Elizabeth Kerry
Chair:
Robyn Hawkins
Secretary:
Ivan Saltmarsh
Treasurer:
Rex Bean
Newsletter Editor:
Maura O'Connor
Committee:
Mike Evans
Elizabeth Kerry
Warwick Oakman
Deirdre Pearson
Ken Wright
The Tasmanian Branch Newsletter has a new look with lots of information inside.
Port Arthur, Saturday 7 November 2009.
We were delighted when Mike and Dorothy Evans offered to plan and lead a tour of the Port Arthur historic site. Both are botanists and worked at the site for a number of years, Mike as a guide and gardens researcher and Dorothy as interpretive manager.
The tour began at the Commandant’s House. Looking from here across Mason Cove allowed a vision the original landscape, a dense forest of tall eucalypts, dominated by Tasmanian bluegum Eucalyptus globulus which favours the wetter situations and Messmate stringybark Eucalyptus obliqua. The tall bluegums standing in front of the Commandant’s House are remnants of the original vegetation and are little changed from their appearance in a photograph taken 150 years ago.
Some of the older exotic trees in the Commandant’s garden were planted by the first civil Commandant of Port Arthur, Charles O’Hara Booth. He and other civil officers were keen naturalists and gardeners. Trees such as the massive Bay tree Laurus nobilis and two Norfolk Island pines Araucaria excelsa, stand either side of the original residence in Georgian symmetry. There were also many fruit trees in the Commandant’s garden and orchard and throughout the rest of the settlement. A recent project has been to graft material from all remaining fruit trees and plant them as an orchard adjacent to Trentham, a cottage built after the closure of the convict settlement.
Plants were used to re-create a predominantly English landscape and came from the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, the Acclimatization Society and friends and families who sent seeds and material (such as geraniums) from ‘home’. There were also species collected by keen naturalists on the outward voyages via Portugal (Echium candicans), the Americas (Rhus typhina) and South Africa (Melianthus major).
There are now concerns about some of the older trees. The early plantings of English oaks Quercus robur along the original seafront suffered root compaction resulting from vehicle traffic in the days of open access to the park. Soil aeration, plenty of fertilizer and changed traffic movement have relieved this problem. However the Memorial Avenue, planted in 1918 by the local schoolchildren, is steadily dying. The Monterey cypress Cupressus macrocarpa, like many conifer species, has a normal life span of up to one hundred years leading to the dilemma faced by many communities – what to do with a short-lived memorial.
Extensive vegetable gardens and a farm provided for some 1200 prisoners and several hundred civilian and military personnel and families, a necessity at this remote site. Basic supplies were plentiful, such as cabbages, potatoes and turnips, while it was possible to grow a great variety of vegetables and fruits in season. In the first years of the settlement the convicts were allowed to grow their own food. George Arthur the Governor at the time disapproved, suspecting that such produce would provide a black market for trading such delights as tobacco. His ban on the gardens led to shortages of greens and eventually to a severe outbreak of scurvy, consequently the extensive gardens were developed, using convict labour but carefully supervised.
Commercial crops were trialled also and some such as hops for beer and New Zealand flax Phormium tenax proved useful. The flax was grown to provide labour for the inmates of the Separate Prison who removed (retted) the fibres from the leaves to weave into sailcloth. Other trials such as tea and cork oak production were not successful.
Decorative gardens were mostly around individual houses, but in 1846 Commandant Champ decreed that there should be created a leisure garden where the ladies and the families could enjoy gentle, outdoor pursuits away from the eyes of the convicts. The formal garden led down from Government Cottage to what had been the waterfront and provided extensive borders of flowers, a pattern of paths and a central fountain, gravity fed from a well at the top of the garden. After many years of neglect this garden has been restored using plant records from the time of its establishment, contemporary paintings and photos. We saw it at its best, with many species of old roses and their companion plants in full bloom.
A path lined with Hazel pomaderris Pomaderris aspera leads into the Memorial Garden, built in memory of the victims of the Port Arthur massacre on 28 April 1996. Many native species such as Leatherwood Eucryphia lucida and Blue berry Dianella tasmanica surround a reflecting pool and create a beautiful space for quiet reflection.
Christmas at Kempton
This event was very well attended and enjoyed by all. We visited Leo Schofield’s magnificent house and garden “Dysart House” (1945). We then walked along Main Road with its wealth Georgian and Victorian buildings and were invited to take a closer look at “Fernleigh” a uniquely designed homestead where elements of the old garden have been preserved. This was followed by lunch under lovely old trees in the garden at the “Wilmot Arms” (1843) and the opportunity to visit St Mary’s Church of England (1839) next door.
Gardens of historic properties in the Oatlands area, 20 March 2010
We visited five gardens, all in good condition despite many years of drought. All were quite individual, reflecting the interests of owners. It was particularly interesting to see how the different owners had overcome the limitations of a dry and cold environment, and invaders such as possums and wallabies.
Three of the gardens were traditional, with big old trees sheltering green lawns, perennial borders, with many roses and other exotics. One of these was built around gnarled trees from an old orchard ; another had a Japanese garden. One property had a beautiful “native” garden, with plants set among huge local rocks. Here the owners had chosen to include drought tolerant exotic species to great effect. Another house set in an open windy site had dramatic plantings of drought tolerant species around the outside matching the stark beauty of the site, contrasting with deeper greens and more colourful plantings in the courtyard.
We drove around the countryside with a fascinating commentary by a local historian. We passed groups of houses including original workers’ cottages, the remnants from early settlement schemes. Many of these dated from the early 1800s, others from schemes in the early 1900s. One of the first was opened by Macarthur in 1811. In contrast were grand mansions, fit to grace the grand estates in England, looking dramatic set in the Australian bush.
Sunday 25 July
AGM, Ross.
Our President Robyn Hawkins will talk on : The Painters Eye and Three Historic Gardens -Tarella, Sydney NSW - Whitley, Southern Highlands -Bentley, Tasmania.
5-7 November 2010
'The Vision Splendid'
31st Annual National Conference Launceston, Tasmania
Three days of lectures and garden visits complemented by an Optional Day on Monday 8 November and three-day Pre and Post Conference Tours.
Watch out for the registration brochure in your next copy of Australian Garden History or here on the website.
Sunday 5 December
Christmas function.
Venue: TBA
