Archives Among the articles and letters retrieved from the ILDA archives, the following first appeared in a variety of publications, including: Australian Horticulture, Backyard Design Ideas, Inner Western Suburbs Courier; Landscape Australia, Landscape Outlook, Native Plants for New South Wales, Our Gardens, Public Works Engineer, Sydney Morning Herald and Voice of the Palms.
Replanting with native trees best for Canberra 15 February 2005
Deb Foskey, ACT Greens MLA, has called on the ACT Government to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable development and good catchment management by replanting the pine forest areas burnt out in 2003 with a diverse native ecosystem.
"I have put forward 'the role of native vegetation in managing catchments' as a Matter of Public Importance in the Assembly today, to encourage the government to "walk the talk" about the importance of good catchment management" said Dr Foskey today.
"There is no point in the Chief Minister making speeches about "the absolute necessity of effective water resource management in the ACT" if the actions of the government merely repeat mistakes of the past by replanting pines in water supply catchments like the Cotter."
"Replanting the Cotter, Molonglo and Murrumbidgee catchments with native species is a great opportunity to show leadership in catchment management - to protect our water supply and establish a "best practice" standard for future sustainable development".
"It is vital that decisions about the replanting of these catchments are based on the best possible knowledge about protecting the community from another fire through pine forests on the edge of Canberra, and protecting the catchment ecosystem from further degradation."
"Native species are best suited to the climatic variations of the region. A biologically diverse native ecosystem, consisting of grassland and open woodland could create a buffer against future fires. Native vegetation is also better suited to recovery after fire, and so less damaging to water quality after a fire event."
"Ruling out the replanting of pines will set us on the path to ecological sustainability and open opportunities for more diverse land uses" Dr Foskey said.
A Win for the Australian Environment 21 January 2005
The Australian environment will soon benefit from a federal government decision to close a quarantine loophole that allowed the legal import of thousands of serious weeds.
Currently more than 125,000 plant species are legally allowed to be imported into the country, which is nearly half of all plant species on Earth, with no weed risk assessment. Under the changes, all these plants will have to be screened.
The change in law will also mean more than 6,400 weeds, a good number of which could have made their way into Australian gardens, will now be banned from entering the country. This includes 4,000 known overseas weeds, and at least another 2,400 plant species predicted to become weeds in Australia. If these weeds did enter Australia, they could create an agricultural nightmare for farmers who are already battling many invasive species.
Weeds cost Australia an average of $4 billion a year and cause large production losses in the beef, wool and wheat industries. This equates to $1 lost out of every $7 Australia’s farmers earn in exports. The cost has doubled in just 20 years and is likely to increase.
WWF-Australia commissioned the benchmark Weeds CRC report that alerted governments and industry to the huge number of new weeds which could be imported through the loophole.
WWF Biodiversity Policy Manager Andreas Glanznig says, "This is a sound and smart solution to prevent new weeds from invading Australia through this loophole. Once fully implemented it will achieve world’s best practice in preventing the legal import of new weeds into a country."
Recently the import and sale of a significant new grazing weed, bear-skin fescue, which entered Australia through the loophole, demonstrated the unnecessary risk that Australia was exposed to. This action will stop the potential legal import of a multitude of serious environmental and agricultural weeds:
Cropping weeds such as brome grass (Bromus arvensis), and water hemp (Amaranthus tubculatus), which has developed extensive herbicide resistance in the USA. Persian darnel (Lolium persicum), closely related to annual ryegrass, can be a problem in cropping and can currently be imported.
Grazing weeds such as speargrasses in the Stipa genus, and close relatives (from the same genus) of blackberry, grader grass, pampas grass, yellow star thistle, knapweed, dandelions, scotch broom, kochia, wild radish and bellyache bush.
Horticultural weeds such as various sourgrass weeds in the Paspalum genus which are considered serious weeds of orchards.
Environmental weeds such as close relatives of blackberry, cotoneaster, morning glory, and scotch broom.
Congratulations to WWF Australia's Andreas Glanznig, to the invasive Species Council's Dr Barry and Susie Traill, and all those who campaigned on this issue.
Extract from Peter Garrett's Maiden Speech in Federal Parliament 1 December 2004
Our track record in Australia remains abysmally poor. The measurements of ecological health do not lie, and what they tell us is that, by most standards and in most areas, we are going backwards. Lamentably, much of this has happened on this government's watch, for we are now a continent in ecological reverse. Our river systems are sick, salted up and stressed, used beyond their enviromnmental limits. Majestic River Red Gums on the Murray River are dying, literally, for a drink of water. The scourge of salinity is spreading across the land, eating away at our communities . . . And there is no sign that we are adequately responding to the unfolding tragedy. . . . the truth is that this government fiddles while Australia burns . . .
Green Invasion 19 September 2004
Creating "green screens" in Australia is a creative use of limited space. But does it have to be done with invasive species ("Green Room", August 29)? Periwinkle and English Ivy form part of ecosystems found elsewhere in the world. In Australia, they jeopardise the biodiversity of our native flora and fauna. What Australian native animal lives in ivy or periwinkle? Many suburbs are located close to remnant natural bushland, often the last stronghold for endangered species. As inhabitants living on quarter-acre blocks, we have the opportunity to complement and preserve the natural environment by planting native plants in our gardens. If people want an Italianate or Japanese garden, maybe they would be more comfortable living in Italy or Japan.
Paul Bivolcheff, Blackburn, Victoria (Letters page, The Sun Herald)
There'll be disastrous effects if we keep trying to re-create Europe 28 June 2004
Australia has the potential to become one of the most stupid, short-sighted civilisations (for want of a better term) ever created. . . . People keep talking about the historic "drought" afflcting the eastern states. It is not a drought. It is far more serious than that. Even if good rains come, they are not going to change the fundamental problem. The weather pattern has changed. Having mined and altered and channelled and stripped the landscape for the past 150 years in an impossible attempt to re-create Europe, we can't even see the obvious – that when you profoundly change the landscape, when you destroy vast amounts of balancing energy in the soil and vegetation, you change the weather.
Gradually, with excruciating slowness, the full magnitude of our collective ignorance and arrogance is only beginning to come into focus . . .
Paul Sheehan, Sydney Morning Herald)
Felled by Fungus 5 June 2004
Our passion for exotic plants is creating nasty diseases that have the power to alter natural landscapes forever . . . In their natural habitats and hosts, phytophthoras [parasitic fungi] do little harm. Transport them to new places and introduce them to species they've never encountered before and they can turn nasty. Worse, the mass movement of plants is responsible for a malevolent form of matchmaking, bringing together species of pathogen that would never normally meet, and paving the way for the evolution of new and potentially dangerous diseases . . . Today, almost everyone's small plot is filled with exotics, a trend fuelled by TV makeover shows and gardening magazines. This obsession with the exotic has created a multibillion-dollar global industry, and the risk of importing lethal pathogens is far higher . . . Perhaps worst of all, Phytophthora cinnamomi is wrecking ecosystems of international importance in the southern hemisphere. In south-west Australia, the fungus has infested about 20 per cent of jarrah forest and around 60 per cent of the montane shrublands and sandy heaths - hotspots of biodiversity with thousands of endemic species. More than 20 per cent of the 9000 native species that grow there are susceptible, and some are at risk of extinction.
Stephanie Pain (New Scientist)
How to Degrade the Landscape Without Really Trying August 1998
Last month I visited clients who would like their garden re-designed in harmony with the adjacent riverside bushland, a typical sandstone community including Angophora costata (Sydney Red Gum), Eucalyptus, Banksia, Allocasuarina, Grevillea and numerous other species. As with so many bushland reserves adjacent to housing developments, this timeless landscape has been contaminated with a haphazard assortment of exotic species: Asparagus ‘Fern’, Azalea and Rhododendron, Canary Island Date Palm, Cotoneaster, Jacaranda, Lantana, Lombardy Poplar, Large-leaf Privet, Small-leaf Privet, Weeping Willow and several others. Most of these plants are invasive and they displace indigenous species, some harbour the Indian Mynah bird which displaces native birds, while winter-fruiting trees and shrubs such as Cotoneaster sustain the omnivorous Pied Currawang through winter until its preferred diet of birds eggs and nestlings becomes available during spring. Little wonder the Currawang population has reached plague proportions, while smaller native birds struggle to survive. This imbalance in native fauna populations exacerbates the visual confusion and environmental degradation caused by many introduced plant species. The message should be clear: Unless you have good reason to do otherwise, give preference to indigenous species, especially if you live near bushland.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
The 'Look of the Games' August 1998 Twenty-five thousand potted trees and shrubs and over one hundred thousand bedding plants are to be installed at the Sydney 2000 Olympics to help create a unique ‘Look of the Games’. The ‘Look of the Games’ and how best to achieve it was discussed at a recent workshop chaired by the Olympic Coordination Authority (OCA) and attended by a team from the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) and representatives of key horticulture, landscape and nursery organisations. After discussing environmental issues and the logistics of growing, delivering and installing the required number of selected species, the main item on the agenda was plant selection: trees and shrubs for indoor display, trees and shrubs for outdoor display and bedding plants for massed display and for the floral Olympic rings. The chairman invited nominations, starting with indoor trees and shrubs. One of the participants nominated an assortment of exotics, including Golden Cane palms, philodendrons and citrus trees. As the representative of the Australian Plants Society, I countered that many Australian species, rainforest plants in particular, are ideally suited to indoor as well as outdoor display, and we should seize this opportunity to showcase the best and most beautiful of the continent’s twenty-five thousand species, both indoors and out. To my surprise and delight, the majority of participants thought likewise, with no dissenting voices, the species list began to assume an Australian character. Time was running short and in the end it fell to me to complete the tree and shrub lists over the next few days. These have since been included in the documentation sent to interested growers, who are free to propose additional species if they wish. When proposals for bedding plants were sought, most of us were prepared to concede a place to exotics. That was until the horticultural development officer at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peter Cuneo, gave an account of the spectacular springtime displays of Australian bedding plants at RBG Mount Annan. After much discussion, his proposal that Australian plants be specified for bedding displays, also won overwhelming approval. With the permanent landscaping settled at about 95 percent Australian, an authentic Australian ‘Look of the Games’ would now seem assured.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Slender, Graceful She-oaks June 1998 She-oaks are seen throughout eastern Australia as slender graceful trees superficially resembling pine trees, or less often as bushy shrubs. In 1982 most of the 66 named species, including all but two of the Sydney region’s nine, were transferred from Casuarina to a new genus, Allocasuarina. To this should be added Allocasuarina portuensis, a completely new species discovered about ten or twelve years ago in an Eastern suburbs park, and not yet commercially available. In their 1973 classic All About Australian Bush Gardens, Betty Maloney and Jean Walker describe the She-oaks as "the dark tribes of our riverbanks, ashen-haired, sombre, with a distinct and lofty beauty unlike any other." Whatever their botanical differences, the She-oaks are all recognisable by their long narrow green branchlets (the leaves emerging from them being reduced to almost invisible scales). The sound of wind blowing through the branchlets is soothing and musical. Golden-brown male flower spikes are produced at the ends of the upper branchlets, and small red female flowers followed by brown patterned seed-cones, appear lower down on the same or separate trees. Many birds, including finches, lorikeets and cockatoos, build nests in these trees or feed on the flowers and seeds. Most she-oaks are tolerant of dry conditions and indifferent soils including saline soils. Like wattles and members of the pea-family they ‘fix’ atmospheric nitrogen through nodules on their roots, enriching impoverished soils. They make excellent wind-breaks or specimen trees, fast-growing and frost-resistant, and the furrowed bark is an ideal host for epiphytic orchids. They are also useful for soil stabilisation and erosion control. The fallen branchlets provide a soft ground cover, pleasant to walk or sit on, although few other plants manage to penetrate this layer. This makes them useful trees for childrens playgrounds and situations where a shrub layer may not be required. Casuarina cunninghamiana (River Oak), a stately tree found alongside riverbanks, is one of the tallest of the She-oaks, sometimes reaching 25 metres or more, rather large for the average garden. Almost as tall, Casuarina glauca (Swamp Oak) is usually found near salt water. Allocasuarina torulosa, the beautiful Forest Oak, prefers more fertile soil and may easily reach 15 metres, while Allocasuarina verticillata (Drooping She-oak), a spreading tree of variable height from three to 12 metres, prefers dry shale or sandy soils. Shrubby species such as Allocasuarina distyla (Scrub She-oak) are of less ornamental value than the tree species, although they make effective screens and windbreaks. Allocasuarina littoralis (Black She-oak) is an attractive upright tree, seldom exceeding 10 metres. Male and female flowers appear in May and June at the ends of its slender slightly weeping dark-green branchlets, fertilised female flowers developing into small cylindrical cones. Black She-oak is generally found in open forest and woodland, growing on poor dry, free-draining soils on the coast and tablelands of Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. It often grows in pure stands and looks most appealing in an informal group. It also makes an excellent specimen tree for small gardens and courtyards.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Introducing a Vertical Accent June 1998 Scattered around the garden in strategic locations, tufted, grass-like plants provide a vertical accent, a contrast to shrubs, ferns and groundcovers and an aid to visual unity.
Among the many indigenous genera, Xanthorrhoea species (Grass-tree), is perhaps the best known. Xanthorrhoea is an entirely Australian genus of slow-growing perennials with thick woody trunks up to three metres tall, and long narrow arching leaves. Creamy-white flowers on tall slender stems up to two metres, are followed by brown capsular fruits. Flowers and fruits provide a feast for many different native birds. An old trunked specimen costs well over $100, making it rather expensive for spreading around the garden, though worth considering as a focal point or feature plant in the right situation.
About nine grass-tree species occur in the Sydney district, most with below-ground trunks. Two of them, X. arborea and X. australis have conspicuous above-ground trunks. These species grow on sheltered slopes, often in groups and in association with rock outcrops. Old specimens with forked, bushfire-blackened trunks and two or more heads are an unforgettable sight.
It is a double tragedy that mature grass-trees are sometimes stolen from their natural setting because they seldom survive transplanting for more than one or two seasons. If you would like one for your garden and are not prepared to plant seed and wait several years for a trunk to form, buy only from a reputable native nursery. Grass-trees prefer well-drained sandy soil and full or partial sun. Lomandra (Mat-rush) is an Australian genus closely related to Xanthorrhoea. Among about twelve species which occur in the Sydney district, Lomandra longifolia (Spiny Mat-rush) is the most widespread and hardy, occupying a niche in almost every habitat from exposed beachfront to sheltered rainforest. It is a tufted perennial with strap-like leaves up to one metre in length, bearing scented yellowish flower spikes from late winter to summer. It tolerates sun or shade and almost any soil, wet or dry. It is also wind and frost resistant, useful as a soil binder and attractive to butterflies and seed-eating birds. Plant half a dozen around a small native garden to help create a unifying effect. Doryanthes excelsa (Gymea Lily) has wide, wavy, pale green leaves about a metre in length. It produces clusters of red flowers at the top of stems three to four metre tall, providing a spectacular display between late winter and late spring. Gymea Lily is found in coastal forests around Sydney, usually in deep sandy soils. Three or more would be ideal for a medium or large garden, although perhaps out of scale in a small courtyard garden. Dianella caerulea (Blue Flax-lily) is a graceful arching plant reaching a height of one metre or more which, as it matures, usually produces branched stems with leaves arranged like a fan. Small blue flowers appear between spring and late summer, followed by shiny blue berries which provide food for seed-eating native birds. Blue flax-lily is widespread in eastern Australia in heath, woodland and rainforest. It is very hardy, preferring a moist position with some shade. Isolepis nodosa (Knobby Club-rush) is a perennial plant with stiff, narrow upright stems about 800 millimetres in height, its leaves reduced to sheaths at the base. In spring and summer, globular brown spikelets appear near the top of the stems. Knobby Club-rush occurs in most parts of Australia and also overseas, often in wet sandy places which may dry out in summer. Its ability to tolerate both submersion to a depth of about 100 mm and periods of drough, make it useful for planting in above-ground drainage systems such as swales and dry creek beds, where its roots help stabilisation. It tolerates sun or shade, coastal exposure and most soils including saline soils. For a position with good drainage in full to three-quarters sun, Patersonia species (Native Iris), are very pretty. Like miniature exotic irises, with their own distinct charm, they are ideal for mass planting. All species produce pale to deep violet flowers during spring and summer.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Native Vegetation: 7000 Species Face Extinction May 1998 The results of an international survey of plant diversity, the combined findings of sixteen environment organisations, were recently published in the Washington Post.
Worldwide 34,000 plant species, or one in eight of the 270,000 species known to science, are identified as threatened with extinction. In Australia over 7,000 native species are threatened.
The report emphasises that species extinction is caused predominately by the replacement of native vegetation with introduced species.
Of course, no one would dispute that some introduced species are necessary to a modern society and as mementos of the country one once called home. The indiscriminate intermingling of introduced plants with native vegetation is another matter. At the very least, it destroys visual unity, resulting in a fragmented landscape and a diminished sense of place. It also increases the threat of extinction of native plant species and of the fauna which depend on them for food or habitat. If introduced ornamental species are assessed according to their aesthetic, environmental and economic impacts on the Australian landscape, we would be better off without most of them, particularly large trees of northern-hemisphere origin: deciduous trees of every shape, colour and form, and coniferous trees in their multitudinous varieties. Everyone knows that some introduced species have become a threat to the natural environment while other species, particularly those which fail to set seed after several years of observation, would appear to be safe. There is no guarantee however, and plants previously thought to be sterile may suddenly start to set seed. Ammophila arenaria (Marram Grass), introduced from the Mediterranean region, and Lantana montevidensis (Creeping Lantana), introduced from South America, are notable examples. Providence has endowed Australia with a beautiful and diverse flora, perfectly adapted to Australian conditions, yet collective Australia prefers the ornamental plants of other countries. This lack of pride in our unique flora has long been a puzzle to me. Happily, the evidence points to changing attitudes, as increasing numbers of Australians become aware of the aesthetic, environmental and long-term economic benefits of indigenous plants.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Basic Plants for Landscape Projects May 1998 In his pioneering book Landscaping with Australian Plants, first published in 1975, landscape designer Glen Wilson lists his five basic landscaping genera: Acacia, Callistemon, Eucalyptus, Grevillea and Melaleuca, followed by the six he considers next in importance: Allocasuarina/Casuarina, Angophora, Banksia, Hakea, Leptospermum and Prostanthera. "The reason for considering the first five as basic is simply that from each there is a large number of species that will grow without much fuss under varying conditions, and at the same time contribute gentle foliage and form. The six secondary genera will provide fewer species having the same advantages."
Research into these eleven genera reveals the following statistics: Acacia species (Wattles) number about 1200 worldwide, of which about 800 are native to Australia, 63 occurring naturally in the Sydney region. Callistemon comprises 37 species, of which all but four are Australian, with eleven occurring in the Sydney region. For the remaining genera the figures are: Eucalyptus: 700 species Australia-wide, 83 in the Sydney region; Grevillea: 340 in Australia, 23 in Sydney; Melaleuca: 170, 16; Angophora: 8, 5; Banksia: 75, 10; Casuarina/Allocasuarina: 66, 9; Hakea: 140, 9; Leptospermum: 84, 17; Prostanthera: 100, 20. Acacias are mostly sun-loving, often drought-tolerant plants that enrich impoverished soils by ‘fixing’ atmospheric nitrogen through bacteria which live in nodules on their roots. They vary in height from tall rainforest trees such as Acacia elata (Cedar Wattle), to prostrate groundcovers like Acacia amblygona. As most species are fast-growing and short-lived, they are sometimes planted to provide quick cover until slower, more enduring species take over. Callistemon (Bottlebrush), is a genus of hardy shrubs or small trees, tolerant of most soils and poor drainage, and preferring a sunny position with moisture. Flower colour may be white, cream, pink, mauve, red or green, those with red flower spikes being particularly attractive to native birds. Callistemon citrinus makes an excellent specimen or screening shrub although some of its numerous hybrids and cultivars lack the wild species’ natural grace. C. pinifolius is an attractive species growing to about 1.5 metres and the same across. It has needle-like leaves and unusual green flower spikes in spring. (I shall skip Eucalyptus because this genus was covered in 'Landscape and Garden' last year.) Grevillea is the third largest Australian genus, after Acacia and Eucalyptus. Like Acacia, it includes a range of species from tall rainforest trees like Grevillea robusta, the well-known Silky Oak, to prostrate groundcovers. Grevillea flowers are rich in nectar and attractive to honey-eaters, and they come in many different forms and colours. In general they need sun and free-draining soil low in phosphorus. Grevillea speciosa, with bright red spider flowers is one of Sydney’s best shrubby species for those with small sunny gardens, and the deep pink Collaroy Plateau form of Grevillea sericea (said to be a cross with G. speciosa) is a particularly attractive, naturally occurring hybrid. Melaleuca (Paperbarks and Honey-myrtles), vary from small shrubs to large trees. Like their close relatives the bottlebrushes they are often tolerant of poor drainage and saline soils. Melaleuca thymifolia (Thyme Honey-myrtle) is an adaptable small shrub about a metre in height and spread, with mauve-pink flowers in spring and summer; ideal for a rockery or alongside a water feature in a sunny position. Melaleuca styphelioides (Prickly Paperbark) has white papery bark, tiny pointed leaves and masses of small white 'bottlebrush' flower spikes in summer. It reaches about six to eight metres and makes an outstanding large shrub or small specimen tree. It tolerates dry spells and its feeding roots are deep, allowing small plants to thrive beneath the canopy.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Crowe’s Words Live On May 1998 Every year, the new ornamental plant releases appear in a special issue of Australian Horticulture, the leading nursery industry publication. The new releases consist of hybrids and cultivated varieties (cultivars) both native and exotic.
Last year Australian Horticulture featured photographs and descriptions of more than one hundred new releases many of which appear more suited to the cut flower trade, offering enlarged flowers in brighter colours or more bizarre colour combinations. They bring to mind the words of the late, great landscape architect Sylvia Crowe. In her book Garden Design, written forty years ago, she observes:
"One of the more subtle properties of plants is a certain relationship in colour and proportion between the stem, the leaves and the flowers, and the poise of the flowers upon their stems. It is these qualities which give the plant species a grace often lacking in garden hybrids . . . "The intensifying of flower colours by hybridization can also throw out the subtle harmony of the wild plant . . . "
Among last year’s new releases Telopea ‘Corroboree’ is particularly attractive, and one of the few to retain the "harmony of the wild plant". Telopea ‘Corroboree’ is a selected form of a cross between Telopea speciosissima (New South Wales Waratah) and T. mongaensis (Braidwood Waratah). It is said to flower prolifically during the early season, one plant producing up to a hundred small terminal flowers, red with a pink tinge. Telopea ‘Corroboree’ is a compact shrub that quickly reaches 3 metres high and wide. It may be grown in most well drained soils and is tolerant of semi-shade, although in full sun it produces a larger crop of flowers.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
The Magic of Tree Ferns April 1998 About thirty years ago, while travelling through the Dandenong Ranges north of Melbourne on my first trip to Australia, I was amazed at the scene which suddenly appeared before my eyes as the road descended into a shady gully: A dozen or more huge rosettes of pale green, lacy, arching fronds atop long slender trunks that emerged from the undergrowth. They looked rather like ferns, except they were trees! I had never before seen anything like them.
"What are they?" I asked my Australian hosts. "Tree ferns" they replied with such casual indifference I was reminded of the old maxim that familiarity breeds contempt. Many years later, after migrating to Australia, I learned they were Cyathea australis (Rough Tree-fern), found in coastal rainforest and sheltered gullies in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Tree ferns are also found overseas, generally in tropical and warm temperate regions. They are descendants of the giant ferns and mosses of the Carboniferous period about 300 million years ago. Cyathea is one of the larger genera with around 700 species, of which three occur in the Sydney district. C. australis is the most common, easily recognised by the rough stalk bases that jut out from the trunk wherever dead fronds have become detached. It reaches up to 10 metres or more in height, usually less in cultivation, with a crown span of about six metres. Although new fronds usually appear only one at a time, Rough tree-fern is fast growing and very hardy, preferring shade although tolerant of full sun, provided its roots remain moist. Once established in the ground it does not transplant easily, although while young it makes an excellent tub specimen, and may be grown indoors. Cyathea cooperi (Scaly Tree-fern) has similar characteristics and a narrower distribution between north Queensland and the Illawarra district of New South Wales.
It is a particularly attractive species, easily distinguished from the Rough tree-fern by its upper and middle trunk which features a decorative pattern of oval discs that appear at the junctions from which old fronds have fallen. Cyathea leichhardtiana, also occurring in the Sydney district, is seldom seen in cultivation because it has sharp spines along the base of the frond stalks. Cyatheas are ideal for sheltered slopes and courtyard gardens provided their crowns have space to spread. They look marvellous in the company of other rainforest plants: trees, palms and cordylines, with an understorey of ferns and herbaceous species. If they are grown near swimming pools, cyatheas have one slight drawback: At certain times of year, the fronds release numerous brown powdery spores which may settle on the water and clog the pool filtration system. Dicksonia is a smaller genus of tree-ferns with two Australian species, one confined to remote parts of Queensland and northern New South Wales, the other Dicksonia antarctica (Soft Tree-fern,) occurring in cool, damp gullies and sheltered creeks along the coast between Queensland and Victoria, extending to Tasmania. Possums are sometimes found nesting in the crowns. Soft tree-fern has a thick trunk of about 400 millimetres in diameter, taking several years to reach its maximum height of about 5 metres in cultivation. New fronds appear simultaneously, in spring and autumn flushes of up to thirty at a time. The spores are less prolific than those of Cyathea species. Soft tree-fern is easily transplanted and very hardy, given some shade and provided its trunk is kept moist in hot weather. It also makes an attractive tub plant.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
The Australian National Gallery Sculpture Garden March 1998 If you plan to visit the ‘New Worlds from Old’ exhibition of 19th century Australian and American landscapes at the National Gallery of Australia, take time for a stroll through the Sculpture Garden, between the gallery and Lake Burley Griffin. The Sculpture Garden was designed in 1981 by Sydney landscape architect Harry Howard. It is laid out to represent the four seasons, and consists of a series of inter-connecting open spaces or outdoor ‘rooms’ defined by native, mostly local trees and shrubs which provide a backdrop to the sculptural displays. The Spring garden sits close to the lake and is planted with Banksia and Grevillea species, and Kunzea ambigua (Tick Bush), on a floor of gravel and fallen leaves. The adjacent Summer garden provides an inviting place to sit and relax, shaded from the sun beneath closely planted groups of Casuarina cunninghamiana (River Oak), growing alongside a shallow mist-shrouded pond. The mysterious mist arises from rows of hidden nozzles and is part of Nakaya Fujiko’s 'Fog' sculpture. At my last visit, the Autumn garden was still incomplete. The Winter garden, my favourite, occupies a sunny position in the lower forecourt of the gallery. It features grey slate paving, groups of elegant white-stemmed Eucalyptus mannifera (Brittle Gum), Acacia iteaphylla (Winter Wattle), Banksia marginata (Silver Banksia) and a ground covering of Brachyscome daisies contrasting with clumps of Lomandra longifolia and other indigenous plants. The Sculpture Garden is a very pleasant place to linger and relax, its sense of harmony and unity achieved through repetition of a balanced mix of plant species and other elements, with colour subordinate to form. It provides the ideal setting for the fifteen bronze, steel and wood sculptures and sculptural displays, that include works by Henry Moore and Auguste Rodin.
One of the most striking works is Bert Flugelmann’s starkly modern 'Cones', a precarious looking structure consisting of seven large stainless steel double cones, the smooth, highly polished surfaces reflecting contorted images of the viewer and of the surrounding trees and shrubs. Popular with children and well worth a look. The largest piece is Mark di Suvero’s' Ik ook', a giant structure of steel girders and cables displayed upon a wide expanse of grass. Its all-black geometric forms make a stunning contrast to the backdrop of undulating white-trunked Brittle Gums. Definitely not to be missed.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Trees for Summer Shade and Winter Sun March 1998 Deciduous trees are often planted to admit winter sun while providing summer shade from a hot sunny north to westerly aspect. Evergreen trees with a high canopy will perform the same function, blocking the high summer sun while admitting the low winter sun beneath the canopy. There are very few deciduous Australian trees, and those few do not necessarily drop their leaves in autumn or winter. Some drop them during prolonged dry periods, and only Melia azedarach var. australasica (White Cedar), can be both recommended for the home garden and relied upon to drop its leaves during late autumn and winter. Toona ciliata (Red Cedar) drops its leaves at the same time, although it grows too large for all but the largest gardens. White Cedar is a beautiful and very fast growing tree reaching about 10 metres in Sydney, with large bipinnate (fern-like) leaves, and fragrant sprays of lilac flowers in spring, followed by bundles of small fleshy golden brown fruits. Numerous birds including several parrots, Lewin’s Honeyeater and Satin Bowerbird, feed on the fruits during winter. White Cedar occurs in coastal rainforest between Cape York in Queensland and Nowra, New South Wales. It also occurs in parts of Western Australia.
Like the introduced Jacaranda mimosifolia (Jacaranda) which it superficially resembles, its crown needs plenty of space to spread, and its vigorous root system may enter drains. If space to spread is restricted, the tree invariably becomes unbalanced and misshapen. White Cedar is easily grown and tolerant of most soils, drought, poor drainage and atmospheric pollution. Some trees are sometimes defoliated by processionary caterpillars shortly before leaf fall. This is easily controlled with hessian banding secured around the trunk: at night the caterpillars shelter beneath the hessian which is removed in the morning and dropped into hot water. Another control method is to prevent the caterpillars reaching the branches by wrapping double-sided sticky tape around the trunk. In this columnist’s view the majority of exotic deciduous trees fail to harmonise with the indigenous vegetation, and I generally avoid specifying them. One possible exception is Robinia pseudoacacia (False Acacia), an alternative to White Cedar. False Acacia is a graceful, fast growing north American tree of medium size, with an open crown of lacy, mid-green pinnate leaves. As suggested by its common name, it resembles Acacia (Wattle), except for the pendulous racemes of creamy white pea-flowers in summer. From its soft stringy roots, it often suckers at some distance; it is sometimes used for stabilising sand banks. It prefers a sunny position and tolerates almost any soil, drought and atmospheric pollution. As False Acacia may become invasive, we recommend it only in special circumstances, where it is unlikely to become so. Do not confuse this tree with Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’ (Golden False Acacia), that produces foliage of a gaudy acid-yellow, reminiscent of the fluorescent tunics worn at night by road workers and police officers. ‘Frisia’ first appeared as a mutant (freak) seedling in a Netherlands nursery, and has been cultivated and marketed worldwide ever since. It lacks vigour on its own roots and is usually grafted onto rootstock of the species, which may explain its usual lack of grace and balance. If rootstock suckers are allowed to develop, they generally develop into more vigorous and shapely, less visually intrusive trees.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
February 1998
Planting, Fertilising and Aftercare February 1998 When you buy small shrubs and groundcover plants, it is enough to ensure they appear healthy and of good form consistent with the species, and that their roots show no evidence of root curl, restriction or damage.
When buying trees you should also ensure they are self-supporting and wind-stable, and that branches and foliage are fairly evenly distributed about the vertical axis. Some production nurseries now comply with the more stringent specification in NATSPEC Guide No. 2, ‘Purchasing Landscape Trees’. Although you can safely carry out planting at any time of year, the best times are around the middle of autumn or early to mid spring. (This does not apply to palms, that are best transplanted in summer.) If you leave it till summer, extra watering may be needed. In a previously cultivated garden, dig the planting hole somewhat wider and about the same depth as the container. If the soil is dry, fill the hole with water and allow it to drain away before planting. Before planting in virgin soil (as in a natural setting), loosen the soil to a depth of about 300 mm (12 inches) and about a square metre around the planting position. Fill a bucket with water and stir in a wetting agent such as Debco Saturaid. (This helps the soil retain water and is particularly valuable if your garden has a water-repellant sandy soil.) Soak the plant and let it drain. Loosen the soil at the base of the planting hole and mix in some blood and bone or slow-release fertiliser at about half the recommended rate. Remove the plant from its container and gently tease out the roots, using sharp secateurs to remove any damaged or distorted roots. Place the plant in the hole, spreading the roots and ensuring that the potting mix and soil levels are about the same. Back fill the hole and firm the soil around the plant before watering thoroughly. While your plants are becoming established, in the absence of rainfall, water them daily for about 5 days, alternate days for the next 10 days and every 3 days for the next fortnight. Thereafter, water only occasionally and deeply, or if wilting occurs. Early morning or dull days are best. If you have to water in bright sunlight, keep water off the leaves. If you water at night you may encourage slugs, snails and fungal diseases. During February, apply a slow-release fertiliser low in phosphorus, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In about mid-August, repeat with about half the standard dose. although traditional practice is to use the higher dose in spring, recent research favours the higher dose in autumn. Osmocote and Paton’s Fertilisers both produce a range of fertilisers, including low-phosphorus formulations suited to a majority of Australian plants. Remember that sandy soils leach nutrients and dry out more quickly than clay soils. Adjust your watering and fertilising regime accordingly.
As your garden develops, prune plants to shape using sharp secateurs, and tip-prune shrubs after flowering, to keep them bushy.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Preparing Your New Garden February 1998 If you have plans for a new garden make sure you eliminate perennial weeds such as couch grass, kikuyu, oxalis, paspalum and sorrel, before preparing the soil for planting. Do this by hand or with chemicals, or by a combination of both.
One way of suppressing large areas of weeds is to use thick layers of newspaper or a commercial weed suppressant such as Maccaferri Terramat, Rheem Weed Stop or Sarlon Weed Control Mat.
The Bradley Method is another manual method of weed control, developed for use in natural bushland. It involves minimal disturbance to the soil and is rather slow and labour-intensive. It is described in detail in Joan Bradley’s book Bringing Back the Bush, published by Lansdowne Press. Although Joan discouraged the use of herbicides and other chemicals, this was probably due to lack of suitable products in the 1960s and 70s when she was refining her manual approach. Since then the development of biodegradable (non-residual) herbicides such as glyphosate has changed this situation. Glyphosate is usually sold under a trade name such as ‘Roundup’ or ‘Zero’, and is neutralised on contact with soil. Glyphosate should be used only during the growing season, preferably in the morning when transpiration is at its peak, when the plants are not stressed (through drought for example), when rain is not anticipated for at least 24 hours, and never on a windy day. Be meticulous in following the manufacturer’s instructions.
A Field Guide to Weeds in Australia published by Inkata Press is helpful for weed identification. After you have removed weeds and before you start planting you may need to control erosion, especially if your garden is on a slope. Use Jute, Sarlon Polymesh or Seasonmaker Environmat, or an organic mulch layer about 50 to 75 mm (2 to 3 inches) thick. Logs or heavy branches are also useful, placed across a slope and secured with rocks or pegs. Soils should always contain a fair proportion of organic matter or humus to aid in moisture retention and to provide nutrients. As sandy soils dry out quickly and are often low in humus and nutrients, they benefit from the addition of well-rotted cow or horse manure, garden compost or leaf mould. This may be incorporated into the soil before planting or used as a mulch. Clay soils may also benefit from the addition of organic matter, and are easier to work if you dig in some gypsum too. Do not attempt this when the soil is very wet. Good drainage is important for the majority of Australian plants. One method of improving drainage, especially useful in heavy clay soils, is to raise the planting beds about 100 to 200 mm (4 to 8 inches) using topsoil excavated for pathways or from elsewhere on site. Another method is to shape the soil profile by creating a series of mounds and channels or retention basins using the existing soil (and soil from elsewhere on site, if available). Planting is confined to the mounds, while excess rainfall is retained in the depressions and absorbed through roots by capillary action. After preparation of the planting beds, though before planting, place mulch to a depth of about 50 mm, keeping it well clear of stems. Use organic materials such as native leaf litter and tree loppings processed through a chipper. Never use mulch containing camphor laurel, coral tree, poplar, privet, willow or noxious weeds.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
January 1998
Tree ‘Hit List’ Proposed January 1998 Leichhardt Council’s draft policy statement on tree preservation and recommended trees encourages residents to use "mainly indigenous and Australian native plants to reinstate Leichhardt’s natural heritage."
I wrote to Council suggesting this sensible policy might achieve quicker results if Council’s tree preservation order were modified to give automatic consent for removal of any tree designated as a visually incongruous or environmentally undesirable species, conditional upon the property owner replacing the tree with a suitable indigenous/native tree and being held responsible for maintaining it to maturity. I proposed a hit list of undesirables to include the following species: Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine) makes a very strong visual statement, that destroys the visual harmony with the indigenous landscape. (It looks better in isolation from native species as, for example, at Manly beach). (See also 'Weeds' on this web site.) Cinnamomum camphora (Camphor Laurel). Due to its plain appearance and despite its often large bulk, this species is visually less intrusive than many introduced trees half its size. Nonetheless it is undesirable because it harbours Indian mynas and Pied currawongs which displace honeyeaters, parrots and other desirable birds, and because its seedlings quickly become established in parks, gardens and bushland. It also has a large root system and plants growing nearby seldom thrive. The typical, wide-spreading Camphor Laurel occupies space which could otherwise display, say, a Port Jackson Fig or a group of handsome, indigenous, environmentally friendly eucalypts or other trees, which should also attract many native birds. Liquidambar styraciflua (American Sweetgum) I wrote about this tree, in less than flattering terms, in ‘Landscape and Garden’ last week. It is big, valueless to our wildlife, a visual intrusion and a voracious feeder. Nothing grows well in its vicinity. Lophostemon confertus (Brush Box) is a sombre tree with a dark, dense canopy. Although it occurs naturally between north Queensland and Newcastle, it has been extensively planted in Sydney due to its hardiness as a street tree. In parks and gardens, selected indigenous trees would provide a clearer sense of local identity and a more suitable source of food and habitat for local wildlife. Phoenix canariensis (Canary Islands Date Palm) As I wrote in a previous article, the demise of this species would appear to be only a matter of time as individual trees are dying from a seemingly unpreventable and incurable fungal disease. Platanus x hybrida (London Plane) is widely planted in cities because it tolerates atmospheric pollution, soil compaction, poor drainage and concrete surroundings. It is also visually incompatible with indigenous vegetation and virtually useless to native wildlife. It should be retained only in completely urban situations such as the CBD or where nothing else will grow. Populus nigra ‘Italica’ (Lombardy Poplar), like most black poplars, tends to develop rust and chlorosis. It is also visually intrusive and of little value to native wildlife. It grows much faster here than in its native Europe, sometimes outgrowing its strength and becoming unstable. Salix babylonica (Weeping Willow) often grows near watercourses.When a twig or branch becomes detached it may be swept downstream and root wherever it happens to lodge, quickly developing and crowding out immature native plants. It is of no value to wildlife and is visually unsympathetic within sight of native trees. My proposed hit list ended with an assortment of northern hemisphere conifers. It is encouraging that the move back to indigenous plants, as has occurred in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, has been shown to increase dramatically, the number and diversity of native birds. The result is improved tree health due to the increase in birds which feed on insects.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Creating a Sense of Local Identity December 1997
Before you choose a tree for your garden, give some thought to its eventual height and spread, the shadow it will cast and whether overhead powerlines are present, the nature of its root system and its proximity to building foundations and underground services.
About fifteen years ago, Alison (as I shall call her), planted Liquidambar styraciflua (American Sweetgum), two metres from the front door of her house, alongside the driveway.
A few months ago when I first spoke with her, Alison was distraught. The tree had already reached around 10 metres, its roots were lifting the driveway, and she feared they might undermine the house; and the grass beneath it was struggling to survive . An engineer’s report had recommended removal of the tree to prevent more serious structural damage. Alison had written twice to her local council, seeking consent to remove the tree. In recent years she had become interested in the environment and had offered to replace it with a native tree, further from the house and driveway. Council had refused her initial application, and had replied to her appeal, again with a refusal. On this occasion, they recommended installation of a root control barrier alongside the house. Council’s letter included a little lecture on the value of trees, the "retention and restoration of our dwindling wildlife and environment" and the importance of creating a "sense of local identity". I was surprised to read this, and replied with a reminder that Liquidambar styraciflua is endemic to eastern USA and thus incapable of contributing to a "sense of local identity" anywhere in Australia. I added that it has exceptionally vigorous, fleshy roots which sucker strongly if disturbed, and that installation of a root control barrier would necessitate pruning major roots, thus destabilising the tree and endangering persons and property. For good measure, I stated that Sweetgum is a thirsty tree and heavy feeder that could damage the house as it continues to grow (possibly to 20 metres or more) and withdraw increased moisture from the clay foundations. I concluded by proposing alternative trees, suited to the conditions and in accordance with council’s enlightened policy of restoring the environment and creating a sense of local identity. Council ignored this letter. At Alison’s second appeal, Council again recommended against removal of the tree. Nonetheless, after the facts were established, the twelve elected councillors voted unanimously in favour of the tree’s removal.
The Sweetgum has now gone and Melaleuca decora, local to the area, has replaced it.
Melaleuca decora is a large shrub or small shapely tree that reaches about 6 metres, and was once widespread on the clay soils of the Cumberland Plain. It has white papery bark and small lanceolate leaves. From late spring till late summer it bears masses of creamy white, sweet-scented ‘bottlebrush’ flowers, followed by woody fruits. Ideal foods for Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Rainbow Lorikeets and other native birds. So, with a little help from Indigenous Landscape Design Associates, Alison has taken one small step towards the "restoration of our dwindling wildlife and environment", and the creation of a "sense of local identity."
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Principles of Design September 1997
Garden design is about balance, colour, form, harmony, pattern, scale, space division, style, texture, time, unity. It is also about working within the constraints imposed by the site and sometimes by the budget. The most important principle of design is the principle of Unity, because it embraces all the others. In an essay written almost a century ago, the English garden designer Gertrude Jekyll hints at the loss of this quality resulting from just one plant out of place:
"It is not possible to use to any good effect all the plants that are to be had. In my own case, I should wish to grow many more than just those I have, but if I do not find a place where my critical garden conscience approves . . . I would rather be without it.
"It is better to me to deny myself the pleasure of having it, than to place it where it neither does itself justice nor accords with its neighbours, and where it reproaches me every time I pass it."
Unity also depends on the choice, design, pattern, finish and repetition of hard materials such as stone, brick and timber. It is enhanced when materials and finishes are in harmony with one another and with the exteriors of adjacent buildings and surrounding vegetation. I aim for style and simplicity, emphasising form before colour. Growing many different species with only one or two specimens of each will make any garden look fussy and contrived. You will achieve a sense of unity more easily by repeating a limited number of visually compatible species at each level, adding a few accent or specimen plants, selected and placed with care. When using plants in repetition, planting them in drifts and at varying distances from one another, gives a pleasing and natural appearance. Position your plants equidistant and in straight rows of course, if you prefer a formal garden.
Garden boundaries
Decide whether you want your boundary fence to be apparent and well defined or whether you would rather hide it. If you choose to define it, it must be part of the design and therefore worth looking at. Most backyard fences are hardly worth a second glance; they’re purely functional and better hidden or screened from view. Old stone and brick fences are worth exposing though, and sometimes tea-tree and paperbark fences. To screen your fence use plants which grow dense to the ground and reach at least fence height or about 2 metres. If your garden backs on to bushland, consider a see-through fence or no fence, and gain enclosure or privacy with strategically placed screening plants, preferably using local species. Planting additional local or indigenous species will consolidate the sense of unity in your garden and increase its apparent size, allowing the natural landscape beyond to appear as part of it. It will also bring more native birds and other wildlife (and raise the value of your property). Colour in the garden
Although there’s much to be said for the advice to take care of form and let colour take care of itself, most successful designs use one of three methods of dealing with colour. The first is to use a background of muted greens or blue-greens highlighted with a simple colour scheme, another is to use colour as a painter does, to create a picture using the colours of plants like a palette, and the third is to observe and adapt the methods of nature, using a mosaic of colours as you would see in a natural landscape. As the eye is drawn straight to hot colours, especially bright red, avoid using this where it can be seen in the distance or at the far end of a vista: it will have the effect of foreshortening the garden and making it appear smaller. Red and other hot colours such as orange and yellow, work better as foreground colours. Blues are excellent mixers and they combine well with most other colours. Pale blues are particularly good at the far end of the garden, where they may blend with the sky, and induce a sense of mystery and distance, also making the garden appear larger. Pinks and yellows tend to clash with one another and are generally best kept apart or buffered with blue, green or violet. As the sun makes colours appear lighter, pale colours and white look best in shade and they also help lighten up a shady corner, although too much white mixed in with other colours tends to weaken their impact.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Trees in the Urban Landscape: Rainforest Tree Selection September 1997
The healthy establishment and growth of street trees is limited by several factors, of which compaction, drought and low soil oxygen levels are the most significant.
One way to mitigate the detrimental effects of these factors is through regular maintenance, although this is becoming increasingly impractical as costs increase and public funds decrease. Another way is to use selected forms or ecotypes of desired species. Many Australian rainforest trees are resistant to compaction, surprisingly drought tolerant, and both beautiful and long-lived. They also exhibit wide genetic variation. By selecting forms or ecotypes with the most desired characteristics for urban planting the chances of success are greatly increased. Many commercially available species are propagated from stock originating from high rainfall coastal areas. This may be of little consequence to the home gardener, with water immediately available. To those responsible for managing trees in public places, however, the outcome may be disappointing, when the same species propagated from low-rainfall stock would have had a greater chance of success. Research has shown that trees tolerant of waterlogging are usually resistant to compaction. As a number of Australian rainforest species thrive in and between the extremes of well-drained sands and Melaleuca swamps, it is important to select individual plants from stock appropriate to the conditions in which they are to be planted. The ultimate aim should be to select forms tolerant of all conditions likely to be experienced.
A Victorian College of Agriculture and Horticulture (Burnley) research project started in 1992, involved 90 forms of 29 species, with seed collected between Cairns in Queensland and Wilson's Promontory in Victoria. The species included: Backhousia sciadophora (Shatterwood), Brachychiton discolor (Lacebark), Cupaniopsis anacardioides (Tuckeroo), Elaeocarpus obovatus (Hard Quandong), Ficus rubiginosa (Port Jackson Fig), Flindersia australis (Australian Teak), Glochidion ferdinandi (Cheese Tree), Melia azedarach (White Cedar), Rhodosphaera rhodanthema (Tulip Satinwood), Tristaniopsis collina (Mountain Water Gum), Tristaniopsis laurina (Water Gum), Waterhousea floribunda (Weeping Lilly Pilly).
Flindersia australis (Australian Teak) is being propagated in five different forms, from ‘dry’ rainforest to wet subtropical rainforest. One of the researchers, Geoff Williams, writes:
"In respect to specific characteristics such as drought tolerance, ignoring the differences between populations can be equivalent to ignoring the differences between species.
"Australian rainforest trees are an under-utilised genetic resource for use in urban horticulture. In relation to the many forms we already have in cultivation, many species require improvement in only one or two genetic characteristics to become reliable urban trees of the highest quality, capable of succeeding in even the most hostile urban sites." *
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
Trees in the Urban Landscape: ‘Elite’ Native Trees September 1997 As some species of native trees, notably Eucalyptus species, cannot be vegetatively reproduced, they are propagated by seed, the progeny often showing wide variations in leaf form and flower. Commercially produced trees are also liable to decline in vigour through inbreeding. A number of studies involving Eucalyptus species have demonstrated that seed orchards of between thirty and fifty trees, grown together in isolation, are needed to ensure adequate cross-pollination and genetic diversity, thus preventing such decline.
In 1992, the Institute of Plant Sciences and Melbourne City Council agreed to co-sponsor a project to develop ‘elite’ native park and street trees.
Some are to be vegetatively propagated from stock of known origin, while those which need to be propagated from seed will be produced in ‘elite’ seed orchards. These include: Allocasuarina torulosa (Forest Oak), A. verticillata (Drooping She-Oak), Angophora costata (Sydney Red Gum), Brachychiton populneus (Kurrajong), Callistemon salignus (Willow Bottlebrush), Callitris rhomboidea (Port Jackson Cypress), Eucalyptus citriodora (Lemon-scented Gum), E. ficifolia (Red-flowering Gum), E. leucoxylon (Yellow Gum), E. maculata (Spotted Gum), E. nicholii (Small Leaf Peppermint), E. scoparia (Willow Gum), Persoonia levis (Broad-leaf Geebung), Tristaniopsis collina (Mountain Water Gum), T. laurina (Water Gum). Increased use of native plants, especially in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, has dramatically increased the number and diversity of native birds. It has also resulted in improved tree health due to the increase in birds which feed on insects. #
References
* Geoff Williams (1993). ‘Selection can improve amenity of rainforest trees.’ Australian Horticulture. (12). pages 53 - 57.
# David Beardsell, Peter Yau and Peter Harrison. (1993). ‘Elite native trees for streets and parks’. Australian Horticulture. (8). pages 48 - 53.
Gordon Rowland (Inner Western Suburbs Courier)
How to Improve the Quality of Australia’s Municipal Parks September 1997
In ancient Greece the provision of beautiful surroundings was considered essential for both active and passive recreation, and special areas were set aside for these purposes.
Australia today is one of the most urbanised of developed nations, and we thus have an increased need for functional urban parks to provide beautiful surroundings for recreational activities and refuge from the stresses of urban living. To achieve these objectives each element of park design must have a purpose.
The park must benefit the people who use it, it must function efficiently whilst providing an aesthetic experience and it must be effectively managed. Unfortunately, many municipal parks are ineffficiently designed and managed, and they provide a less than beautiful setting for those who are meant to use them.
The municipal engineer can remedy this situation by recourse to the skills of a professional landscape designer. Indigenous Landscape Design Australia are professional designers, specialising in low maintenance, eco-friendly parks and gardens of enduring aesthetic quality.
Gordon Rowland (Public Works Engineer)
Our Natural Heritage August 1997 Until European settlement in 1788, Sydney and its surroundings were clothed in a mosaic of interlacing plant communities of heaths, woodlands, open forest, rainforest and wetlands. The type of community in a particular place depended upon a combination of factors, particularly the geological features of the land, the type and depth of soil, the amount of rainfall and the temperature range. Although Aboriginal peoples had occupied and modified this land for thousands of years, there was also an abundance of wildlife. Forests covered the most fertile areas, usually close to the coast or the Nepean-Hawkesbury floodplains. An amazing diversity of woodland plants thrived on the poor sandy soils of the sandstone ridges and the more fertile clay soils of the Cumberland plain. Pockets of rainforest occupied moist protected gullies and some south facing slopes, heathlands the more exposed coastal sites, while wetlands rich in aquatic and bird life were found in areas where drainage was impeded. William Howitt observed: "Every part of this neighbourhood is beautiful. It is a succession of earthly paradises. The Bay of Sydney is surrounded by wooded hills, of great variety of forms, and into which run deep coves right and left; their shores being beautifully overhung with woods."
And Captain Watkin Tench added: "A variety of flowering shrubs abound, most of them entirely new to an European, and surpassing in beauty, fragrance and number, all I ever saw in an uncultivated state."
Of course, much of the original vegetation had to go, to make way for housing, roads and other necessary developments. Yet some was destroyed only to be replaced by introduced 'ornamental' species, most from the northern hemisphere. This was largely because the early settlers were familiar with growing these plants in Britain and they reminded the settlers of home. The net effect, however, was to disrupt the visual cohesion of the landscape. To make matters worse, a number of these introduced species dispersed their seeds and became a threat to surviving bush, waterways and pastoral land. (The annual cost of introduced plants-turned-weeds to Australian agriculture and waterways has now reached a staggering $3 billion!) Worse still, some introduced species produce berries during winter, thus helping sustain aggressive introduced birds such as Indian mynahs, to the detriment of our native birds. Because indigenous plants, especially trees, make such an important contribution to the unique character of an area, its sense of place, increasing numbers of Sydneysiders and local government authorities are turning back to our natural heritage of indigenous and other selected native species, and restoring them to their rightful place within the landscape.
Gordon Rowland (Sydney Morning Herald)
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