By John Siemon, Damian Wrigley, David Smith, Peter Scott, Brett Summerell, Matthew Laurence and Sarah Dunstan
Australia’s botanic gardens are more than tranquil retreats and essential hubs for conservation – they are frontline sentinels in the battle against invasive species, plant pathogens and the growing threats posed by global change.… Continue reading
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Dr Chris Brosnan and Dr Don Gardiner in the University of Queensland (UQ) laboratory (Image: Megan-Pope, UQ)
By Natalie MacGregor
University of Queensland (UQ) research has revealed that double-stranded RNA-based biopesticides (dsRNA) sprayed on plant leaves can travel right down into root systems. Led by Dr Chris Brosnan at UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), the work also disproves a long-standing misconception that dsRNA directly enters plant cells.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Daniel Fuller
Plants infected with myrtle rust are still specified and sold in humid and subtropical parts of Australia every day. Once established in the landscape, the results are unmistakable with plants showing yellow powdery lesions, purple pustules and distorted new growth.… Continue reading
Read MoreUsing practical technology to ease pressure in production nurseries
INTRODUCTION
Production nurseries are operating in an environment of sustained pressure. Labour shortages, rising input costs, increasing regulatory requirements and heightened biosecurity expectations have combined to make day-to-day management more complex than it was even a few years ago.… Continue reading
By John Corban
Since 2009, Phil Antcliff and Jack Hayes have operated Fifth Season Landscapes, a multi-award-winning residential landscape design, construction and maintenance business based on Sydney’s North Shore. In a recent online discussion with my coaching clients, Phil and Jack generously answered questions about how they have built and sustained their business.… Continue reading
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Engaging experienced contractor Baden to build this gravity rock wall rather than ourselves allowed us to save time and money for the client (Image: Patrick Regnault)
By Patrick Regnault
We are working in a very volatile period, politically and economically. Global change is afoot and as business owners, managers and workers we need to adapt to uncertain conditions. Added to that unpredictability is the real threat of climate change.… Continue reading
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This green wall is in the foyer of the Mercy Health Aged Care Centre (Image: Evergreen Infrastructure)
By Michael Casey
Indoor green walls introduce nature into hospitals, schools and workplaces, but maintaining these living systems requires careful and knowledgeable horticultural management. Integrated Pest Management helps protect plant health while safeguarding the people who share these spaces.
Cities are becoming greener in visible and exciting ways with green roofs appearing above offices, biodiversity gardens transforming rooftops and podiums, and inside many of our public buildings living green walls now provide striking visual connections to nature.… Continue reading
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Council staff and apprentices on site installing the new Sir Grange Zoysia turf on the roundabout at Croome Rd, Shellharbour (Image source: Turfco Australia)
By Nathan Edwards
In the pursuit of sustainable urban landscapes, local councils are increasingly turning to turf solutions that combine visual appeal with long-term efficiency. Shellharbour City Council’s roundabout redevelopments in Oak Flats and Shellharbour, NSW, provide a striking example of how the right turf selection can deliver lasting benefits for both communities and maintenance teams.… Continue reading
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Coastal ecologies self-organising into Fractal Buffering Succession Zones to survive harsh exposures (Image: Erik van Zuilekom)
By Erik van Zuilekom
Nature does not repeat itself randomly. Look closely at a river delta, a fern frond or the branching of your own arteries and you will see the same geometric logic recurring at every scale. When this principle is applied to landscape design, integrated ecologies do not simply persist, they multiply.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Clive Larkman
Living in Melbourne means permanent access to great coffee and a culture of having this staple drink with every meal. However, many people seem to have little knowledge of the plant itself. Plants in the Coffea genus provide the source of the world’s most popular morning drink, as well as some very attractive shrubs.… Continue reading
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