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Friends, tress and hugs

Posted on December 9, 2011

IN SHE GOES: Eric and Amy work in unison to plant The Friendship Tree.

By GRANT MAYNARD

KEEN Irymple gardener Eric Sutton had no way of knowing his recent open garden would be so spectacularly successful.

Staged as a fund-raiser for Sunraysia Cancer Resources – guiding people with cancer, their carers and family to services in our district including professional counsellors, support groups and financial assistance – the day attracted more than 300 people.

The garden was advertised to open at 10am, and set to close about 3pm, but people began arriving early, and Eric and his team of helpers did not say goodbye to the last visitors until after 5pm.

“It was fantastic,” Eric said this week as he revealed that his modest endeavour had raised a welcome $2350 to aid the ongoing work of the resources centre.

“I was very pleased with the result.”

While the event was a success on a monetary level, Eric was just as impressed by its success on another level.

As well as opening his 15th Street garden to the public, the well known Bunnings Mildura garden guru, and his assistants from the Sunraysia Garden Club, also manned a plant stall, served morning and afternoon tea, ran a ‘What plant is that?’ identification service for visitors, staged a garden treasure hunt as well as a raffle or two during what turned out to be a longer day than expected.

The plant stall raised a whopping $750, exceeding all expectations, but it was the thoughtfulness of young raffle winner, Amy Dalla Santa, that stood out as the highlight of Eric’s day.

Amy’s prize was a $50 voucher from Sunraysia Garden Centre at Gol Gol, and she decided she would like to use it to purchase a tree to add to the eclectic, and growing collection already calling Eric’s garden home.

The tree Amy chose was an Acer; a Negundo Violaccum to be precise, and during a special planting ceremony last week, she and Eric positioned it in a sun-drenched spot on the northern margins of his property.

“We’re calling it The Friendship Tree,” he said.

To add further to the significance of the planting ceremony, Eric had two special guests – Graham and Val Ward, from Melbourne.

Val is the niece of Mona McGlashan, the original owner of the house Eric now calls home on the corner of 15th Street extension and Dewry Avenue.

“The house was built in 1963,” Eric revealed. The stately pencil pines either side of the main pedestrian entrance facing 15th Street are a reminder of the first garden that surrounded the house.

Accompanying the visitors were Neville and Pat Ward, from Merbein. They had attended Eric’s open garden, and were keen to show their ‘city cousins’ what Eric had achieved in a relatively short time.

Meanwhile, Eric has great expectations for his Friendship Tree. Once it gets bigger, it will be a spectacular tree…just ripe for hugging, he says.

With this in mind he has positioned the Acer in a newer portion of his garden where the design will ensure it is the centre of attention.

“I will be encouraging future visitors to give it a hug once it gets a bit bigger!”

“It is a very special tree,” he said. “A gift from a dear friend.”

Not wanting Amy to leave after the tree planting ceremony empty-handed, Eric presented her with a glass friendship ball, once again courtesy of the Sunraysia Garden Centre.

Sunraysia Cancer Resources advisory committee chair, Jenny Gledhill, said the organisation appreciated every bit of assistance from the community and the business sector.

“We cannot attract government money, State of Federal, to help fund our work,” Jenny said.

“Apparently we do not fit the criteria. That means we are reliant on the generosity of the community, and the proceeds of events like Eric’s open garden.”

The resource centre’s latest injection of funding is set to come from the proceeds of the Santa’s Cave gift wrapping service in the Mall.

Staffed by volunteers, Jenny said the wrapping roster was full next week, but more people were needed for the week after.

“We are looking for people who can help out on Wednesday the 21st, Thursday the 22nd, and Saturday the 24th,” she said.

Interested people should contact Sunraysia Cancer Resources on 5025 8866.

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