Enjoyable gathering at Carroll Gap Farmhouse

Gunnedah Garden Club thoroughly enjoyed its August meeting at the Carroll Gap Farmhouse, a surprisingly quaint and rustic homestead.

Twenty-five people attended and the club welcomed new member, Ann Stubbs, sister of Sue Braby.

Jan Dirks and her lovely helpers provided a delicious morning tea of scones and jam and cream, and cake, then members had a wander around the remarkable gardens before the business of the meeting.

Ellen Mitchell was congratulated on her 90th birthday and presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and corsage, prepared by Julia Withers.

Ellen Mitchell, Helen Murrell, Lyn Sanson and Ann Penrose stop for a chat.

Seven members attended the Quirindi Garden Club’s luncheon. Guest speaker David Rogers spoke about birds in the backyard.

The most popular bird is the magpie. He advised to plant in three layers, trees, bushes and ground covers. A variety of plants will attract a variety of birds, such as kookaburras and colourful parrots.

There was lots on the agenda to discuss.

Mike Abberfield (GCA Insurance) came to Gunnedah, after visiting the Coonabarabran Flower Show. He met up with Lyn Sanson and Shirley Palmer (stepping in for Robyn Clydsdale).

Jan Dirks serves a hearty soup for Julia Withers, Carol Smith and Patsy Elphick.

Forty-five members of the Tamworth Cottage Garden Club will be visiting Gunnedah on 19 September. The plan is to visit Julia Withers’s garden and have morning tea there at 9.30 (volunteers needed), then visit the Presbyterian Flower Show, Club Gunnedah for lunch, followed by a visit to Helen Murrell’s garden and hopefully, Kurrumbede, then home by 4.30pm.

A bus trip to Coonabarabran Town and Country Gardens is planned for Sunday 11 October. It will involve a morning tea at the CWA Hall, visiting seven gardens and will cost $20.

Coola Open Gardens is on 31 October.

Christmas lunch will be at the Golf Club this year, on 23 November.

In ‘Problem Plants’, Helen Murrell’s Eucharist leaves have blisters. No suggestions there. Will have to Google that one!

Julia Withers and Robyn Clydsdale wish Ellen Mitchell a happy 90th birthday.

The raffle (donated by Carol Smith) was won by Sue Schofield, with Cecily Jaeger winning the potting mix donated by Gordon Barry & Co. Next month, Robyn Clydsdale will bring the raffle.

Gwen Donaldson was the hostess in August and this month it will be Sue Schofield’s turn.

At the conclusion of the meeting, members enjoyed some heartwarming soup, followed by more cake, then Jan took time out from the kitchen to chat with the club about her home and business.

Jan and husband Bob run Carroll Gap Restaurant. The old building has quite a history, being a school, PO and telephone exchange in the past. They purchased the land and homestead back in 1981 and have raised their four children in this lovely rural setting.

Jan has a background in teaching and Bob in engineering.

Marg Kersley, Sue Braby and Ann Stubbs stroll around the gardens.

Bob was also associated with the Gunnedah and District Boy Scouts – a wonderful organisation for developing young minds.

Jan and Bob have spent many years fixing up the place and Jan spoke about some of their challenges.

With the land sloping down to the river, flooding has been a problem on occasion, though has never quite reached the house, thankfully. But it has meant shifting the veggie patch to higher ground. It has been a cold winter too.

So Jan has been covering her plants to protect them from the drop in temperature. It was minus 6C at one time. There is an acre of vegetable gardens and an orchard across the road, which is an ongoing project.

Shirley Palmer, Lyn Sanson, Margaret Abra, Julia Withers and Carol Smith take a stroll. BELOW: Ellen Bridge, Sue Schofield and Ellen Mitchell take a break. Photos: supplied.

Possums, kangaroos and birds have been a problem, eating their produce, so netting is needed. Passionfruit vine runners can be a menace, climbing trees. Grafted ones can be invasive if you let them get away.

Johnson grass in the veggie garden always requires pulling out. Hay is used to try to suffocate it.

Jan says it is a garden of potential. There is always something to do: planting, weeding, cutting, fertilising, and she tries to keep her garden organic using chicken fertiliser, though may use Roundup along the edge of her lawn, but only if necessary.

The garden club had such a lovey day at Carroll Gap, enjoying Jan’s delicious cooking and strolling around her and Bob’s rustic rural property.

The September meeting will be held in the garden of Marg Kersley, a few kilometres out of town, on the Quia Road.