Buderim Garden Club

The Buderim Garden Club moto of fostering and encouraging friendship through the love of making gardens for Buderim residence has been one of the most important assets taken up by our local community over the last 75 years.

This enjoyment from gardening has been brought to the forefront over the last 18months (covid 19) with many residences obtaining peace and happiness by spending time nurturing their gardens and turning their hands to growing food and flowers to share with their loved ones and others

Good afternoon, my name is Marjorie Van Roy and I have been Buderim Garden Clubs honorary patron since 2014.  I feel privileged to hold this position as I needed big shoes to follow on from Colin Campbell OAM, a very loyal, well-known gentleman to the Horticultural industry and patron to the Buderim Gardening Club from 1993 until his passing in 2012.  

I too have passion and qualifications in Horticulture and together with my family have owned and successfully run Manawee Garden Centre for the last 30 years. Manawee prides itself in presenting one and a half acres of quality green stock, gardening accessories, and a wealth of knowledge to continue the friendship and gardening interest throughout Buderim, the Sunshine coast and surroundings.  In more recent times we have also established a wholesale production nursery on the sunshine coast to ensure a continual supply of quality plants as they are in high demand by our local community and the landscaping industry.

Membership has increased

The Buderim Garden Club was founded in 1946 but it was not till June 1949 when a public meeting was held (as reported in the Nambour Chronicle on 10^th June) and a committee was elected that the club’s operations were formalised. The meetings/membership have slowly increased in number to what is now an extremely popular, highly respected club that has approximately 280 members that have extensive skills and knowledge and are most importantly, are keen to share with others.

Another aim of the Club: to provide opportunities for the sharing of ideas and knowledge pertaining to gardening and flower culture both in Buderim and the surrounding districts.

The Club has assisted with the development of “Waterfall Glen” prior to 1958 however this area, now the Primary School Oval, was in 1958 handed back to the Buderim Community Centre Recreation Committee.

In 1961 the Club was asked to care for the new park created in an Alfred Grant Subdivision.  The Club, with the assistance of the local Aboriginal community named the Park (after a naming competition) “Wirreanda “(Place of Big Trees) but after a few years the area was handed over to the Maroochy Shire Council.  In early days with money being tight and hard earned and whilst there are minimal records it is felt that the Buderim Garden Club would have had many other times when donations and voluntary work would have added to the beautification of our wonderful town.

For a few years prior to 1980 the Club donated and planted Callistemon Trees along King Streets and Main Street.

From 1980 to 2001 a total of $20,140 has been donated by Buderim Garden Club towards the Beautification of Buderim.

In 1988 to celebrate Australia’s Bicentenary, 24 Expo Gold Xanthostemon were planted in King Street. In 1986 the club planted street trees at the top of Burnett Street and constructed and planted gardens at the newly constructed intersection of Lindsay Road with Main Street.

In 1982 the Club donated $400 to Foote Sanctuary and $100 towards landscaping the new Buderim Ambulance Station.  Three street seats were donated to the Memorial Hall in 1984. In 1990 the Club paid $5000 for the landscaping around the newly renovated War Memorial Hall and in 1995 provided a further $2000 for additional plants and watering system.   $4500 was donated to the BWMCA in 1994 for roofing and paving of an area adjacent to the Hall.

In 1993 $5000 was donated to the Maroochy Shire Council towards the establishment of an Edna Walling Memorial Garden and the entrance to Buderim Forest Park.  This Garden was opened in August 1995.

The Club’s 50^th Year…

To commemorate the Clubs 50^th year (1996) $5000 was donated to and identified by the Sunshine Coast University for the establishment of a garden in the Library Precinct.

From 2001 to 2018 a total of $48,803 was donated for the Beautification of Buderim.

This included plantings around the Memorial Hall, Botanic Garden Arbour and plaque, Memorial seat, plaque and pathway in honour of Colin Campbell.

In 2016 The Garden Clubs major donation in their 70^th anniversary year was $10,000 to the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens to go to the further development of the Whipbird walk project which aims to provide an area where children can explore, discover and respond to what they find.

If you are new to the Garden Club or have never taken a drive to the Bushland Botanic Gardens, then you are missing out.   Just on our doorstep at Tanawha is a beautiful, amazing creation that must be visited by all who come to the unique Sunshine Coast.  Please always keep this as a place to visit taking any of your visitors. The gardens are breathtaking and every visit has you admiring the day to day changes in a garden. It is an inspiration and can be visited time and time again.

Open Garden Scheme.  From 2015 to 2019 $21,100 has been donation by the Buderim Garden Club through Open Garden Scheme Donations to owners.  This is a thank you and a help for those who open their gardens to the many who flock to Buderim for the renowned Open Garden Festivals

No donations in 2020 due to Covid-19.

TOTAL DONATIONS THAT BUDERIM GARDEN CLUB can account for from 1980 to 2019 are $90,073.

Let us put our hands together and thank every Buderim Garden Club member now and in the past for their wonderful support to the Club over the last 75 years.

 

Keeping Buderim beautiful

Buderim Garden Club members since 1946 have shown their support in beautify Buderim through voluntary labour. Working bees for street planting through to manning flower shows and private open gardens are just a few of the many ways our Locals help our local area.

The Garden Club, this year, is Celebrating its 75th Anniversary. The club is hoping, despite all the current hurdles for a successful year with the Garden Festival & associated Celebrations. The Clubs major project is the proposal for a History Walk (Arbour) in the Buderim Village Park.   

With funding received from the Local Council, BWMCA, Ted Hungerford , Brent  Mickelberg and the Buderim Garden Clubs own contribution, the expected costs of approximately $50,000 have almost been covered. 

In Conclusion; 

The Buderim Garden Club’s first Constitution was adopted in 1963 and updated in 1989 into a set of Rules when the Club became incorporated under State Government Legislation.

 The Buderim Garden Club should be congratulated for continually abiding by these rules:

 

Fostering friendship among members through the common bond of gardening interests.

Encouraging and improve home gardening in Buderim and surrounding districts.

Extending the knowledge of horticulture.

Holding horticultural shows

Co-operating in the development and beautification of Buderim and the surrounding district.

 

It is a pleasure being your Patron and you are a wonderful group to be associated with.

Thank you and enjoy the remainder of this celebration.