Saturday, July 5, 2025

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Plant PalettePlants

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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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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Botanic Gardens

Creative approaches to weed and pest management

By Zoe Knapp

Managing plant pests and weeds is an important component of curating any botanic garden. Like many botanic gardens, the Australian National Botanic Gardens applies an Integrated Pest Management approach to minimise herbicide and pesticide use on site.

In recent years, increased rainfall and milder climate conditions, combined with pandemic restrictions and reduced on-site staffing, have increased our need for creative solutions to pest and weed management.… Continue reading

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Landscape

Bush food tips from a Feisty Tasmanian

By Gabrielle Stannus

Rees Campbell is well-known in lutruwita/Tasmania for Eat Wild Tasmanian, her seminal work on native edible plants first published in 2018 and revised and expanded as Eat More Wild Tasmanian this year. Rees describes herself as a Tasmanian by birth and attitude, and she is passionate about promoting the value of the marvellous bounty found within this state’s bush.Continue reading

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Revegetation

Revegetation and soil microorganisms

By Patrick Regnault

When we think about revegetation it is common to think solely about the plantings. We need to take into account the bigger picture which includes the soil and its microbial composition.

Revegetation is usually interpreted as the process of reintroducing suitable plants in an area where the previous ecosystem has been too damaged to naturally regenerate.… Continue reading

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Scholarships

The opportunity of a life time

By Ash Walker

The smile couldn’t be wiped off my face when I received a call from Henrietta Ardlie the CEO of Global Footprints, (formerly the BBM Youth Support scholarship) telling me that I had been awarded the Youth scholarship. I was so excited for what the future could bring, I went home that afternoon and started planning the trip.Continue reading

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Environment & SustainabilityPest and Diseases

Tiny wasps are the best pest control

By Denis Crawford

Tiny wasps that are barely visible to the naked eye are important biological control agents for various pests. If the wasps are so small, how do you know they are present?

I recently did some photography for a Queensland integrated pest management company that needed photos of Trichogramma pretiosum, a tiny wasp less than a millimetre long.… Continue reading

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