MIDCOAST GARDEN FRIENDS
Midcoast Garden Friends members enjoyed a tour of Didja Plant Natives nursery at Kundabung for their August meeting. Founder Sally Edwards shared her passion for Australian native plants, explaining her motivation for developing the nursery and the many uses for native plants in the kitchen and also for medicinal purposes.
Sally and her husband Rob founded the nursery after learning of the many medicinal benefits that Australian native plants can offer. They grow a vast range of native plants including Australian Finger Limes (Citrus australasica), Aniseed Myrtle (Syzygium anisatum), Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) and a number of Wampee cultivars (Clausena lansium). The leaves from Aniseed and Lemon Myrtle can be used in cooking where aniseed or lemon flavours are required.
Sally offered a range of leaves for members to taste, including Mountain Pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) leaves which are a very spicy pepper substitute. Sally explanined that the dried berries and leaves have strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Also known as the Pepperberry, this plant was used in colonial times to treat scurvy.
The next meeting for Midcoast Garden Friends will be on Tuesday September 6th at 10:00am at Beechwood Gardens, Beechwood, where members will be treated to a tour of the gardens. Plant cuttings may be taken if members bring a cutting from their own garden in exchange.
At the meeting there will be the opportunity to discuss garden problems and their solutions. Tea and coffee will be provided. Members are asked to bring a folding chair, mug and a small plate of food to share. New members and visitors are very welcome to attend and share their interest and experience in gardening. For more information ring Jan 65596257 or John 65595165.
