Perth Garden Show: Green, glorious and growing
By Lisa Passmore
There are events that simply feel good from the moment you arrive, and the Perth Garden Show 2026 was certainly one of them. Three days of glorious autumn sunshine, with just a sprinkle of rain that fell mostly overnight, set the perfect scene, and with many visitors returning across the weekend, the show delivered everything a garden lover could hope for, and more. Attendance was up approximately 30 per cent on 2025, and the energy matched those numbers. From the moment gates opened, it was clear this was a show firing on all cylinders: 112 exhibitors, an extraordinary range of activations, incredible local and interstate talent, award-winning gardens, live competitions and stage programs that drew consistent crowds throughout the weekend.
A show with history – and a future
The Perth Garden Show, owned and presented by Greenlife Industry Western Australia (GIWA), has a proud history spanning more than 50 years and was originally established as Garden Week. The 2026 event built on that legacy with the support of major sponsors including Richgro, Water Corporation, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), Home Base Design & Build Centre, Hort Innovation, Beacon Equipment, Mineral Magic, Straightcurve, Benara Nurseries, Ellenby Tree Farm, Domus Nursery and ShapeScaper, with Channel 9 joining as media partner.
The show’s mission, beyond showcasing the industry, is to educate, inspire and empower visitors of all ages to discover what sustainable living and gardening can look like in their own backyards or balconies. Stage MC Deryn Thorpe called it ‘One of the best garden shows for many years’, praising the quality of the designed gardens, the calibre of the speakers and the outstanding range of plants on offer.
And the winners are…
At the end of Day One, stallholders and VIPs gathered in the garden bar (accessed via a stunning floral arch created by TAFE floristry students) for an informal sundowner and awards presentation. Parliamentary Secretary Ms Kim Giddens MLA and celebrity garden presenter Charlie Albone joined GIWA President Ross Hooper, Vice President Colin Groom and board members to present the Best in Show awards.
In the Nursery category, Drewitt’s Bulbs took Gold, a well-deserved nod to their extraordinary display, and described by judges as ‘wow factor in abundance.’ The effort was even more remarkable given the team made the journey from Victoria, navigating rising fuel costs and quarantine challenges to bring their spectacular collection to West Australian audiences.
ShapeScaper claimed Gold for Best Exhibitor Site and was praised for their creative product display of sculptural Corten steel forms, excellent use of greenery and, simply, a wonderfully positive vibe.
The Show Garden Gold went to TDL’s Coastal Mediterranean Garden, a beautifully balanced contemporary coastal space, and was accepted by Damien Postma on behalf of Tim Davies Landscaping. In the Pocket Gardens category, Sam Wells’ Autumnal Twitchery impressed judges with standards described as reminiscent of an international show garden, complete with a truly unique bird hide feature.
A new competition dazzles
Supported by Hort Innovation and the floristry industry, the inaugural Floral Wizard Competition was an exciting addition to the 2026 program. Inspired by the MasterChef format, students from South Metropolitan TAFE’s Advanced Floristry Skillset Course received a mystery box of seasonal florals (having no prior knowledge of the contents) and had to create something extraordinary within the allotted time. Audiences followed every moment from concept to completion, and the results were breathtaking.
25 years of the Garden Gurus
This year’s show also celebrated a milestone for Trevor Cochrane and the Garden Gurus team, for their 25 years on air. Thanks to Julian Rose and the team at Deep Green Landscaping and Urban Green Solutions, the Garden Gurus’ zone featured an impressive display garden wrapping around the Legends and Legacies Stage, where Trevor hosted all weekend, honouring WA’s horticultural legends. ‘What a fantastic show,’ said Trevor. ‘Everyone was so enthusiastic and we had such positive feedback from visitors.’
Baileys Fertilisers, meanwhile, were celebrating 100 years with their ‘Loyal to the Soil’ promotions and memorabilia adding extra theatre to the Tiny Open Gardens area. Show sponsor Richgro had their own centenary milestone to celebrate, 110 years in business, and was marked by bringing their iconic original red truck (which still runs) to the event where it took pride of place at the Richgro Knowledge Centre marquee and stage.
Waterwise, rewild and reimagine
The Water Corporation Garden Design Zone was a cornerstone of the show, featuring display gardens by leading landscapers, the Pocket Garden awards for emerging designers, sessions by the Landscape Design Institute (LDI) and the Resi-scape residential landscape awards presented by the Landscape Industry Association WA (LIAWA). Special thanks go to Tim Davies Landscaping, Kings Park Botanic Garden, Grasstrees Australia, and Deep Green Landscaping for their stunning contributions, and to the LDI team for designing and coordinating the zone.
The ever-popular Blank Canvas Makeovers, delivered by Chris Ferreira, Ned Melvin and The Forever Project team, transformed bare earth before live audiences across all three days, and featured a Firewise Garden on Friday and Saturday, and a Rewild Garden on Sunday, with special guests including Hannah Moloney, Josh Byrne, Sabrina Hahn and Mel Logozzo.
The new Home and Garden Workshops, presented by Home Base Design & Build Centre and Mineral Magic, and coordinated by Colin Barlow, proved an equally popular addition, covering practical topics from waterwise irrigation and composting to new native plants and specialist growing tips.
Urban greening and community
DWER and the Water Corporation maintained a strong presence, with DWER promoting the Treebate programme (a rebate for WA residents planting an Australian native tree), part of the state government’s commitment to increasing urban canopy to 30 per cent by 2030. Community connection was equally evident, with the Bonsai Society, Orchid Society, Open Gardens WA, and the Gardeners Circle of WA who ran the Plant Doctor service in the Kalamunda Garden Festival patch.
A sector united
Perhaps what was most striking about the 2026 Perth Garden Show was the sense of a sector genuinely united: horticulture, urban greening, waterwise gardening, creative design and sustainable living all coming together, alongside broader industry representation from greenlife, turf, irrigation and landscaping sectors.
GIWA President Ross Hooper captured the mood perfectly: ‘There was a great vibe and positive energy to the whole event, with some amazing guests, speakers and activations. I can’t wait to see what the 2027 event brings.’
The Perth Garden Show continues to grow, and if 2026 is any indication, the best is very much still to come.
Lisa Passmore
Executive Officer
Greenlife Industry Western Australia (GIWA)
W: www.greenlifeindustrywa.com.au