We have had a busy month or so and were invited to two interesting and rewarding events.
The Lost Plot is Port Macquarie’s large, productive and extraordinary community garden and we were invited to set up a stall at their open day in May. The interest in native bees in our area is huge – and rightly so – we seem to be the epicentre for so many solitary species as well as our little stingless Tetragonula carbonaria. We again set up house there in early June as part of the Hastings Farmgate Tour. Many new members signed up – the ANBA flyers flew off the shelf!
At our June meeting we organised a special event. Mal Mckinlay is a qualified horticulturist, garden designer, ABC radio garden host and plant aficionado. He lives near Port Macquarie and is dedicated to promoting an awareness of horticulture and nature through his talks, writing and, of course, gardening.
In this meeting, Mal told us the basics on how to become a more conscious and knowledgeable gardener and especially how to create an inviting garden to attract native bees, beneficial insects and other wildlife. He also had plants to show us and answered all our questions. It was a great night, and we look forward to seeing him again soon.
From Diane Norris
