By Tyler Wright
The Ferny Creek Horticultural Society has reached a significant milestone – celebrating 90 years of operation in 2022.
Established in 1932, the self-funded volunteer organisation promotes the study, practice and development of horticulture, brings together community members and provides and operates facilities for members and visitors to learn and hone their passion for cultivating plants in gardens.
Eric Watson, secretary of the Ferny Creek Horticultural Society, joined the group after buying a property with a lovely garden and wanted to gather information on gardening while making use of the amazing people there with enormous amounts of knowledge.
“We look after 10 acres of gardens which have been allocated to us to look after and care for. There’s a lot of gardening involved and we also have our flower shows as well and our general meetings,” Eric said.
“We have three flower shows and the plant collectors’ expo every year.”
With about 250 members keeping the property in Sassafras running, Eric said some locals who have lived in the area were not aware the gardens existed.
“We have probably 1000 people that come and have a look at [our] flower shows, we have some home-schooled kids who come on a regular basis to add to their education by learning a little bit about gardens and plants, and we have our interested groups who come for tours around the gardens, from time to time, several times a year,“ Eric said.
“We also get people from far and wide. Coachloads of people come in for our shows to have a look and enjoy what we’ve got.“
Beginning with meetings in a log cabin at Ferny Creek Reserve, the Society originated as a meeting place for like-minded people to discuss their love of horticulture.
For its 25th anniversary in 1957, members were allocated four acres next to the reserve, and a few years later another six acres to bring the total 10 acres (four hectares).
Eric said the group had gone from strength to strength.
“We’ve got some proper professional horticulturalists who are part of the part of the Society and have either now or in the past had nurseries that they’ve been doing professionally, but we’ve also got people who who are hobby gardeners as well… they generally learn from the horticulturalists,“ he said.
“We even had [a fellow] who is no longer an active member anymore, but who had a degree in botany and lectured at a university in the subjec,; so it’s quite a wide range of abilities and knowledge making up our members.“
The upcoming Ferny Creek Horticultural Society Spring Flower Show on Saturday 3 September and Sunday 4 September will feature flower displays, officially judged exhibits, guided garden walks, plant and flower sales, commercial traders, refreshments and a sausage sizzle for visitors to enjoy.
A nominal fee will be charged at the door for non-members.
“You can go and ask [members and gardeners] really basic questions and they’re very enthusiastic about giving the answers. They’re very free flowing with their information,“ the secretary said.
A variety of groups are available to join, including an Australian native plants group, propagation group, rhododendron and camellia enthusiasts, rock garden and craft groups to suit your interests.
The Spring Show Schedule will be available soon, and Eric said there were further activities for the 90th anniversary in the works.
Membership involves a $25 yearly fee to attend the group’s shows at no cost and get involved in the sub-groups.
For more information on the Ferny Creek Horticultural Society and future events, visit fchs.org.au/
You can also perouse the Society’s socials @fernycreekhorticulturalsociety on Instagram and the same name on Facebook.
The group’s site is located at 100 Hilton Rd, Sassafras.
