Category: Advice and tips

Melville – cockburn plant list

Our Branch Patron, Alex George, has kindly compiled a list of native plants that have grown successfully in gardens around the Melville-Cockburn area for at least seven years which are considered reliable and hardy growers – many of which he has growing in his own garden! We hope that this list may provide a starting point for anyone in our area who is looking to plant natives on their patch. Enjoy!

Melville-Cockburn plant list June 2019

An Amazing Surprise

Last week Gerald Lorenz from Germany, a mad keen wildflower enthusiast and a WSWA member for 4 years, popped into the office whilst on holiday here in Perth with his family. Gerald had put together a calendar in Germany with his photos of several of the 50 species he now grows in Germany.

WA Wildflowers in Northern Germany?

Roadside Vegetation Seminar

 

 

Sat 10th November 2018 – Ecology Centre 1.30pm

Cost $25 ($30 non-members)

RSVP is required to the WSWA Office 9383 7979 or email enquiry@wildflowersocietywa.org.au  BY November 6, 2018 and payment can be made by direct payment to WSWA Bankwest BSB  306-058 a/c 4197355 WITH a reference with deposit: YOUR NAME + TYPE OF PAYMENT (in this case: RVSC sem).  If you wish to pay by credit card, then please phone the Office

Plant ID Workshop Success

‘What a fantastic workshop! Would have to be the best $20 I’ve ever spent!’ – these are comments from participants of the Eastern Hills Branch two day workshop on plant identification, led by botanists Janet Atkins and Penny Hussey, who taught the anatomy of plants and then went through a collection of plant families and their characteristics. What an amazing benefit of being a member of the Society.  Many thanks EH Branch, and Janet and Penny.

 

At the Royal Show

In the 60th year of the Wildflower Society we are celebrating by having a presence at the Perth Royal Show for the first time in a very long while.  It is a great success!  Lots of interaction and a great quiz on ‘Guess if it is a weed or wildflower?’ More than 40 bug hotels are heading to new homes and the children worked with their siblings to create a limited edition, one per family ‘air bee ‘n bee’ habitat made of recycled materials. Well done to everyone who made it happen (especially Christine!).

Images:  F Arcaro

RSVP by 13 September

WSWA members only are invited to visit the delightful garden of a Society member in Gidgegannup on Saturday 15 September 2018.   Please RSVP to the Society Office by email  enquiry@wildflowersocietywa.org.au  or phone 9383 7979 by Tuesday 11 September 2018.  More details in the newsletter or September email update, or contact enquiry@wildflowersocietywa.org.au

RSVP EXTENDED TO 13 SEPTEMBER

My Experience from working in Conservation

Disclaimer: this article covers my Personal biased experience of working in conservation.

 

Now this might be a subject that interests a few people.

There are several branches to working in Conservation. But I will be talking about what I have the most experience in.

The physical labour of conservation work is highly seasonal, due entirely to weather and contracts. Most people in this branch of the industry are casual workers who will have absolutely no work during the Summer to late Autumn. So for about 4 – 5 months of the year, there is no work.

This is where a lot of people start before moving on, where a lot of people become stuck and where some people willingly stay. Because of the highly seasonal work there really is not that much opportunity for full-time employment in this branch of conservation.

Some people in this part and others will gain (become trapped, depending on your view) in the “full-time casual” position. Meaning you will have Full-time hours, but you will not be getting sick leave or annual leave. Every hour you are not working is an hour you are not getting paid. Even when you have a crippling flu.

And it is this part of the industry where you will experience the most strain on your body. Hand weeding pelargonium and pigface, working in the cold rain and the delirium inducing heat. In 100% humidity I might add. Planting in pure rock, steep sand dunes that make your knees dislocate and worst of all. Walking through that ungodly hell plant Acacia pulchella.

A lot of people don’t realise how hard Conservation work is. Most people just want the rewards of this field without putting in any work. One reward for this all this hard work is, you gain extremely valuable experience in addition to the skills and job referrals.

Around May – September I will always see wildflowers, and lots of them. I will even see quite a few orchids and uncommon plant species I would otherwise not normally encounter. Not only that I also get to work in some pretty nice locations, excluded from the public.

And almost all the people you work with will have a similar interest in their work. So you end up also making some nice friends as well.

 

Written by Mathew. W

Mary Bremner Grant – New Round Closes 1st Oct

Volunteer community groups, Society sub-committees and Branches are all eligible to apply for small grants (up to $2,000).  Projects should align with at least one of the Society’s main objectives to Know Grow, Enjoy and Conserve WA wildflowers.

For grant guideleines please mail Honorary Secretary enquiry@wildflowersocietywa.org.au or ring the office Tuesday or Thursday 10am – 2pm on 08 9383 7979

APPLICATIONS CLOSE 1st OCTOBER 2018

YOU MUST READ THE FULL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GRANTS PROGRAMME BEFORE APPLYING.  DETAILS ON HOW TO APPLY ARE AT THE END OF THE GRANTS INFORMATION PAGE HERE.

Newsletter now online – Members Only

The Wildflower Society of WA newsletter (August 2018, Vol 56 No 3) has now been published electronically.  All members are entitled to view and download the electronic newsletter.  The printed newsletter should be posted to those who have requested a hard copy (no green discount) in the next several weeks.

You may view the newsletter online by going to the ‘Members’ tab at the top of any page of the WSWA website, then choose ‘Newsletters’ at the side of the page.

Or link to the newsletter page here.

If you are having trouble logging in, it may be that your membership is overdue.  Please ring Perry House to inquire during office hours, or email memberships@wildflowersocietywa.org.au at any time.

 

Wildflower Society Members Update – July

The most recent monthly update from the Management Committee is now available on our website, access exclusively for Members only. Log in to the Members area and then the tab ‘Management Committee Updates.’ If you have any difficulties logging in to the system, please email our volunteer administrator at memberships@wildflowersocietywa.org.au – we can reset your password, give you a simpler password, or guide you through the log-in procedure.  Link here.

Most members will have received an email copy of the Update recently.  If you did not receive this, it is possible that the Society does not have your correct email address.  Please ring Perry House or contact members@wildflowersocietywa.org.au to check.