Blue sash honour for tree gifted to Council
Tuesday 7 November 2023
The most recent leafy addition to Sandison Reserve at Glenelg East is extra special.
Not only does the newly-planted Moreton Bay fig tree now bear a blue sash to mark it as our Tree of the Month for November, it was gifted to Council to commemorate the state’s first city gardener August Pelzer.
A prize named in his honour, the Pelzer Prize, was awarded to horticulturalist and co-founder of the Nature Festival Jill Woodlands.
In turn, she used the $10,000 prize to donate two semi-advanced trees to each of the 17 councils across the Green Adelaide region. The City of Holdfast Bay was lucky enough to receive two Moreton Bay fig trees. The location of the second tree is yet to be determined.
Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson helped the council’s Open Space team to plant the tree at the reserve and is looking forward to seeing it flourish in its new home.
“We’re so lucky to have received this generous donation of these magnificent trees, which will be enjoyed by members of our community today and in generations to come,” she said.
August Pelzer (1862-1934) was the state’s first ‘City Gardener’ and held that position for 33 years.
He established many of the plantations of Plane and Nettle trees, Moreton Bay figs, Norfolk Island pines, Kurrajongs and other species that all contribute to the city’s green spaces we enjoy today.