By Terri Allen
A RECENT botanical foray took a group of us to the Barb Martin Bushbank at the Koala Park on Phillip Island.
Established in 1998 by local conservation groups to revegetate the island with indigenous plants, the nursery propagates more than 60,000 tube stock from seed or cuttings annually.
A RECENT botanical foray took a group of us to the Barb Martin Bushbank at the Koala Park on Phillip Island.
Established in 1998 by local conservation groups to revegetate the island with indigenous plants, the nursery propagates more than 60,000 tube stock from seed or cuttings annually.
On a hot Monday, the area exuded a strong eucalyptus scent in a tranquil bushland setting. Run as a not-for-profit community indigenous plant nursery, it is thriving.
We were impressed with the range of plants propagated, the methods used to water them in this very dry summer and the number of birds calling.
The nursery manager, Jenny Toy, conducted us through the area, explained the work done by volunteers, the methods used, the strict code of hygiene, problems encountered (eg. marauding possums) and their solutions, and patiently answered our questions.
The Bushbank is open to the public and for sale of plants every Wednesday and the first Saturday of each month.
Put it on your to-do list for Phillip Island. We'll be returning to buy some plants when the weather breaks.
We were impressed with the range of plants propagated, the methods used to water them in this very dry summer and the number of birds calling.
The nursery manager, Jenny Toy, conducted us through the area, explained the work done by volunteers, the methods used, the strict code of hygiene, problems encountered (eg. marauding possums) and their solutions, and patiently answered our questions.
The Bushbank is open to the public and for sale of plants every Wednesday and the first Saturday of each month.
Put it on your to-do list for Phillip Island. We'll be returning to buy some plants when the weather breaks.