Spring is here and it’s full steam ahead

Spring has arrived at last and one can only hope that the weather is milder and calmer without floods, fires and natural disasters. While the pandemic put the brakes on most of us in various ways, as restrictions ease and an element of ‘business as usual’ is occurring, it can feel as though we are playing a bit of catch-up and on a bit of a roller coaster rolling into spring. 

Those businesses that were affected by disasters, we wish you all well and hope you can get back to business soon. If the recent Nursery & Garden Industry Queensland Green Expo and the Independent Garden Centres conference is an indication of the enthusiasm our industry has moving forward, growers and retailers should be preparing for a busy spring.

Various industry events have been held throughout the country and while I am not able to attend all, it is great to see so many events going ahead after such a long spell without them. A common comment I am hearing is how nice it is to see people face to face rather than conducting business or meetings on the phone or via Zoom.  The social aspect of events cannot be underestimated.

I have attended several industry events recently, some of which were scheduled to take place in 2020. One such event that Michael Casey and I organised for members of the Interior Plantscape Association and the Australian Institute of Horticulture, was a recent Study Tour of biophilic design in Singapore. The tour coincided with the Singapore Garden Festival (SGF), and it was a honour to be at the award ceremony to see fellow Australian, Landscape Designer Christian Jenkins receive a Gold Medal award. The sites visited on the tour were a great example of green infrastructure at its best and had all of us in awe of what can be achieved. We will be featuring some of the sites in future issues.

Gabe Mostafa and I would like to welcome members of the Australian Institute of Horticulture who will now be receiving a copy of Hort Journal Australia magazine as part of their membership, either online or as a hard copy depending on the type of membership they have.

On a final note, I would like to thank Charles and Leonie Sweeney from Swagman Sprayer and who were the previous owners of Tytags. I saw this lovely couple exhibiting at a recent event and they are looking forward to retirement. Charles and Leonie have been terrific supporters of our industry in every way. Not only have they always supported our magazine since it began, but they also support many other publications. Almost every event I attend they have been there. Their son Joseph, you may remember ‘The Green Geek,’ wrote for Hort Journal for many years, educating us on modern technology. What a giving family they are. Our industry is lucky to have people such as the Sweeneys. On behalf of the team at Hort Journal we thank you and wish you every happiness and good health for your retirement. You hold a special place in our hearts.

All the very best for a fabulous spring.

Karen Smith and your Hort Journal Team