Local gardening enthusiast, Louise Bennett, has created the Brighton & Surrounds Garden­ing Club for the passionate gre­enthumbs in our area. The club holds meetings once a month and provides the community the chance to learn, share and explore all things plants, nature and gardening.

Why did you start the Brigh­ton & Surrounds Gardening Club? I was looking for a garden club in my area (one this side of the Bridge) and very quickly realised that Brigh­ton didn’t have one. We are a rapidly growing community and there are so many people passionate about their gardens, but also people who just don’t know where to start on their patch. What a great way to get people to know one another in our community, help each other and showcase our beautiful part of Tassie.

Have you been a gardener for long? I have been a gardener for as long as I can remember. I took it very seriously when we moved to Brighton fifteen years ago when our neighbor saw us trying to dig a hole and offered us his crowbar! We didn’t real­ise how rocky our property was! Some years ago, the Tasmanian Royal Botanical Garden offered courses in horticulture. I was very lucky to gain a position to do this wonderful course, which changed my working career. I started my own gardening busi­ness which took me to some of Tasmania’s beautiful heritage homes and gardens where I was their regular gardener. I felt very privileged, pinching myself regularly. I have now retired from everyone’s gardens and only work on ours.

What’s your favorite plant that works well in this area? I used to be a member of the Heritage Roses Society of Tasmania. As our property is rocky and full of minerals, I planted many heritage roses. We put in so many roses, my stepson named our property ‘Roseville’. Over the years, we have removed some of these and have planted out with Tasmanian natives. The plants we have planted are native to the Brighton area due to harsh winter frosts, missed rains and winds that go around us.

How can readers get in­volved? The Brighton & Sur­rounds Gardening Club meets at the Pontville Memorial Hall on the fourth Monday in the month at 7pm. Upcoming meet­ings will be held 27 March and 24 April, 2023. Memberships to the Brighton & Surrounds Gardening Club are $50 per person and $30 for concession and seniors card holders.

All Brighton area garden lovers are invited to attend, with special guests planned at each meeting. To find out more about the club, email Louise at brightontasgardenclub@gmail.com.