GATE Gardening course + Tunes: April 2018

Thursday, 12 April 2018

Last day of term

Start the day checking out the Marigolds. Could be a good crop after the school holidays?

As we finish up on this last job today a pile of cuttings is left on the street. John last on the bus.

Wednesday, 11 April 2018

Favourite Gardening Excursion Report

Report Excursion – Michael Rule

Thursday 15 March

Buckley Bridge north of Guildford

North Guildford Wetlands

We picked up Latrell at Guildford station and after a quick toilet stop proceeded to Buckley Bridge north of Guildford where we waited for Henry from Men of the Trees. We saw a cormorant and discussed the state of the Lilac Hill Park and work practice going on at the bridge. After 10 minutes Henry arrived and we proceeded a short way up the West Swan Road.

Henry led us into the paddock in his LV and we proceeded across country to the area of the tree planting. We got off the bus and walked a short way to the area. Some of us used whipper snippers while I went off with some others looking for discarded punnets and trays. We found quite a few among the weeds and trees.

Soon it was my turn with the whipper snipper. I was told to start the machine away from others and use PPE (hat, glasses, ear plugs and gloves). My technique was corrected to using a slow sweeping action. Multiples of trees are planted there in a uniform way, so I had to avoid them. I accidently pulled one up (not a native variety) thinking it was a weed. Perhaps it was planted because it was very hardy? Generally the area was very badly choked with couch grass.

Twenty-eight parrots at Lilac Hill

It seems likely that this area may be where the Men of the Trees might plant some rushes we had earlier put into punnets seeing as it is near a natural pond (now dried up).

I did a bit more punnet hunting, which was probably my favourite activity and then we packed up and left. One of the Asian guys; Maung Maung had some fish which they shared with us. Latrell got off at Guildford and I got an early drop off passing through my suburb of Maylands.

Thursday, 5 April 2018

Flower Power

Today we stayed at Leederville and cleaned up, watered and generally took advantage of the facilities. There was cutting / grinding here, washing the bus there. I pruned back the banksia, melaleuca and kangaroo paws. After sweeping up I planted marigold seeds in punnets out in the nursery and did some watering down at the wicking pots.

https://landcareaustralia.org.au/creating-wicking-gardens-with-tonys-junior-landcare-group/

Many plants such as marigolds repel garden pests;

http://www.gardenswag.com/2011/12/plants-that-repel-insects/

Thursday 05/04/18

(can't really think of a good song to go with this one)

Tuesday, 3 April 2018

Comparing parklands

Our first trip out for this course was to Stirling Civic Gardens
which we compared to the May Drive Parkland at Kings Park.
Today's trip was to Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park.

We surveyed the parklands for the signs of good or bad practice
and found ourselves in the company Kangaroos.

Mindful of the prospect of future employment in these areas;

"Not for everyone..." says Paul when gardener at a cemetery can involve grave digging!