With Spring just around the corner and the wildflowers just about to start blooming profusely, Coolum and North Shore Coast Care decided now was the perfect time to release the latest edition of their booklet – ‘Take another Look – Our Locals are Beauties’ which is all about encouraging the home gardener to plant native wildflowers rather than exotic species.
The pocket-sized booklet contains descriptions and colour photographs of over 60 native species suitable for coastal gardens, as well as 40 weedy garden/pasture escapes to avoid.
Coolum and North Shore Coast Care President Leigh Warneminde said that the group was very proud of the booklet and that it had been available and encouraging native planting for 21 years.
“The first edition was created in 2000 by Coast Care volunteers and this fifth edition has been updated with new entries supplementing the more familiar species and we retained the original
widely recognised cover design for continuity.”
Ms Warneminde also paid tribute to the generous donors who provided the funds to print the new edition with donors including the Hull Family and Coolum Beach Surf Life Savers (Supporters) Club as well as the container deposit scheme.
“We hope that the donors will be pleased with the final product,” Leigh said.
Ms Warneminde said that the booklet will help landscapers and gardeners to recognise some of the Sunshine Coast’s native plants and to choose the right ones to enhance their gardens and that planting local native species helps retain our unique natural environment.
“Local coastal native plants have evolved over thousands of years to thrive in our sandy, salty and windy conditions – they are part of what makes our area special.”
The booklet will be available for sale from Coolum and North Shore Coast Care and selected outlets. Further information can be found at www.coolumcoastcare.org.au