can die back to the rootstock, however with frequent watering new growth can continually be produced.
Apart from being an attractive addition to the garden, B. bulbosa is also useful as a food plant. The plump, round corms were traditionally eaten by Aboriginal people. The corms are best roasted and can be eaten all year round, although it will take a few years initially for the corm to mature. Roots of B. bulbosa are regarded as the sweetest of the lily and lily – like plants. They are also nutritious, containing calcium and iron.
Text by Lyndsey Vivian (Botanical Intern 2003)
Membership of Friends of South Surrey Park
You can join in the work of the group and contribute to running expenses by becoming a member. If you would like to become a Friend of South Surrey Park you can find the application for membership form at the end of this newsletter.
Facebook and South Surrey Park website
You can see some of what is happening in the park on Facebook and South Surrey Park website.
Work in South Surrey Park is brought to you through the efforts of the Friends of South Surrey Park, a voluntary group working with the local community, City of Boroondara and Melbourne Water. For information about your local Park, contact any committee member below.
Pam Welsford (President) - 9830 5178 - pamwelsford@gmail.com
Ursula Povey (Vice President) - 9836 6149 - ursulapovey@gmail.com
Maggie White (Secretary) - 9888 4479 - john_maggie@hotmail.com
Lyn Read (Treasurer) - 0408377668 - lynmread@gmail.com
Jenine Fleming - 9830 7767 - fleming.jenine@gmail.com
Peter Hannay - 9830 5493 - phhannay@bigpond.com
MEMBERSHIP FORM
FRIENDS OF SOUTH SURREY PARK INC ABN 71 979 859 196.
Registration Number A 0032389N.
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP TO 30th June, 2021.
NAME:............................................................................
ADDRESS: ...................................................................................POSTCODE:........
PHONE (HOME).................................................(MOBILE):........................................
EMAIL:...................................................................................................................
MEMBERSHIP $15/$30/$100: + $ DONATION:= $...................TOTAL..............
A single subscription is $15, or $30 for a household, or $100 corporate/group. (This covers our insurance with Victorian Landcare and some expenses). It is payable to Hon Treasurer, Lyn Read, 6/136 Through Road, Vic, 3127 telephone 0408 377 668 or direct deposit to our Bendigo Bank account, BSB 633 000, A/c No 1205 19285. Remember to put your name in the ‘reference’ box so we’ll know you’ve paid.
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