Monthly newsletter for Coffs Garden Club

1. 8
CHGC Newsletter No. 122 October 2016
Changes to our meeting venue will be
advised in the newsletter, our website
and on facebook.
Any cancellations to outings will be
advised in the same manner.
Sat 29 Oct
8am-2pm
Garden Gala & Markets at the Macksville Showground
This event is being conducted by the Nambucca Valley Garden
Club and is always a terrific outing.
Wed 2 Nov
9:15am
Air-side garden maintenance at Coffs Regional Airport. Meet
outside the Administration Building with tools & gloves.
More info please contact Peter on 6650 0985
Thu 3 Nov Jacaranda Festival Coach trip with Nambucca Valley Garden
Club—RSVP for this trip was 8 October.
Thu 3 Nov
10am-2pm
Toormina High’s ‘Coffee in the Courtyard’ assisting students
with disabilities to learn vocational skills.
Fri 4 Nov
9:30
Outing to Nana Glen and Coramba (RSVP needed)
A garden tour and morning tea at Syncronicity Farm—cost $10
Me-Healthy Farm Shop at Coramba which has beaut fresh,
organic produce and other locally produced items
Lunch at the Coramba Pub—full details pages 6 & 7
Sat 19 Nov
1:30pm
Monthly meeting followed by AGM
Guest Speaker—Anton Sander, floral art arrangements
Sat 26 Nov Bunnings BBQ—This is our major fundraising event of the year
and money raised assists with the running of the 2017 Spring
Garden Competition. Simon Young 0417 526 522 will be the
co-ordinator for this event.
Tue 6 Dec
12 noon for
12:30pm
Club Christmas Party
Greenhouse Tavern, Coffs—Payment and RSVP to Treasurer
by the AGM meeting on 19 November $20 per member, $33.50
for non members.
Meetings are held the 3rd Sat of the month (Jan-Nov) and commence at
1:30pm, Botanic Garden Display Room, Hardacre St, Coffs Harbour
Any meeting venue changes will be advised in the newsletter, CHGC website
and on facebook.
CHGC welcomes anyone who has great ideas on how to meet the needs of
our membership. Please call Geoff if you would like more information on the
various roles within the Club or to discuss your ideas T:6656 2429.
President: Geoff Bell 6656 2429
email: presidentchgc@gmail.com
Secretary: Michael Reid 6650 9485
email: secretarychgc@gmail.com
Treasurer: Anne-Maree Ely 6656 4229
email: treasurerchgc@gmail.com
www.coffsgardenclub.com
Editor: Maria Bell 6656 2429
Email contributions/feedback to:
coffsharbourgardenclub@gmail.com
Coffs Harbour
Garden Club Inc.
Newsletter Number 122
October 2016

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CHGC Newsletter No. 122 October 2016
FLOWER OF THE MONTH
November—Lilium longiflorum November Lily (or Christmas Lily)
November lilies are known by
different common names through-
out the world. It is native to
Southern Japan and Taiwan,
where they grow in meadows and
woodlands. They have fleshy
bulbs. If you are looking for
longevity in a cut flower, look no
further than these beauties!
November Lily can grow from
50cm to 1m and have long, unbranched and erect stems above the ground
from which the leaves originate. The leaves are a glossy dark green and are
lance shaped. The flowers of this Lilium variety are pure white and trumpet
shaped. There are six petals and flowers arise in clusters of 2-6 and are
highly fragrant.
Lilium longiflorum prefer moist, humus rich soil which is well drained.
They grow well in full sun or partial shady areas. During the growing season,
the plant requires watering regularly and needs reduced watering during the
dormant stage.
Propagation can be done either by bulblets or by seed. If using the
bulblets bury them 10-15cm in the soil and they should be planted soon after
dividing to prevent them from dryuing out. When propagating by seed, they
should NOT be buried in soil, just scattered over the planting medium.
These lilies are generally resistant to pests—although the most com-
mon pests may be aphids which can be controlled with your preferred
method.
Be mindful that November lilies are highly toxic to pets.
THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
The difference between ‘involvement’ and ‘commitment’
is like an egg and bacon breakfast:
the chicken was ‘involved’
and the pig was ‘committed’
ANON
7
Second Stop—Me-Healthy Farm Shop 23/25 Gale Street, Coramba
Me-Healthy Farm shop supports local growers and offers a range of
spray free seasonal produce to the community. There are herbs, fruit
trees, organic seeds, crystals, locally designed and made jewellery,
handmade goat milk soaps, recycled wine bottle soy candles, hand-
woven baskets, natural skin care products, garden tools and organic
garden products, plus loads more.
Lunch—Coramba Pub
Looking forward to an enjoyable day. See you then. Please give one of
the program committee gals a call if you need a lift or have any more
questions. And because numbers are needed for Synchronicity Farm
this time, please RSVP by 2 November if you are coming:
Sue Young 0413 883 831
Jane Durler 6656 1041
Pat Roser 6690 2511
Margaret Franks 0421 366 013
Quiz Answers from page 4
1. The pistils of a crocus, crocus sativus known in the kitchen as saffron.
Would you believe that 150,000 flowers have to be harvested to yield just
1 kilo of its bright red pistils!
2. Old folklore stories suggest that lilac blossoms indicate changes in the
weather. If they stay closed longer than usual, fine weather might be ex-
pected. If they open rapidly, rain will fall soon. If the lilacs quickly droop
and fade, a warm summer will follow. Late-flowering lilacs indicate a rainy
season.
3. Traditionally, sheep grazed on water mint on the Romney Marsh in Kent,
and it was believed that this gave their flesh a pleasant minty flavour
which was enhanced by being served with mint sauce. The best mint
sauce is actually made of garden mint rather than water mint. The flesh
of Welsh lamb was similarly flavoured by the wild thyme that they grazed
on in the mountains, so was cooked with sprigs of thyme. Here in Austral-
ia saltbush lamb is a highly prized. Because the sheep graze on saltbush
this flavour is imparted into the meat.
4. Yes. On the aptly named Skeleton Coast of Namibia in south-west Africa,
the aridity makes life of any kind almost impossible. One ground-hugging
tree that has adapted to the drought is Welwitschia mirabilis, which takes
its moisture from the fog that periodically sweeps in from the sea. From a
hard core it sends out very battered, long flat-side leaves that can catch
the dew and drain any moisture back to the core.

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CHGC Newsletter No. 122 October 2016
Please note date for this is FRIDAY 4 November
It’s important to note that this month’s outing has been arranged for the
First Friday of the month rather than our usual Thursday.
We are heading out towards Nana Glen. First, meet at the Botanic
Garden in time for departure at 9:30am if you are looking to care-
share, otherwise meet at the first stop at 10:15am.
First Stop—Synchronicity Farm 632 Orara Way, Nana Glen
On its website Synchronicity Farm is described as a social enterprise
with a big vision. Joshua and Tomoko Allen have a 33 acre property on
the Orara River at Nana Glen. They have built a business centered
around growing food, running courses for various activities from stone
masonry to beer brewing and running a very busy ‘Kids’ Farm’ to share
a little bit of farm life with kids of all ages. They also have a community
farm shop to sell local produce. You can read all about it on the web
at: www.synchronicityfarm.com. (CHGC have visited this farm in
August 2013 however, there have been many changes since then.)
For our visit we have arranged a short guided walking tour which
includes viewing the various food gardens and the compost area. Cost
of the tour is usually $10 for adults but will be provided for $5.
We have also arranged morning tea at Synchronicity—scones with jam
and cream. Scones are baked in their wood-fired oven. Cost of
morning tea is $5 per person.
Because of the need to advise Joshua of numbers it is imperative that
you RSVP Sue on 0413 883 831 by Wed 2 Nov.
Cont’d page 7
3
Over the past three years, I have been asked on many
occasions about what our garden club is and does.
The first thing I usually tell people is that it’s all about friend-
ships developed through a common love of gardens and
gardening. Our membership consists of people with a wide
range of gardening interests and experience, and that is
something to be highly valued, particularly when it is
matched with their willingness to share ideas and
knowledge. And when this is coupled with the opportunity to be involved in a
diverse range of gardening-related activities, you have a vibrant club that
caters for the needs of pretty well everyone interested in gardening.
As you would expect, Coffs Harbour Garden Club does many of the things
that are common to a lot of garden clubs. For example, our members have the
benefit of an interesting guest speaker program at our monthly meetings,
where a wide range of garden-related topics are covered by experts. We are
also well educated each meeting by volunteer club members on specific
gardening topics. In addition, there is a program of visits to gardens in the
Coffs Harbour region where our members can learn much about gardening in
a sub-tropical climate, and where they are able to get some great ideas to
apply in their own gardens. We have a competition table each month for those
who enjoy sharing what they grow and comparing their efforts with those of
other club members. And we have a trading table that not only provides
members with opportunities to acquire plants from other members at
extremely good prices, but also helps fund our club.
Beyond our meetings, there are opportunities to contribute significantly to the
Coffs Harbour community through the annual Spring Garden Competition; by
supporting to the Coffs Harbour Show; by helping out with the maintenance of
the Regional Airport’s airside garden; and by participating in Clean Up
Australia Day.
Clearly not every member wants to be involved in everything the club does,
but I believe our club is greatly strengthened by the diversity of what it offers
to members. It is this that makes us different from the various plant societies
and community gardens, which do a great job in their own right. But I truly
believe our offer of a broader gardening experience has been a very useful
and constructive thing within the Coffs Harbour community for well over half a
century, and I say long may that continue!
President’s Message
Geoff Bell

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CHGC Newsletter No. 122 October 2016
If you are wanting up-to-date information
about our club or activities please visit our
website at www.coffsgardenclub.com
Wishing these members a very happy
October birthday:
Denise Burley, Mary Duroux, Wendy Frost,
Michael Reid & Avalon Zukowski
(for answers see page 7)For Answers please see page 7
1. What is the world’s most costly spice?
2. What can lilacs foretell (according to folklore)?
3. Why is mint sauce traditionally served with roast lamb?
4. Can plants survive without rain?
The fundraising BBQ at Bunnings is happening on Sat
26 November. Simon Young will be co-ordinating this
day and needs lots of people to help him out. He will
have a roster-type arrangement with timeslots for folk
to fill in at the next meeting. If you won’t be at that
meeting but would like to help please give Simon a call
on 0417 526 522.
It has proven beneficial in the past to get the BBQ up and running as early as
possible so we can snatch the ‘Tradies’ as they make their early morning
purchases before they head off to site. So even if you are an early riser there
is a timeslot just for you! We generally like to have snags available from
around 8am and will sell until around 3:30-4pm.
**It’s Party Time** Our Christmas function is being held on Tue
6 December from 12 noon at the Greenhouse Tavern.
Cost for 2016 financial members is $20 and for guests $33.50.
Could you please RSVP (and preferably pay) at the November
Meeting. Remember to bring a gift-wrapped present - ladies bring
a $5 gift for a lady, and gents bring a $5 gift for a gent.
5
.
Your 2017 CHGC $15
Membership is due from
the AGM meeting
The 2017 financial year membership fees are due for payment at the AGM
meeting. You can pay at the November meeting or if you are attending the
Xmas Party payment can be made then. Just place your money into an
envelope with your name and the amount enclosed and hand it to the
Treasurer at the CHGC Xmas Party Welcome Desk. Receipts will be issued
as soon as possible.
It would be fantastic if everyone made an effort to make sure that they are
current financial members so our members’ list can be as up-to-date as
possible for newsletter distribution etc.
Our AGM is being held on 19 November after our regular monthly meeting at
the Botanic Garden. Please keep in mind that there are many roles and
positions within the club that need to be filled. To be involved is a terrific way
to meet and get to know other members. Also if you have ideas on how to
best meet the needs of the membership and/or the club, please step forward
and make your contribution. If you would like to know more about particular
roles just give Geoff a call and he can fill you in to the best of his
knowledge— 6656 2429.
Roles & Positions:
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer &
Public Officer, Communication Coordinator, Spring
Garden Competition Committee, Program
Committee, Catering Team, Newsletter Editor,
Competition Table Judges, Competition Table
Stewards, Airport Garden Coordinator, Gardener’s Diary for Flowers &
Foliage; Fruit & Vegetables and Tropical/Subtropical plants, Setting up/
Packing up Team, Raffle Seller & Attendance Book, Guest & New Member
Welcome, Coffs Show Delegates and Coffs Show Flower & Garden Chief
Steward.
Please consider carefully if you wish to participate in a role or on any of the
committees. Some teams and committees DO require a fair amount of input
and it is difficult if people get ‘swept up in the moment’ and put their hand up
at the AGM and then pull out soon after. Also it is worth noting that if you do
have a role at our monthly meeting and cannot attend please make
alternative arrangements for someone to do your job on that day.
I believe that there are already folk who will be putting their hands up for
Executive roles at this AGM which is just fantastic—thank you to those
people.