Group celebrates love of native plants

NATIVE plant and nature enthusiasts, have you heard of the Australian Plant Society Bendigo?

The group is a branch of the national body of the same name and members meet each month to share their passion for native flora and part in plant-spotting excursions.

Local secretary of the organisation Sandy Birch said the group have about 160 members from all walks of life.

One of the group’s annual highlights is their Australian Flower Show Bendigo in the spring, which will run from 23 to 24 September this year, and displays different native flowers all grown across central Victoria.

“People say there’s not much variety in Australian flowers; when they walk in and there’s like 500 flowers that are different, and that was just the spring flowers,” said Ms Birch.

“People have just got them in their gardens anyway, and some of the members in the group are in their 80s and we’re about to have our 50th anniversary next year, and they’ve been growing native plants in their gardens all that time.”

Ms Birch said people who don’t have their own gardens but might like to visit those of others are welcome to join the group.

“A lot of people go past a nice lovely native garden and they think I wonder what’s in there? Well, if they’re a member of the group, it’s just possible that person’s also a member who’d happily say come and have a look,” said Ms Birch.

“You don’t have to go far from Bendigo township to the bush to see an amazing display and said the Whipstick Forest and Junortoun have some magic spots.

“It’s just all a froth of pink, blue, green, red, yellow, a bit of orange, just like frothy foam of all different colours.”