Ducklings have hatched this month in time for the Illawarra Rhododendron and Rainforest Gardens’ Spring Showcase. Photos: Supplied.
Despite recent high winds, the Illawarra Rhododendron and Rainforest Gardens’ azaleas, vireyas and crab apples are looking bloomin’ spectacular in time to celebrate its inaugural Spring Showcase.
Volunteer Vicki Christie said the showcase was a chance to invite the public to explore the beauty of its 14 hectares of gardens, nestled within the Illawarra escarpment at Mount Pleasant.
Vicki said each Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday throughout September visitors would be greeted at the gate, provided with a brochure detailing areas of interest and be invited on 1.5-hour guided rainforest walks led by volunteers eager to share the garden’s unique flora and history.
She said the gardens were split into two distinct areas: one-third featuring the exotics, including rhododendrons, azaleas, and various other vibrant flowers, while the remaining two-thirds was dedicated to the native Illawarra rainforest.
“We’re having guided walks up into the rainforest and we’re pointing out the native rainforest trees, vines and ferns,” she said.
“We’re only doing it in September at this stage, but we’d like to try and do it at different times in the year.”
Vicki said the gardens were not only a botanical haven but also a hub for conservation, with volunteers working hard to preserve and regenerate the native endangered rainforest, tackling invasive species like the pseudocapsicum, protecting young plants from deer and planting native trees such as white beech.
“As soon as a big tree falls down, the cleared areas get covered in weeds,” she said.
“So we’re trying to regenerate the rainforest, protect it from weeds and educate the community and show off the rainforest.”
Vicki said despite the challenges posed by this year’s unpredictable weather, including high winds followed by a warm end to winter, the gardens were flourishing.
“It’s surprising how spectacular the rhododendrons, azaleas and crab apples are right now – they’re just looking beautiful,” she said.
“I think they really appreciated the rain they had earlier in the year, but the problem is it’s so dry now, so we’re frantically watering.
“The azaleas are just about at their peak, the crab apples and flowering peach trees are starting to flower, the vireyas continue a spectacular showing, the early flowering rhododendrons are in bloom and the last of the magnolia and camellia flowers are still on the trees.”
She said the Spring Showcase was also an opportunity for the gardens to raise much-needed funds to improve accessibility for all visitors.
“We have very poor disabled access and no disabled toilets in the gardens,” she said.
“We’ve applied for grants, but we’ve never been successful at getting them.
“What we’re trying to do is collect money from people coming into the gardens and donations if people are happy to donate and put that towards getting a disabled toilet or disabled access.
“People don’t realise we’re not funded by the Wollongong Council and we don’t get funding from the State Government unless we get a grant and, while we’re on national park land, we don’t get anything from National Parks [and Wildlife Service].”
Having started the Spring Showcase at the end of August, she said visitor feedback was positive, with people enjoying the floral vistas on show and the informative guided walks due to being delivered at a general level without technical jargon.
“It’s been really good for us as volunteers too, because normally we’re not there,” she said.
“It’s been nice for us to be able to welcome people to the gardens, to recommend what they go and see and then, when they’ve had their wander around, to chat to them again as they’re leaving.
“They’re full of praise for the work that we do as volunteers, and it’s really rewarding for us because we keep seeing the things that need doing and we don’t often sit back and enjoy what we’re creating.
“It’s nice to share it, and it’s really nice when other people appreciate it.”
She said they were always after new volunteers, but not necessarily for weeding, instead needing a horticulturist who might come in once a quarter to offer advice, an engineer to help give guidance on restoring and fixing creek beds or grant writers to help them secure funding.
Visitors are encouraged to also do self-guided walks around the lower garden, use the picnic and barbecue areas or meet the ducklings which hatched this month.
Plants like the azalea and the not-readily-available vireyas will be raffled off, and a selection will be available for purchase.
You can visit the Illawarra Rhododendron and Rainforest Gardens in Parrish Ave, Mt Pleasant, and on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout September take part in guided rainforest walks at 11 am and 2 pm.
Loading ...
