Nowra Group are saddened that Dot Gallagher passed away on 22nd December 2021 but glad that this feisty woman only had about two months of lost independence. Immediately before her stroke Dot, at 95, was still digging out plants and replacing them with something new she wanted to try.
Dot was a decades long APS member whose enthusiasm for native plants was inspiring and whose knowledge of plants and events was legend. From early days Dot was on the Executive Committee of Nowra APS and for many years President helping plan activities, organising walks and talks. Dot never retired from actively being involved with gardening groups and was known as the Canberra Correspondent on a south coast radio station.
Over the years she moved residences establishing gardens at Hyams Beach, in a large garden at Cambewarra, a town house in Bomaderry and finally a town house in Canberra. The number and variety of well cared for plants she fitted into these gardens (and the public areas around them) was astounding and her generous spirit always welcomed people to visit and take cuttings.
Dot asked in the last weeks that we not grieve her dying but remember the good times spent with her enjoying native plants and each others company . . . but it is difficult not to mourn the loss of such a big personality.