April 2017 Newsletter 2017 Committee organically. • Just before Christmas we met at Peter President: Gordon Meiklejohn and Marg Olde’s. It is in my view the Vice President: David Robinson best privately owned native garden. Secretary: Frank Allatt The garden tour given by Peter saw Treasurer: Rosemary Viggers new varieties of natives suited for cut Committee: Brian Parry, Sue Stewart, Craig . Scott, Sandra Crockett. • Thank you to everyone who allowed us to visit their amazing farms. Next Meeting Projects supported by WIN in 2016 were: Saturday, 6th May, 2017 - Farm Visit At Growwild, the property of Peter and WFA Floristry Competition Sue Stewart, Mt. Tomah Festival – special 916 Old Hume Highway, Alpine. NSW thanks to Rosemary and Frank for their 2575. efforts here. Phone: 48894353 Email: [email protected] Walking on the Wild Side – a great Agenda: opportunity to meet the florists who buy 10.30am – morning tea - supplied our products. 11.00am – General meeting and Discussion Significant for 2016 was the fact that we 12.30pm – Lunch. Bring own lunch and lobbied politicians regarding the Biodiversity Chair Conservation Bill. 2 of our members Brian – 1.15pm – Farm Walk) WFA and Craig – WIN will represent us in 2.30pm – afternoon tea further discussions. Thanks Brian and Craig.

Topic for Discussion – RIRDC and the The Waratah Flowering project is continuing at Wildflower Industry. See article P5 in this Brimstone . Not certain as to where Newsletter. the funding is being sourced. But it is Please join us. continuing with a new Master’s Degree student, Evan. President’s Report for 2016 Thanks to Craig for his comprehensive market Congratulations to the Office Bearers and report. Valuable information here. Committee elected for 2017. Overall membership is down 1. We had 2 new Highlights and Lowlights of 2016 members join and 3 resigned. • After last year’s AGM held at Brimstone I need to emphasize to all growers not to be Waratahs we were hit by a massive hail overwrought about removing non-productive storm, the likes of which we had not crops. If crops are non-productive then they seen in over 25 yrs…………a low light ! need to be replaced with more commercially • The Seed Bank at the Australian Botanic viable ones. Returns for those still growing, in Gardens Mt. Annan was the venue of my opinion, are good. the May meeting. were the focus of this meeting. Thank you for your continued support of the • The June meeting was held at Brian and committee. This is my last year as president. Yvonne Parry’s where as usual we Finally, I’d like to thank Del and Craig for being learned a great deal about growing our speakers here today.

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Vale Peter Abell December 1963, - March 2017 Loving husband of Sue. Devoted father to Oliver, Claudia, Riley. Tragically died following a surfing incident near Coffs Harbour. Passionate about , especially Australian native flora. RIP • High value foliage is spectacular in some way/s: Decorative Foliage • Often to do with characteristics Foliage is used by florists on its own for such as leaf colour, leaf tip colour, leaf decoration or for foliage arrangements. Foliage is also used in arrangements as filler shape, leaf density, leaf length, leaf or to highlight focal flowers. arrangement, leaf texture, contrasting leaf colours or a combination of these characteristics. • Sometimes stem characteristics such as colour and texture, • Sometimes fruit such as woody fruit on a dry stem; or a gall. • Grasses/sedges with spectacular seed heads. • Such foliage is usually in high demand although trends change and some items are in and out of favour over

time. Quality foliage: Bunching - Stems are trimmed (made • has minimum 60 – 70 cm stem length presentable), cut to length and usually • is clean, free from disease with bunched. Bunch sizes vary according to minimum blemish (chewing insect material being bunched. Check with attack, etc). Some foliage species are wholesaler. prone to both fungal and insect attack, Australian foliage used in floristry comes more so in some locations than others. from many species. High value foliage • has a minimum 7 – 10day life from time species are mostly plantation grown. The of picking. No soft tips. Stems need to plants grown are often specially selected have hardened off. Due to soft growth, from plants in the wild (natural variation) or there is less foliage in the markets in have been manipulated (hand pollinated, the summer months. hybridised) to achieve their particular • Is not weedy. Applies particularly to characteristic/s. grasses. Please note: many NSW flora species are considered either to be threatened or endangered and at present, a license is required to bush pick and sell or for a grower to sell specimens.

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At the recent farm day visit there were a • NOTE: Myrtaceae species can be significant number of species or species affected by Myrtle Rust, particularly in variations on display and discussed. The coastal areas. If an outbreak is caught discussion led by Craig and Del considered early, Myrtle Rust can be managed with each foliage item. Some of the items were a spray program. spectacular and others considered not so. Before planting, speak to a wholesaler about which species are saleable and of high value.

Proteaceae • – Ericifolia, formerly very good, but not used now; there is a market for Integrifolia, Marginata (like branch structure), Robur, Serrata, Spinulosa. • – (willow-leafed Hakea)- good, especially when Foliage considered. leucodendron is not available. Myrtaceae • – has possibilities, but not too much • Syzygium - Lillypilly Rainforest , • Isopogan – a low selling line small demand, but OK • – Grevillea Ivanhoe (hybrid). • Leptospermum - Tea-tree especially the Bright green foliage with sturdy dark variety with purple tips. (?) coloured stem. Foliage develops subtle • Eucalyptus – pulverulenta (silver-leaved red highlights. mountain gum), also cinerea (Argyle • – ( apple) stems with either juvenile or leafed geebung) has possibilities. mature leves. In demand because of • – (crinkle leaf colour and leaf shape. Other bush)- attractive, but not well known to eucalypts which appear spectacular florists. because of leaf size, shape, colour, • sericeus (Woolly Bush) - arrangement, density and hold for 7–10 Attractive and a market exists. days after being cut. Eg. piperita • – sinuatus (fire Wheel (Sydney peppermint). Buds of Scribbly tree). Foliage does not sell. Gum and Bloodwood good. Note: many east coast eucalypts are site specific ie have adapted to growing under particular conditions. • Callistemon – Calothamnus quadrifidus (one sided bottlebrush) has good foliage potential • Agonis flexuosa ‘Jervis Bay Afterdark’ (Willow Peppermint) • Melaleuca Bracteata Revolution Gold – – sub-family Mimosaceae very attractive • aphylla (Reindeer wattle or • Regelia Ciliata – from WA. Looks spikey leafless rock wattle) – good at but is soft. Florists like it WILDFLOWER INDUSTRY NETWORK NSW. Inc. 3

Christmas. Acacia Pravissima (Ovens wattle) has some potential. • Other with unusual foliage and sold at the Flower Market are cavenii (Grey-green foliage), baileyana purpurea (a Cootamundra wattle with purple tips), cognate (river wattle) var. Lmelight(soft lush foliage), cultriformis (knife-leaf wattle, has grey foliage), glaucescens (Sally wattle, poisonous to some animals, has distinct grey foliage, x’s available). • Poaceae (grasses) • Miscanthus – cult. ‘morning light’. Sterile. Spectacular. Untried as a commercial product. Xanthorroeaceae • – australis, also resinosa, both found in the Sydney area. Leaves harvested, license required. Attractive,

but not currently in favour. Scrophulariaceae • Erimophila – mostly like drier climates. Rutaceae alternifolia (?) (emu bush). In demand. • Philotheca –myoporides (long leaf wax Ferns flower). Does not sell as foliage. Stems with flowers ½ open will sell. • Gleichenia dicarpa (coral Fern). Grows in wet places. A small demand for this Asparagaceae product. • Cordyline – stricta (selected forms). Cyperaceae (sedges) Berries will sell, but in small numbers. • Caustis – blakei (good, very Prostantheroideae attractive),flexuosa (old mans’ • Westringia – fruticose (Native whiskers, attractive, but not popular). rosemary). Has contrasting leaves. • Gahnia – melanocarpa Black-fruit saw- (market potential unknown) sedge, needs to be adequately Doryanthaceae prepared. Attractive, but not in favour). • Doryanthes – is the sole in the family Doryanthaceae. 2 species with Excels being the more spectacular. Small demand for leaves. Cunoniaceae • Callicoma – serratifolia (black wattle). Has attractive contrasting foliage, but unfortunately stems do not ‘hold’ after picking. Bachia (?) unsaleable last Christmas.

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Also see what Angus Stewart has to say have been prioritized for matching funding about plants for decorative foliage. Go to from RIRDC for R&D projects. In the medium to http://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/an long term, significantly less funding will be guss-top-ten-australian-plants-for- available to non-levy paying industries and decorative-foliage/ programs which rely on RIRDC core funding. Soft Flower Farm This means new, small and developing industries (including wildflowers) are impacted by fewer funds to service an evergrowing number of industries. Available funds are reserved for strategic investment, rather than ongoing projects. With the total budget this year around $300M for ALL the industries, RIRDC asked stakeholders within these industries to prioritise the use of RIRDC funds to include only ‘large’ projects, focussed on high impact R&D (identified as of the most WIN members visited a soft flower farm at importance to industry and government). New Bilpin where the owners specialised in growing projects must include matching funds from delphiniums and decorative kale. Photo shows industry and align with the objectives outlined some of the young kale plants in the New and Emerging Plant Industries Check the WFA website under Three- Year RD&E Plan (2015–2018). Newsletters for further Industry updates. Attempts during the past 3 years to identify a The WFA newsletters are very project large and broad enough to make an comprehensive. Go to: impact across the wildflower industry, and http://www.wildflowersaustralia.com.au attractive enough for industry members to commit their money to fund it, have failed. Indeed the industry has struggled to raise This is an extract from an article by Bettina enough funds for even ‘small’ projects – for Gollnow. The full text can be found at wildflowersaustralia.com.au under current example, the current communications project wildflowers Australia Newsletter. February has required an industry input of just $14,500 March 2017 newsletter website.pdf per year for 3 years. Recent Changes at RIRDC and the As well, projects with a ‘small’ budget (like the Wildflower industry communications projects) take a disproportionate time to ‘manage’ – both by Federal Government budget cuts in 2014 RIRDC and the researcher who, as well as doing resulted in a significant restructure of RIRDC. the project work, is required to track the Staff numbers were significantly reduced, and budget and report to RIRDC (2 project updates with continuing annual budget cuts, RIRDC had per year and a detailed final project report at to make major changes to how it supports the the end). various rural industries in its portfolio. To guide these changes, industries were assessed in two a. Industry lifecycles and level of ways - their position in their development funding support lifecycle was defined and benefit cost analyses RIRDC analysed the various industries it has of completed projects were commissioned. been supporting to determine where they Industries which already have a statutory or were up to in their ‘development lifecycle’. voluntary levy in place (tea tree oil and fodder This 'lifecycle approach' was then used to guide crops) and are therefore making a substantial the level of government investment in new and funding contribution to their RD&E objectives, developing industries. ‘New’ refers to small

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plant industries that, thus far, have achieved The 7 projects where significant benefits were limited growth, ‘emerging’ plant industries identified and valued were: have accelerating growth and can be small to • PRJ-000469: Maximising root quality of medium in size, while ‘mature’ industries are waxflower tube stock suitable for field planting well established and expected to provide a • PRJ-000509: On-farm evaluation of grafted voluntary contribution of project funds equal wildflowers for commercial cut flower to 50% of each project budget, with RIRDC production matching that amount. RIRDC considers • PRJ-003984: Develop canopy management wildflowers to be a ‘mature’ industry. As they strategies progress through their development lifecycle • PRJ-003115: Improved export market access within this framework, RIRDC expects for Australian wildflowers through Integrated industries to steadily increase the level of Pest Management voluntary contributions they make towards • PRJ-000331: Quality specifications for their RD&E needs. RIRDC will also support Australian wildflowers and revised manual of industries in their efforts to establish long term postharvest treatments for wildflowers RD&E funding arrangements - such as through • PRJ-002409: Incorporating Australian an industry vote and application to the Federal wildflowers and native plants into the National Government for a levy. Floristry Curriculum • PRJ-003913: Educating the Australian floral b. Cost benefit analysis of completed supply chain. projects Assessing the actual impact of these projects to RIRDC commissioned independent reviews to the wildflower industry would have been assess the impact of RIRDC supported R&D difficult from the perspective of an economist projects for several industries including with a limited understanding of the industry. wildflowers. This was a benefit-cost analysis of Assessing impacts over a short time frame and investment in various projects and industry in the absence of reliable industry data would programs. In 2014 Agtrans Research reviewed have added to the difficulty. Nevertheless, in all completed projects contracted by the WNP the current economic climate, RIRDC needs to Program within the five years 2008-2013. This rely on such analyses as well as the ‘Foster identified a wide range of benefits, review’ of new and emerging industries to predominantly economic in nature. guide future investment. For several projects these benefits were Case study: the 32 wildflower assigned a dollar value which totalled $2.75 quality specifications and million (in present value terms) and produced aggregate total expected benefits worth $8.53 supporting postharvest manual (present value terms). This gave a net present I undertook to assist Agtrans in reviewing this value of $5.78 million, a benefit-cost ratio of project which I completed in 2010. This 3.10 to 1 and an internal rate of return of provides an insight into the difficulties of 13.3%. But when benefits for these significant making a cost benefit judgement! impact projects were compared to the total investment in all projects funded during this I asked industry members to answer two time, the returns were much lower. questions set by Agtrans: to what extent have the quality specifications and postharvest Funding for all projects totalled $5.38 million manual been adopted throughout the industry, (present value terms). When compared to the and, since their publication (November 2010), same value of benefits as for the first analysis, has there has been any observable this investment produced a net present value improvement in the quality and consistency of of $3.15 million (present value terms), a Australian wildflowers presented to the benefit- cost ratio of 1.59 to 1 and an internal market. I received 19 replies from the whole rate of return of 8.3%. WILDFLOWER INDUSTRY NETWORK NSW. Inc. 6

industry (growers, wholesalers, exporters, pitch in and get involved in setting a vision for florists and floristry trainers); I’d sent the email the future and funding it. to over 130 people. The industry also needs to look at the pros and While the feedback provided a detailed list of cons of a levy more seriously. Past internal ways industry members had been using the industry discussions about a compulsory or publications, there was no good data on how voluntary levy did not reach any consensus. widely they were being used and the (few) Other industries have ‘taken the levy plunge’ florists who replied were unaware of them. and this is seen as a plus by state and federal While individuals reported increased product government agencies. Such industries can plan consistency and quality, there was no clear ahead over a longer timeframe, and research evidence of an observable improvement in and service providers have a reason to stay quality across the industry. around, so their skills and services are retained by the industry. The lack of a levy and a poor Disappointing doesn’t sum it up! A large focus on future needs is why state number of industry members were involved in departments of primary industries no longer researching the information for this project, support the flower industry. attending workshops and conferences, and reviewing draft documents – so I’d hoped this For recent RIRDC Wildflower would increase industry awareness and Publications, go to http://www.rirdc.gov.au . Choose Publications, then in, “Select a adoption of the final outputs. Category”, scroll down to Wildflowers and However, it’s not easy to quantify the impact Native Plants. of any project, especially not in clear economic terms. There are sound business reasons why people don’t implement the findings, even if Farm Diversity website they think they are valuable, for example if FarmDiversity.com.au is the first step in they feel they won’t achieve a higher price for exploring something new for your farm. This a quality bunch which may require more inputs initiative of the Rural Industries Research and of time and materials to get flowers ready for Development Corporation allows you to search the market. crop and animal production enterprise Future focus is on ‘high impact R&D’ alternatives by type or location to discover which may be best suited to your farm. The benefit-cost ratios of various industry programs show a wide range, but in these Reminder times of reduced funding, RIRDC expects a benefit- cost ratio of at least 5:1. Some small WIN Membership Subscription for 2017 and emerging industries have achieved at ratio is due. Refer to invoice previously sent of 10:1 or more, but wildflower projects to for details. date have achieved a benefit-cost ratio of only Newsletter compiled by Frank Allatt 1.59 to 1. mailto:[email protected] To move forward, RIRDC wants the wildflower industry to define its ‘upside’ - where is its future growth, what steps will it take to get there and what questions/issues need to be solved through research to provide a significant positive outcome? RIRDC also wants the wildflower industry to make greater efforts to build cohesiveness and collaboration - more industry members have to WILDFLOWER INDUSTRY NETWORK NSW. Inc. 7