Renovation of Edna Walling Lane Verge Outside Sonningfield

Peter & Coral Cunningham, Sonningfield

Due to damage caused to our wood shingle roof caused by overhanging environmental weed vegetation from the verge and surrounding trees in the garden, we asked advice from Yarra Ranges Council (YRC) regarding the removal of the weeds from the verge.

YRC workers cut down two large clumps of cotoneaster, numerous viburnum tinus - now deleted from the Road Vegetation Plan (RVP) - and pruned the large Hawthorne tree from overhanging the roof of the cottage. Scaffolding was erected all around the cottage and the four-week task of shingle replacement and subsequent preventative treatment was applied to the entire roof.
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The verge is the entire frontage of the property, and the house is close to the verge, so it was a top priority to reinforce the privacy to our windows from the Lane, at the same time providing a native corridor for bird, bees and other insects.

Plants have been selected from the Bickleigh Vale Friends of Edna Walling / Yarra Ranges Council / Heritage Victoria Road Vegetation Plan. All plants were privately funded by the owners.

• Prostanthera Purple Haze
• Prostanthera  poorinda Ballerina
• Myoporum coarse leaf -pink
• Myoporum purpurea broad leaf
• Baeckea – Clarence River
• Leptospermum petersonii -lemon scented
• Leptospermum – Cardwell
• Leptospermum – Ballerina
• Leptospermum – Lemon frost
• Philotheca verrucosus double
• Westringia
•  Wynyabbie Gem
• Glabra
• Zena
• Snowflurry
• Longifolia
• Iris unguicularis
• Correa
• Chefs Cap
• Little Cate
• Glabra
• Spirea cantoniensis  
• Abelia Raspberry Perfusion
• Acacia implexa
• Acacia Sterling Silver
• Crepe Myrtle acoma
• Blueberry Ash – Pink form
• Eucalyptus pauciflora small form formerly known as Edna Walling Gum
• Malus transitoria Golden Raindrops

A note regarding the Malus Golden Raindrops – Edna Walling planted many specimen trees throughout the gardens of Bickleigh Vale, and this is another rare beauty to add to the collection within the village. Golden Raindrops is resistant to possums and has a slightly darker coarser leaf and is described as a cut leaf variety.

The trees were planted, then interspersed with the other plants …removing some “nurse” plants as other priority plants mature. Plants will be positioned allowing for them to be set back from the edge of the Lane. The new low plantings around the existing Gum will remain to allow for a safe view of traffic at the intersection.

The Holly tree situated in the Sonningfield garden is listed as a significant tree; we will consult Patrick from Heritage Trees to assess and prune, with the aim of removing three large suckers in the future.

Spirea cantoniensis was planted between the old and the new section (the older leading up the Devon Cottage gate) which will soften the aesthetic to the trunks of the existing Hawthorne.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Yarra Ranges Council and their Lead Gardeners, Jesse and Aaron, for their advice and assistance along with labour to clear and dispose of the environmental weeds from the verge and subsequent provision of mulch. We thank Carole and Chris from The Spinney, who gave us unfailing support with planning and planting and generously donated the Golden Raindrops Crabapple from their garden collection, contributing to the specimen tree collection of Bickleigh Vale to be enjoyed by all.