Gardens on par with best
SCORECARDS are a familiar sight on golf courses, but it’s Toowoomba City Golf Club’s gardens that are stepping up to the tee to compete in the Chronicle Garden Competition.
Having hosted the prestigious Queensland PGA Championship for 11 years, it is no surprise to find the greens and fairways on the 18hole course in immaculate condition.
Now it is the golf club’s gardens that are having their moment in the sun.
Greeted by a sea of colour upon arrival, carefully thought-out planting starts in the carpark and continues onto the course, where nearly every hole has its own feature garden.
“The club is very proud and supportive of the gardens, we have a vision to make them even more spectacular,” City Golf Club head gardener Ian Highfield said.
The level of care and attention to detail required to ensure the club’s 140-acres look their best is often underestimated, according to Mr Highfield, who has overseen the gardens for three years and looked after the greens before that.
“There’s a science behind it, keeping nutrients at the right levels, working out what plants will survive and thrive in certain spots,” Mr Highfield said.
Applying innovative and sustainable horticultural practices, such as remote computerised irrigation system and gravity-led irrigation design, has enabled the club to significantly reduce the consumption of bore water they operate on.
Unlike private home gardening, the club must also consider things like low-allergen planting, garden heights and shapes that maintain motorists’ vision in the carpark – even designing hedges to allow pedestrian access or withstand the occasional reverse park gone wrong.
As one of Queensland’s largest not-for-profit organisations, the club recognises the significant role it plays in supporting the local community, distributing profits where it’s needed, and offering a destination where visitors and members feel welcome.
“It’s not just about sport. It’s about community and social connections,” Mr Highfield said.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHRONICLE GARDEN COMPETITION, VISIT THECHRONICLE.COM.AU