Welcome to the August edition of Our Native Garden Nursery News!

What a cold, wet end to Winter it has been. On the plus side, our gardens have been getting plenty of water in preparation for Spring time flowering. With Spring just days away, now is a good time to be clearing your garden or yard of any storm debris, trimming off broken branches, and turning over garden beds. Any litter that you might still have lying around can be composted and added as mulch back to your garden beds. Plus, it's a great time to prune while most are dormant, as cuts tend to heal faster than when the tree is actively growing.

Potting shed progress

Well despite being held up by the weather we're happy to say the roof for the potting shed has been completed. Here's some images below of hardworking construction team putting the final touches on the roof and the finished product. Well done and thanks again to all involved!

Plant Profile: Austral Indigo ( australis)

Austral Indigo, is a member of the family, and is an attractive ornamental shrub. With an open spreading habit, it grows up to 2m high x 2m wide, and produces sprays of vivid mauve-pink pea flowers from September to December. It prefers full sun to semi shade; dry, well-drained soils; and will tolerate a slight frost. Trim lightly after flowering to encourage a neat, compact growth habit. Tip pruning while young, will encourage a more rounded habit. Looks great mass planted and can also be grown as an understory shrub. It also provides food for caterpillars and nectar for butterflies.

Traditionally, the root and were pounded and added to water to kill or stun fish and eels. Both the leaves and stems were used for dye.

A wide range of dye colours can be extracted from the depending on harvest time and weather conditions. If you're interested in finding out more about using the Indigofera australis for natural dyeing there is a great website here.

If you feel inspired to add this to your garden, check out out latest Plant List to order.

Join us for our annual Spring Plant Sale

Come help us celebrate Spring, at the annual Our Native Garden Nursery Spring Plant Sale on Saturday 30 September, from 11am to 2pm.

On offer will be a selected range of native plants, at the special sale price of only $1 each*, just waiting to find a new home in your garden.

This range includes: Love Grass, Windmill Grass, Common Wood- rush, Diggers Speedwell, Common Cassinia/Dogwood, Ovens Wattle, Prickly Teatree, Varnish Wattle, Hill Red Gum, Billabong Rush, Broom Rush, and Hillside Sedge. All additional plants will be at the full retail price of $3.50 per tube, or $2.50 for ONG Members and Landcare.

Apart from fantastic specials on plants, enjoy a tour of the nursery, learn all about local native plants, watch a potting up demonstration, and fill your belly with a FREE BBQ lunch.

Enjoy a relaxing day surrounded by good people, plants, and food! We can't wait to see you there. *No further discounts apply. Offer applies to forestry tube stock.

Trialling a new Schools Plant Program: 'Sell 1 Plant, Get One Free For Your School'

We are currently trialling an exciting new Schools Plant program, with Wodonga Senior Secondary College. For every one of Our Native Garden plants sold by the students, the nursery will give a plant for free to the school for their school yard or revegetation project.

This program both educates and empowers students to play a key role in encouraging their local community to care for the environment by planting local native plants, while also encouraging them to get outdoors.

At the moment the program is only in trial stage, however if it is something your school might be interested in, please email us at [email protected] and we'll contact you when the program is ready to roll out to more schools.

North East School Environment Day Planting Workshop

The recent Planting Workshop, facilitated by Anne Stelling, for the North East Schools Environment Day, was a huge success. Every year the Seed Environment Day seems to be increasing in popularity and book out quite early, and this year was no exception. After learning first about the concept of native and exotic plants/animals, the students then had the opportunity to get some hands on skill in potting native seedlings. And from the photos below it looks like a great time was had by all. If your school is interested in getting involved next year, check out the Seed website for more information and be sure to enrol early to avoid missing out.

Upcoming Event: Wildflower Walk 'n Talk - Castle Creek Bushlands

Wednesday 4th October, 9.30am to 11.30am Castle Creek Bushlands, Castle Creek Rd, Wodonga

Join Parklands Albury Wodonga, in a Walk ‘n Talk into the beautiful bush reserve on Castle Creek Road. With Parkland rangers as your guides, enjoy the Springtime show of spectacular wildflowers and learn all about the work carried out, over the years, to restore and improve this important habitat for threatened species.

This is an easy bush walk on earthen tracks, in undulating - but not particularly steep - country. The walk. The walk will be approx 1500m in total.

Please dress for the weather including hat, long pants and covered shoes. Morning tea will be provided, so allow time for a cuppa and chat after the walk. All are welcome. No cost.

Directions to Meeting place: Follow Castle Creek Rd just beyond the suburban estates until you see a large Hayshed on your right and a row of mature farm trees on your left. Look for the Parklands banner.

For further information visit and enquiries contact Ant Packer 0427 926 282 Parklands website: www.parklands-alburywodonga.org.au

Become a member today

If you're not already a Member of Our Native Nursery then now is the time join, and support us as we continue to grow. Membership is free and easy. Just fill out this form, send it to us and you're in. You don't even need to renew - it's that simple.

By joining, you will receive a member discount on plant purchases. Rather than pay $3.50 retail per tube, you will only pay $2.50 per tube.

Already a member and know someone else who might like to join? Then please forward this email to them, and help us grow.

Amanda and Jill for Our Native Garden Nursery Inc

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Our Native Garden is a community owned, not-for-profit, Registered Charity, volunteer run, indigenous plant nursery dedicated to developing balanced ecosystems which help create and maintain a healthy environment for plants, creatures and people.

The nursery is located at the Wodonga Waste Transfer Station at 29 Kane Rd Wodonga. MONDAYS TO THURSDAYS and SATURDAYS 10am - 1pm.