My Friends Story

I joined the Friends group at the inaugural meeting in August 1986. I wasn’t very active in the first year, only attending a major planting day at Morialta, but at the first Annual General Meeting in 1987, the Secretary resigned so I volunteered to fill the position. I knew very little about being a Secretary so it was a steep learning curve. I am a touch typist and shorthand writer and had often typed minutes of a meeting in my employment. After becoming Secretary, I started attending working bees, initially to record the names of the volunteers. And then learning the names of other native plants.

Over the years, I also held the position of Treasurer, and ultimately the position of Minute Secretary. I am no longer on the Committee but volunteer in the position of Records Officer (think filing!)

My love of Australian wildflowers was sparked by my first teacher reading the stories of the Gumnut babies by May Gibbs with other characters like the Big Bad Banksia Men. Then, when I was about eight, on a visit to a bush block at Belair with the family, my grandmother showed us spider orchids, bluebells, and a blue flower with a white centre which she called Baby in the Cradle; I now believe this is the orchid, Glossodia Major. I was hooked!

I has been an absolute privilege to work in the Parks and I intend to continue as long as I can. Although these days I have modified what I am able to do.

Ann Taylor