Monday, April 29, 2024

Author: Michael Casey

Layers of greenery (Image: Karen Smith)
Green Infrastucture

Singapore’s Khoo Teck Puat Hospital prescribes nature

By Michael Casey

In urban environments, we often praise the efforts of designers and planners when the landscape and the built environment merge seamlessly to become one. We enjoy the aesthetics of what greenspaces achieve with grey infrastructure, and even more so when we see evidence of the biodiversity that these green spaces attract.Continue reading

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Grey skies won’t dampen these new plantings.
Botanic Gardens

In pursuit of an organic display Rose Garden

By Tristan O’Hara

For many years, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney (RBG) has been working towards providing a high-quality, organic, display Rose Garden under challenging circumstances.

Upfront, I am a general horticulturist, not an expert rosarian and have been entrusted with managing the RBG’s Rose Garden.… Continue reading

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Eucalyptus means well covered and describes the plants’ developing flowers
International Plant Propagation Society

Understanding botanical nomenclature

By Dan Austin

Like many fields, a career in horticulture brings with it the need to learn a whole new language. Whether it is our range of industry-specific tools, plant cultural techniques or botanical terminology, there’s no way around it – without a good grasp of professional language, you’re likely to run into trouble.Continue reading

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Achievable Gardens People’s Choice Award ‘Balance by Nature’ by Gina Robertson, Melbourne Polytechnic at Melbourne international Flower & Garden Show 2022 (Image: Karen Smith)
Education

Great reasons to consider a career in landscaping

By Madeleine Stedman and Jodie Dean

The opportunities and benefits of a trade career have never been greater for young people finishing school and entering the workforce. In the past, the university sector has been touted as the best pathway to a successful career.Continue reading

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Catch can test
Nursery Papers

Nursery Papers – Sprinkler selection, layout and operation

Horticultural Innovation Australia Limited

The process of applying irrigation water evenly across the cropping area is now a standard best management practice (BMP) aim. However, there is more to good irrigation than ‘wet is good, dry is bad’ rationale. Growers should consider the evenness of crop growth, crop health and crop turnover, and perhaps greater focus should be given to how irrigation systems are designed and how efficiently they are operating.… Continue reading

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Horticulture and GLP lead Matt Burley training graduates Jake and Lauren in Toowoomba
Advertorial

Kalyx expands into new regions, increasing research capacity

For over two decades, Kalyx has been the go-to company for independent agricultural research in Australia due to their national presence and operational excellence. Over that time, they have helped their clients bring hundreds of new crop varieties, pesticides, fertilisers and other such technologies to Australian farmers.… Continue reading

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Education

Hort education, an overseas example

By Patrick Regnault

Over the last few decades, Horticulture education has seen many changes. Australia, like many other countries, mainly in the English-speaking world, seems to be heading towards distance learning to the detriment of practical based learning.

Apprenticeships and traineeships are not reaching levels of completion, and the profession is ageing.… Continue reading

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Control Helicoverpa larvae with an IPM program (Supplied by Denis Crawford of Graphic Science)
Pest and Diseases

Alternatives to pesticides

By Denis Crawford

Given the recent debate in the media about the future of pesticides in some parts of the world, it’s time to look at the alternatives to pesticides.

A recent series of articles in The Guardian“Toxic nation: Australia’s pesticide problem” highlighted several issues with pesticide use in Australia.… Continue reading

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It’s hard to imagine you are in a hospital at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (Image: Karen Smith)
Singapore

Behind the scenes tour of the city in a garden

By Karen Smith

As travel restrictions eased, our ‘Behind the Scenes study tour’ of Singapore, scheduled for two years ago, finally took place recently and it was well worth the wait. Biophilic design at its best in ‘the city in a garden coincided with the Biannual Singapore Garden Festival.… Continue reading

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Tebet Eco Park, South Jakarta (Image: SIURA)
Green Infrastucture

Park in Jakarta falls victim to its own success

By Michael Casey

The pilot park in Jakarta that’s fallen victim to its own success quickly implements a revised park management plan.

It was an email I received from an industry news outlet that captured my initial attention related to an innovative project that was in the pipeline for the people of South Jakarta.… Continue reading

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Environment

Newsbuds

Monitoring particulate matter with trees, shrubs and lichens

Cultural heritage in the form of historical buildings and their contents are heavily threatened by air pollution. Buildings surrounded by heavy traffic flows need constant monitoring to minimise the impact of exhaust gases and particulate matter on exposed surfaces.… Continue reading

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Calandrinia balonensis 'Mystique'
Plant Palette

Add a little mystique to your garden design

Label Name: Calandrinia balonensis ‘Mystique’

ACRA 1340 (registered Nov 2010)

Family: Portulaceae

Origin: Arid and semi-arid regions of Australia. Applicant: The University of Queensland (Dr Dion Harrison) The Centre for Native Floriculture, plant breeding and selection programme.

Characteristics: A compact, small herbaceous shrub, 150mm(H) x 400mm (W), The flowers are vibrant pink-purple (mauve) and are 40mm in diameter.… Continue reading

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Eastern Queen of Sheba (Thelymitra speciosa) Borden, Western Australia
International Plant Propagation Society

Saving the Queen of Sheba, a conservation success story

By Dan Austin

As one of the most biodiverse locations on the planet, the South Western Australian Floristic Region draws in plant enthusiasts from across the nation, and the world, for a chance to glimpse something special from the area’s extraordinary botanical palette.Continue reading

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