Nillumbik calendar of events

Dogs not permitted.

Many of us focus on winter as the best time to prune our fruit trees but some fruit trees benefit much more from summer pruning (e.g. stone fruit). Learn how to best care for your fruit trees for health and to maximise your yield for next season. What you will learn: winter versus summer pruning; and how to shape and improve fruiting with summer pruning.

Facilitated by Justin Calverley. Bring your gardening gloves, a hat and a pair of secateurs.

Regular working bee. Everyone welcome.

Click here to read about the garden.

These meet ups happen during school terms only. You have to become a member, but membership is free and you can join at any time. Bother experienced gardeners and absolute beginners welcome.

Each week, a horticulturalist will talk about some aspect of edible gardening.

First Tuesday of every month except for January.

2022 Speakers and topics
Feb: Ben Waite & Barbara Marshall on summer pruning & espalier.
Mar: Robert Dobson on streptocarpus and hosta.
Apr: Jane Tonkin on bulbs.
May: John Harris on Eltham copper butterfly.
Jun: Ravi Sommerhalder on sharpening garden tools.
Jul: Chris Scrase on fuchsias.
Aug: Dusty on rock walls in landscaing & AGM.
Sep: Paul Kirkpatrick on tools for sale.
Oct: Penny Woodward on pest repellent plants, herbs & other organic solutions.
Nov: Flowering plant and veggie seedling swap night.
Dec: Jennifer Sheridan on Christmas wreaths.

2021 Speakers and topics
May: opening your garden/fruit trees and espalier.
Jun: pest repellent herbs and other organic solutions- Penny Woodward.
Jul: garden craft e.g. stone painting – labels, animals.
Aug: AGM and fuchsias – Chris Scrase.
Sep: tomatoes – Penny Woodward.
Oct: inspiring gardens visited.
Nov: seeds, in house/hands on.
Dec: a plant delicious Christmas.

2020 Speakers and topics
4 Feb: Fiona Williams on irises and scented pelagonia.
3 Mar: Robert Boyle on landscape design.
7 Apr: Al & Hazelk Veevers on patterns in nature.
5 May: Travel gardens.
2 Jun: Angelo Eliades on pruning fruit trees – espalier.
7 Jul: Sandi Kogtevs on making scarecrows.
4 Aug: Chris Scrase on fuchsias; AGM.
1 Sep: Penny Woodward on tomatoes.
6 Oct: Sarah Watson on clematis and flowering climbers.
3 Nov: Hands on – sowing, maintenance, potting on.
1 Dec: Helen Lovel on neutrog and biological fertilisers.

2019 Speakers and topics
5 Feb: John Ferris on edible landscapes.
5 Mar: Kathleen Tants on wees and weed control.
2 Apr: Brendan Curtis on zoo horticulture.
7 May: Paul Gale-Baker on wicking beds.
4 Jun: Caleb Armstrong on pharmaceutical herbs.
2 Jul: Lyndall Shaw on proteas and flower arranging.
6 Aug: Barbara Marshal on colour theory and colour combinations in planting; AGM.
3 Sep: Kevin Ritchie on unusual hanging baskets.
1 Oct: Norm Gerraty on growing begonias.
5 Nov: Sandra Verdam on bee-related hands-on activity.
3 Dec: Garden Club on a succulent Christmas.

2018 Speakers and topics
6 Feb: Lydia Heap on re-creating Indigenous Panton Hill; Julie Temple on growing yam daisies.
6 Mar: Michael Tanner on soils – pH and restoration.
3 Apr: Paul Kirkpatrick on potagers – plus specialised tools.
1 May: Robyn Harris on African violets – care and propagation.
5 Jun: John and Joy Quinn on bulbs.
3 Jul: Titch – Flemings on bare-rooted trees.
7 Aug: Steven Wells on therapeutic gardens; AGM.
4 Sep: Hazel and Al Veevers on birds in the native garden.
2 Oct: Cade on beer – from hop seeds to drink.
6 Nov: Pat Anderson facilitating a tomato veggie herb swap.
4 Dec: Mitre 10 Diamond Creek on new garden products.

2017 Speakers and topics
7 Feb: Rachel Bishop on worm farming; Chloe Thomson on the organic products that OCP have on the market.
7 Mar: Bob Yeoman on growing dahlias from seed.
4 Apr: Ryan Young on habitat gardening.
2 May: Attila Kapitany on succulents.
6 Jun: Vaughn Greenhill on landscape design – working with nature.
4 Jul: Pete the Permie on berry fruits.
1 Aug: Jan Morris on protective garden accessories.
5 Sep: Maria Ciavarella on thrifty gardening.
3 Oct: David Redfern on natives grown at Cranbourne – suited to our local area.
7 Nov: Arja Toivanen on taking cuttings (hands-on propagation workshop).
5 Dec: Mark Ludlow on bonsai; Christmas party.

2016 Speakers and topics
2 Feb: Lydia Heap on frolicking frogs.
1 Mar: Ryan Young on healthy soils.
5 Apr: Sue Evans on healing herbs of the 1st Fleet.
3 May: Ian Culbard on permaculture design and practice.
7 Jun: Cheryl on miniature landscaping with succulents.
5 Jul: speaker from the Clivea Society on clivea clues.
2 Aug: short talks from local speakers; AGM and 11th anniversary.
6 Sep: Bill Aitchison on acacias for the home garden.
4 Oct: Maria Ciavarella on gardening on a shoestring.
1 Nov: pelargonium and geranium show’n’share.
6 Dec: Melissa Thomas on garden art; Christmas party.

2015 Speakers and topics
3 Feb: Peter Miller on mounting plants on boards.
3 Mar: Ken Walker on native & exotic bees.
7 Apr: Sue Aldred on native plants: why & how.
5 May: Maurice Kellet on bromeliads.
2 Jun: Loretta Childs on an iconic local garden.
7 Jul: Local speakers on learning From gardening mistakes.
4 Aug: Greg Bolderson on underground treasures / rare bulbs.
1 Sep: Geoff Crowhurst on a search for old roses around Victoria’s cemeteries.
6 Oct: Doris Pozzi on Nature’s supermarket.
3 Nov: Richard Lee on growing & using Asian greens.
1 Dec: Fun night with trivia games, DVDs & Christmas party.

Feel free to drop by to have a look at the garden, to find out more and to meet the garden volunteer coordinator, Trevor.

Click here to read about the garden.

Looking to feel productive, stay healthy, and contribute to local food resilience? Go along to the community garden on any Thursday morning to meet others for an informal catch up and low-energy gardening session. No experience is required, just a willingness to get your hands dirty and help your fellow community members to sow, plant, harvest, weed, compost, and chat (heavy on the chatting, really). Take yourself, a pair of gloves, and learn how you can help grow food and community.

Click here to read about the garden.

Meet their volunteer gardeners to share tips and ideas, contributing to the maintenance of the community garden.

Click here to read about the garden.

Dogs not permitted.

Regular working bee. Everyone welcome.

Click here to read about the garden.

These meet ups happen during school terms only. You have to become a member, but membership is free and you can join at any time. Bother experienced gardeners and absolute beginners welcome.

Each week, a horticulturalist will talk about some aspect of edible gardening.

Dig in the garden, pick fresh veggies and prepare dishes to share and enjoy. Part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program.

Click here to read about the garden.

Feel free to drop by to have a look at the garden, to find out more and to meet the garden volunteer coordinator, Trevor.

Click here to read about the garden.

Looking to feel productive, stay healthy, and contribute to local food resilience? Go along to the community garden on any Thursday morning to meet others for an informal catch up and low-energy gardening session. No experience is required, just a willingness to get your hands dirty and help your fellow community members to sow, plant, harvest, weed, compost, and chat (heavy on the chatting, really). Take yourself, a pair of gloves, and learn how you can help grow food and community.

Click here to read about the garden.

Meet their volunteer gardeners to share tips and ideas, contributing to the maintenance of the community garden.

Click here to read about the garden.

Find out what to plant and how to prepare your garden for your autumn vegetables.

Dogs not permitted.

Regular working bee. Everyone welcome.

Click here to read about the garden.

Specialising in stallholders that produce quality homemade, homegrown and handcrafted products, or selling fresh and tantalising produce.

The Eltham Community Craft and Produce Market is, and has been, a place where the local people can come and enjoy a community atmosphere, eat some tasty food, take home a gift, buy some fresh fruit and veg, listen to good music or find special artistic ornaments or craft work.

The market is situated in one of Melbourne’s most beautiful suburbs and is a perfect starting point for a day seeing the sights of the local Nillumbik Shire. With a bushland setting combined with the back drop of the historic trestle bridge, the market has a country atmosphere and only 25 minutes from the city.

There are stalls ranging from food and wine, to sculpture and local artists. You can wander amongst the stalls enjoying the atmosphere and then take a stroll to the park and have a picnic.

These meet ups happen during school terms only. You have to become a member, but membership is free and you can join at any time. Bother experienced gardeners and absolute beginners welcome.

Each week, a horticulturalist will talk about some aspect of edible gardening.

Feel free to drop by to have a look at the garden, to find out more and to meet the garden volunteer coordinator, Trevor.

Click here to read about the garden.

This is a two-session workshop, with the two sessions being on Wednesday, 22nd February and Wednesday, 1st March, both 6.30-8.30pm.

Learn how to cook a healthy North West Indian vegetarian meal from scratch using authentic ingredients.

Tutor: Taariq Hassan.

Looking to feel productive, stay healthy, and contribute to local food resilience? Go along to the community garden on any Thursday morning to meet others for an informal catch up and low-energy gardening session. No experience is required, just a willingness to get your hands dirty and help your fellow community members to sow, plant, harvest, weed, compost, and chat (heavy on the chatting, really). Take yourself, a pair of gloves, and learn how you can help grow food and community.

Click here to read about the garden.

Meet their volunteer gardeners to share tips and ideas, contributing to the maintenance of the community garden.

Click here to read about the garden.

The SALT Foundation and Southern Cross Church invite you to a free community dinner. Arrive at 5.30pm for dinner at 6pm. No booking required.

This is a three-session workshop, with the three sessions being:

• Session 1 – Saturday, 25th February – Getting started, 9am-midday.
• Session 2 – Saturday, 11th March – Checking and caring, 9-11am.
• Session 3 – Saturday, 25th March – Tasting and finalising, 9-11am.

Learn about the art of winemaking using a fruit available throughout the year – raspberries (the frozen kind). The techniques taught can be applied to all types of winemaking. Follow the instructors as they take you through the process and, over the sessions, you will make your first wine. Enjoy samples of different wines that can be made from local produce along the way.

At the end of the course, you will be invited to an Eltham Wine Guild meeting to share a sample with other winemakers and receive your Fruit Wine Making Certificate.

Dogs not permitted.

Dr Despina Handolias will discuss the role of nutrition in the prevention and management of cancer.

This is one of a series of monthly talks by health professionals about using food as medicine. Future talks will cover such subjects as asthma, depression & anxiety, obesity and reproductive health.

Regular working bee. Everyone welcome.

Click here to read about the garden.

Look for the large white ‘Local Food Connect’ marquee at the Farmers’ Market. Go along with your homegrown fruit and veggies, favourite seasonal recipes, spare jam jars, homemade labelled preserves, etc, and share and network with other local backyard growers.

Presenter: Kelly Meredith from Under The Pickle Tree. It is the sauces that give Asian food their flavour and by the end of class you will be able to make punchy Asian sauces.

Learn what you need to know when purchasing tofu, the difference between tofu puffs, silken tofu and firm tofu and how to cook and marinate them for the best results. You will learn how to make: salt & pepper tofu; an eggplant, tofu & chili jam stir fry with Thai basil; a tofu laarb salad served wrapped in a lettuce cup, a Vietnamese tofu in tomato sauce; and a dessert made with silken tofu.

These meet ups happen during school terms only. You have to become a member, but membership is free and you can join at any time. Bother experienced gardeners and absolute beginners welcome.

Each week, a horticulturalist will talk about some aspect of edible gardening.