1977 oct st kilda today

Vol 4. No 2.

Official Journal of the Council of the City of St Kilda

October 1977

Blessington Street Gardens

A garden week for all Garden contest

There are four categories in the garden competition. To take part, simply nominate a category by filling in the coupon below.

All residents are eligible to enter, but entries must be lodged at the Town Hall by Monday, October 24.

Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at the Blessington Street Gardens festival on Sunday, October 30, from 12 noon.

GARDEN WEEK ENTRY FORM NAME

Inside Free tree offer A peoples' park

ADDRESS PHONE (If available) CATEGORY ENTERED 1. Best garden — house 2. Best garden — flat/unit 3. Best floral display 4. Best balcony display

please tick • • • •

RETURN FORM TO TOWN HALL, ST. KILDA 3182.

Entries close October 241977.

Guide to parks • Back page. A detailed map showing the location of St Kilda's parks and gardens. A guide to their contents and facilities is on the inside pages.

What to do now in your garden Seed sowing for summer displays of flowers and crops of vegetables can begin in earnest in October with the soil temperatures rising to make conditions more encouraging to the growth of plants.

Fine seed must not be Spraying should begin sown too deeply. The finest, this month as a prevention such as petunia and against Black Spot which begonia should be covered can defoliate plants if not very lightly with soil, all controlled. Dithane M45 fine seeds should be treated has been found to be the as such. best fungicide for this Seed should not be purpose, but if mildew allowed to dry out and on appears as well, use the other hand not to water Benlate. and flood the base as this This is a good month to will wash the seed out. start rooted cuttings of Before sowing boxes or Chrysanthemums. As these pots, make sure the soil is are fairly gross feeders, of the right texture for make sure they have a sowing as too dry a soil is fertile soil and plenty of hard to water and misses in manure, a few places.

Aphis are fond of these After sowing the seed plants so spray when they cover the box or pot with appear. Don't forget to glass or plastic and keep prune deciduous flowering out of draughts and direct shrubs such as Weigelas sunlight.

Lilacs, Deutzias after they A good compost used for finish their spring raising seedlings is a good flowering, garden loam, leaf mould Planting — Sow Aster, put through a sieve and Phlox Marigolds, Zinnias, peat moss.

Cosmos, Salvias Red and Roses are making strong Blue, Portulaccas, Vergrowth now and need to be benas, Anterrhinums and watched for Aphis, if they Delphiniums, are noticed spray with Plant seedlings of these Kilval, always look at the and also Petunias, Begondirections that are on the ias, Argeratum, Dwarf labels before spraying.

Dalhias and Dalhis Tubers.

Plants that were planted George Young, this year can be given a GEORGE YOUNG, handful of complete fertil- SUPERINTENDENT OF izer this month.

PARKS AND GARDENS.

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St. Kilda Council has planned carefully to make its parks a place where children can play safely.

Equipment like this — in St. Kilda's Catani Gardens — is designed

Parks are fun for kids too!

Native plants for the coast

Heath, aged seven, play on the 'space age' slides.

Choosing plants that will grow satisfactorily near the coast is often difficult, especially if the area is exposed to both strong winds and salt spray.

(Right) Kim Marie Young, aged four, enjoys a to stimulate youngsters' swing in one of the globe pendulums which can imagination.

(Above) Rachael Heath, seat up to four small aged eight, and Damien children at a time.

The plants in the table marked* will withstand extreme conditions and, therefore, can be used in planting nearest to the sea.

Those unmarked can be used more or less as a second row.

When these plants have established themselves, you may be able to plant successfully less hardy species that find it difficult going under coastal conditions.

Facts and figures on our gardens The following facts and figures on St Kilda's parks, gardens and open spaces may be of interest tc residents. Did you know that:

New plans for street beauty

spikes cover plant in late spring, early summer. With summer watering and a slow-release fertiliser, also autumn flowering. Pruning behind spent flowers helps, Excellent for birds,

*Correa alba "White Cnrrnst " NSW VIC N ! , W

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Wind and salt spray tolerant, 3 ft. to 4 ft. x 3 ft. to 6 ft., forming dense bush. It has oval foliage and white, star-like flowers in 'Acacia cyclops WA. " • summer. Bird attracting.

This salt and wind r «»fle*A " C o m tolerant plant grows 8 ft. X 8 Correa retiexa tornft., but under exposed mon Correa, QLD, conditions may grow lower. A.C.T., NSW, TAS, The yellow ball heads of «•«» flower are at their best in , , .. . , early spring. Pruning after Withstands fairly harsh flowering will produce a conditions. Many forms bushy plant. Seeds attrac- some 6 in high, others 4 ft tive to rosellas, cockatoos, to 5 ft. Bell-shaped flowers . . . .. can be red, green, cream or * Acacia longifolia i n various combinations var. sophorae "Coast such as red-tipped yellow.

Wattle" QLD NSW. Flowering mainly late

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St by closing surplus road of management which space. Further areas are includes three St Kilda under investigation for Councillors, and the the same treatment. portion within St Kilda totals 54 hectares.

• Council bylaws require • 1200 new street trees that trees and shrubs The City Engineer, Mr. Martin Verhoeven, have been planted overhanging public footduring the past 12 paths have to be said this week that in order to boost the months. trimmed back so as not landscaping of streets, the Parks and Garto impede passageway.

• Vandalism is causing an dens Department has recently been rea u t u m n t0 w i n t e r Li ht estimated loss of 20 per w r TAC CA S organized. cent of new trees.

V I U , I H o , o « . pruning helps.

Gives food The new structure will provide more man• The Council has a Can form a dense cover f honey eaters, program to establish a power and equipment for street beautifi- on the coast. 8 ft to 10 ft higho r p , , - a | u n | „ e f icif ilia playground and rest x 8 ft to 15 ft wide Bright tucaiyptus "Cllllia cation, landscaping of traffic islands, proarea in each neigh- The growth of flats and yellow rods in late winter, " R e d Flowering borhood in the City. To home units in St Kilda has vision of planter boxes in shopping centres early spring. Leaves often G u m , " W A . date, five have been limited the gardening of and the introduction of more beds of rosellas, cockatoos. light green.

Seeds attract tooutstanding 15 ft, ft 30 ft x 15 fttree, to 20 provided out of the 19 many residents to little flowers. . *Banksia integrifolia displays white, orange, required. more than window boxes. or pink to red Expenditure on Parks "Coastal Banksia," scarlet • Open spaces have been But with little trouble, and Gardens has been flowers in late summer, QLD, NSW, VIC. followed by attractive established in Cowderoy window boxes can give you increasing, particularly by color and fragrance. nuts". Very VJW1. dense Can grow to from 10 "ft ™ to gum the purchase of new open gum UUU3 J*.

The boxes should be 20 spaces.

40 ft., withstanding fairly foliaged tree, with fibrouscm (1 in) deep. If unlined, strong winds and salt type bark. Gives nectar for they will need several coats New planning policies spray. Leaves dull green on native birds, of paint inside as well as have also been adopted to top silvery underneath Eucalyptus lehmanoutside. Drainage holes double the open area on It is hoped that this with lime yellow flower " ^ f . e h w v«t« » WA should be no more than 10 new flat projects and to special edition of St Kilda's spikes 3 in to 4 in. long in nil "BUShy Yate, WA As part of Garden Week in St Kilda, residents can get cm (4 in.) apart and the require more landscaping parks and gardens will autumn, winter. Flowers Fast growing. 12 ft to 20 ft rid of their garden clippings and similar refuse free of bottom should be covered when existing buildings are encourage residents to are attractive to honey- x 20 ft. Stand wind and, to make more use of the city's eating birds. some extent, salt spray. with a layer of crock, subdivided. charge. ,, , j «,„, recreational areas Large, lime-green clusters Simply cut out the coupon below and present it at the clinker or small stones.

Mr Verhoeven said that IIff transport . . t r a n c „ n rist ai cproblem, Callistemon citrinus of flower from July to A good all-purposes although Council Depot in Greeves St during any Saturday. play- o n e w a y 0 f visiting the " " " " " f " the new — Bottle- September. Following This service has operated for some time, and there is planting medium is two grounds were very popular > Councils "Crimson "finger-stall" parts good garden loam, with children children, he was dis- fr r e e c o m m ru " n iu..„ ...u:_u normally a small charge. t y bus, which brush," QLD, NSW, interesting buds there are large, one part leaf mould and one appointed that so few ^ m Q s t q { t h e r e s e r VIC. v e s unique seed capsules. part sand, plus some residents used the passive Qn o n the complete fertiliser.

Very hardy, showy, Bushy foliage is light areas such as Alma Park, . .

8 ft to 15 ft. x 8 ft. to 10 green, trunk grey-brown, Choice of plants will and the Blessington Street D a ^ e p a b g £ h a s p r o v e dplant, ft., a brilliant red flower Attracts honey-eaters. depend on the aspect. Gardens. great success since its This coupon entitles the bearer to Flowering plants need He hoped that more introduction, and details of sun. Foliage plants Published by the St Kilda City Council in the interests deposit one car or trailer load of garden direct need subdued light. They people would use the its route and running times of better Local Government in St Kilda and printed refuse at the Greeves St depot free of would not do well in the Community Bus Service to are available at the St by Brownhall Printing, Mulgrave. same box. reach these areas.

Kilda Town Hall. charge.

Garden cuttings and prunings can be disposed of at the Council Depot each Saturday. If you bring the voucher published in this issue there will be no charge. i The Council employs 54 gardening staff to maintain parks, recreation areas and trees. > There are 26 different parks and reserves in St Kilda totalling 62 hectares available to residents for sport and recreation.

I The cost of purchasing and equipping a new playground is more than $125,000. > Albert Park is controlled by a separate committee

Free tip offer

St Kilda Council Free voucher

Go gay with a window box

Take the free bus to the gardens

'People's Centre' plan for Elwood Park

Panic- nrt*

St Kilda Council has completed a study for a $347,000 redevelopment which would upgrade Elwood Park into one of the finest recreation centres in Victoria.

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All about herbs Just about anyone can have a herb garden — even if it's only a pot or two on the window sill.

But if that's where you have flowering plants or flowers you can grow your herbs in a border or on a separate The handiest spot is just "onion" herbs; the thin oil is extracted for flavorbed. outside the kitchen door — leaves are like grass and ing purposes and is used

within pouncing distance have a delicate onion taste. extensively for confectionChives are used to give a ery. for the cook.

Some culinary herbs are milk onion flavor to salads, used in cooked dishes omelets, soups. They may Parsley (Petroselinum (sage, thyme and marjor- also be used whole as crispum) grows best in a am), and some in salads spring onions.

Chives grow well in most deep moist soil and in semi(shallots and chives) Sage, thyme and soils and are propagated by shade. A good dressing of compost or rotted manure margoram are the constit- separating the bulbs, uents of the dry herbs sold The clumps of bulbs should be worked in under in packets. should be divided each year the row to a depth of about They can be grown from in the autumn or spring and 10 ins. seed but are generally be re-planted 6 ins to 10 ins This will help to retain mosture. Sow parsley seed grown from root cuttings or apart, in a drill about 1 in. deep divided clumps. f^arlir* and cover the seed with Vi With a few exceptions « a i l l U herbs are perennial plants Garlic (Allium sativum) in. of soil.

The plants should be and may be grown in any is another member of the convenient place. They do onion family. It is a bulb thinned out to at least 10 overcrowding reasonably well in most made up of separate cloves ins. as soils. which are used for flavor- encourages stem growth at They are hardy plants ing a wide range of cooked the expense of the leaf.

Parsly will transplant, but and can be grown with dishes and salads, minimum of fertiliser; this It grows best in a rich produces a coarser leaf and allows their aromas and friable soil. Plant the the plant tends to run to flavors to develop to the separated cloves 6 ins apart seed.

Aphids are occasionally full. in rows a foot apart. Press The herbs of the onion the clove into the soil IVi ins troublesome, but they can be controlled with an 0.1 family, however, respond to 2 ins. to better treatment and They should be planted in per cent, maldison spray. should receive adequate the winter and can then be fertiliser and water. lifted in the summer and Rosemary (Rosmarius Wooden tubs, flower pots stored, officinalis) is an attractive, and metal cans can be used M a r i n r a m decorative herb. It is used for growing herbs.

IVIdlJUIdlll Small containers can be Sweet marjoram (ori- in cooking and cosmetics. It used for chives and parsley ganum majorana) is the can be finely chopped and indoors; large, vigorous best known variety and is cooked with roast beef or herbs such as mint can be used for flavouring stews boiled with pork, corned "restrained" by confining and soups. It has an aroma beef or mutton.

Rosemary is a bushy them in tubs. similar to basil's. Like Herbs are dried by many herbs it likes an open perennial shrub about the hanging the plants in a well drained bed; the bush size of lavender. It grows best under hard conditions shed; when thoroughly dry will grow about 2 ft high.

Marjoram can be grown on light soils in a sunny the leaves can be rubbed off and stored in air-tight jars. from seed or from root position. Cuttings can be divisions; although a planted in the early perennial it is best to divide autumn.

Sweet basil (Ocimum it up each year. Leaves can basilicum) and bush basil be picked fresh through the (Ocimum minimum) are summer months or the annual plants and are sown plant can be cut off after flowering and hung up to in the spring.

The young leaves can be dry. snipped off and used fresh in cooking; later the whole There are several species pant can be pulled up and of mint; all do best in rich Each weeknight during dried. soil with plenty of water. Garden Week, horticultural The growth of the under- experts will give free talks Borage (Borago officin- ground root system can be and gardening advice at the alis), like basil, is an confined in a tub or kero- St Kilda Library. The annual plant grown from sene tin. Fill the container program is as follows: seed through into the with a mixture of loam and Tuesday, October 25 7.45 winter months. The fresh compost and plant rooted pm. "Balcony Gardens", flowers and leaves can be cuttings during the winter Wednesday, October 26 7.45 pm. "Plants in Foreadded to drinks in the same or spring months.

S p e a r m i n t (Mentha shore Areas", way as mint or cucumber. spicata) is the most Thursday, October 27 7.45 commonly grown species; pm. "Indoor Plants", The chive plant (Allium it is the mint used in the Friday, October 28 7.45 schoenoprasum) is one of sauce. Mentha piperita is pm. "Landscaping Small the most useful of the the peppermint from which Gardens".

Parsley

tennis courts, extended The proposed plan toward the beach proincludes a magnificent vides space for prac ultra-modern pavilion tice pitches, carnivals and an athletics track the possible siting of an next to Ormond Esplanindoor swimming pool ade with a soccer or and for car parking in hockey pitch in the summer. centre.

Other features of the • The car parking area is planted with native plan are: shrubs and trees • A football-cricket designating the park ground r e l o c a t e d ing bays, limiting the slightly east of its management prob existing position and lems. moved further south to increase the distance • Comprehensive change rooms, toilets showers behind the goals to the for sportsmen and road. Mounding and women, incorporating landscaping would be undercover viewing introduced to further platforms and public shield the footballs toilets with service from Ormond Esplanaccess from the car ade and to provide an park. embankment for viewing.

The pavilion design was • A soccer or hockey generated by the need to pitch adjacent the car serve three separate surrounding sporting parking area. and their • The croquet lawns activities maintain their posi- spectators, and to be available to the total tion.

• The bowling club relo- community.

The triangular shape cated adjacent Head Street at the southern allows direct access from end of the site. 2 No.7 the clubrooms to oval rink greens are pitch or track. It allows direct view of sporting provided.

The adventure play- activity from the club ground and barbecue rooms.

Three separate viewing area are extended into the tennis court site and the platforms created at each bowling green reverted to apex of the triangle alleviate construction passive picnic space.

• The grassed area, problems and provide abutting the existing shelter for spectators.

Have fun with mini gardens The popularity of home units with small areas of garden in St. Kilda has often posed a problem for people who have been used to a large garden and wish to continue their lobby and make the best use of the limited space now available.

Old homes on limited It is better to spend a sized land in the inner little more money at the suburbs of our larger cities beginning and put down a are being renovated, and concrete base on which to although very little effort bed the surfacing material, Whichever method has been made in the past ""-=-• — « is to make the back yards used, be sure to leave plantattractive, this is not diffi- ing gaps for a few prostrate cult if a little thought is plants to break the bare look of the paving. given to the project.

Before thinking about Even in modern homes with more room, an attrac- what plants to use, the tive courtyard separated question of. the aspect must from the rest of the garden be considered, such as how by walls can be made as a much light and particularprivate suntrap and made ly, sun the area receives, colorful with a few well These need to be everchosen plants. greens and the mat forming Firstly, let us consider garden pinks will give a the basic thing — the cover grey carpet, while similar for the soil. It is probably colored foliage but a little fair to say that in a small higher will be supplied by area there will be more santolina, the lavender walking per square yard cotton which also produces than in the normal sized golden yello discs of flower garden, and so a lawn may in early summer, and the not stand up lo this very frosty appearing foliage of Senicio cinerarea. satisfactorily.

Another grey plant which Therefore, it is probably better to consider laying could be used as a feature paving of some kind. in a sunny position is the Whether this consists of feathery foliaged Chrysanslate, concrete paving themum ptarmicum squares or bricks will This explodes into a mass depend on cost and per- of tiny white daisies at sonal selection. about the end of November While it can be quite each year in addition to the satisfactory to lay all these attractive leaves which are surfaces on a bed of sand as light in color as those of and grout them with a any other plant.

Don't forget container cement and sand mixture, this will sooner or later,, grown plants in such an allow weeds to grow in the environment. joins.

By moving these into If there happens to be any different positions, the couch grass or other creep- landscape effect can be ing weeds in the area this changed. Either permanent can make the paving look or annual plants can be untidy and give un- used for color effect at different times of the year. necessary work.

Street trees are under threat

Large numbers of deciduous trees in the Elwood and East St Kilda areas are under threat — for two reasons.

Following the abnormally dry summer two years ago, the Plane Trees are suffering from "Plane Tree Scorch" which results in them dropping their leaves too early.

The Council is taking remedial action by severely pruning the damaged trees and spraying the remainder before the spring growth of new leaves.

But the affect leaking gas mains are having on trees

is a more serious cause for concern. This effects all types of street trees, and follows the introduction of natural gas.

Because of old gas mains, gas is escaping into the soil and abosrbing oxygen needed by the trees.

Your Council and the Gas and Fuel Corporation are working together closely to ventilate the affected ground and to repair the leaking mains.

However it will take several years effort and many areas of road will have to be torn up before the problem is entirely overcome.

Rosemary

Basil

Mint

Gardening talks by experts

Borage

Chives

The public inspection of hothouses in the Blessington Street Gardens on Sunday, October 30, will be a "first time ever" event.

Greenhouses open for first time

unique interest to garden enthusiasts.

They include many The hothouses are rated amongst the best in exotic plants, including Victoria...and will be of begonias, which when

in season have a wonderful variety of colors.

There is also a vast display of beautiful

orchids.

The rose gardens will also be a big attraction.

They are planted by the Rose Society of Victoria and maintained by council officers. Pruning demonstrations are given each year.

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KNOW YOUR PARKS & GARDENS

• PLAYGROUND

A guide to the gardens The following is a guide to the facilities contained in the various parks and gardens within the City of St Kilda.

NORTH WARD Alma Park.

Crimea St. Bath-Marriot St. Hervison Reserve

Passive open space. Sports ground. Playground. Flower beds.

Playground.

Playground. Passive open space.

Playground. Passive open space.

CENTRAL WARD Blessington St Gardens Peanut Farm Reserve

Town Hall Gardens.

Foreshore — Marine Parade.

WESTWARD Catani Gardens.

Jacobi Reserve.

(Cnr. Park-Deakin St)

Rose gardens. Passive space.

Bowling club.

Sports ground. Playground. Passive open space: Little Athletics. Football club.

Cricket club.

Flower displays. Passive open space.

Passive open space.

Marina.

Playground. Passive open space. Rowing club. Yacht club. Barbeques.

Playground. Passive open space.

Johnson Reserve.

(Cowderoy-Canterbury) Alfred Square (Esplanade) Talbot Reserve (Barkly St) West St Kilda Beach.

St Kilda Beach Albert Park Levy Reserve.

(Luna Park)

SOUTH WARD Elwood Park

Point Ormond.

Clarke Reserve.

Darkin's Reserve.

Burnett Gray (Ripponlea Station) William St Reserve.

Robinson Reserve.

(Barkly St-Marine Pde) Elwood Foreshore.

Playground. Passive open space.

Passive open space.

Playground. Passive open space.

Passive open space. Live Saving Club.

Passive open space. Life Saving Club.

Sports Grounds. Passive open space. Sailing, Canoeing. Rowing.

Passive open sapce.

The first 500 residents who cut out the coupon below and bring it along to Blessington Street Gardens on Sunday, October 30, will be presented with a free gift of a tree.

You will also be given a leaflet with instructions on how to plant and care for the gift.

At the gardens, you will also be able to take part in

How to get free gift of a tree

Special picnic and barbeque facilities have been arranged to encourage families to have their lunch in the gardens.

By participating in Garden Week, you will not only have some healthy enjoyment, but an event-packed program will also help to give St of games for young and Kilda a brighter and more old, flower displays, attractive look. See you at ceremonies and music. the festival.

St. Hilda's Garden Week

Passive open space. Sports grounds. Soccer club.

Football club. Cricket club.

Life Saving Club. Tennis Club. Bowling club. Playground.

Barbeques.

Croquet club.

Passive open space.

Barbeques. Playgrounds.

Passive open space. Playground.

Passive open space.

Passive open space.

Playground.

Passive open space.

Passive open space, Playgrounds.

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Bearer entitled to a free tree. Blessington Street Gardens, Sunday October 30, from 12 noon. (First 500 only.)