John Elton

2 weeks ago | theillawarraflame.com.au | John Elton

By John Elton of Illawarra Grevillea ParkWith housing blocks getting smaller so too are gardens. A need to maximise space means that owners have to be judicious and often creative about plant choice. But they still want something that is special or unique. Here at the Illawarra Grevillea Park Botanic Garden we have been growing plants as standards. What this really means is grafting a small plant on a stick.

Aug 30, 2024 | theillawarraflame.com.au | John Elton

This stunning plant doesn’t mind water-logged gardens. New on the market, this Grevillea has dark green fern-like foliage and with contrasting bright red flowers which appear as clusters on the ends of branches. Its peak flowering period is through Spring and Summer. Growing to about 2.5 metres high and wide this is a versatile plant that can be grown as a specimen or it can be hedged for a dense plant. Birds and bees love this plant.

Jun 25, 2024 | theillawarraflame.com.au | John Elton

Go to any nursery and you will see large colourful labels designed to entice the buyer. Only the best flowers are used and even then, they may be enlarged and photoshopped. Names such as Peaches and Cream, Goliath and Golden Lyre are evocative and give some indication of what might be expected. However, labels are generic and often can’t be relied on to give you what you need to know. Someone who buys a plant at Thirroul will have the same label as the same plant purchased in Wagga Wagga.

Apr 15, 2024 | theillawarraflame.com.au | John Elton

Enter the Vine Forest at the Illawarra Grevillea Park Botanic Garden and you will find a magnificent blackbutt tree believed to be more than 150 years old. Blackbutt () gets its name from the rough bark at the tree base which is usually charred black from past bush fires. It is highly valued for its timber. Fortunately for us, this magic tree escaped the heavy logging that once took place in the forest. The park has always maintained a walk that the public can access every day of the year.

Aug 8, 2023 | theillawarraflame.com.au | Emma Rooksby |Chris Reid |John Elton

It took David Fairs quite a while to discover his love for photography. When he was 10, his mum gave him a camera but, with no real idea how to use it or how to frame images, it all felt too much. An underwater disposable camera to capture photos of his friends surfing was also a bust, with the cost prohibitive and the results poor. Yet the artist and designer kept coming back to the art form.