Only after the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II did I realise how many Australian organisations had a title that included ‘Royal’. Obviously, we have a Royal Australian Navy and a Royal Air Force for example but there are many more. There are at least ten variations of Royal Agricultural Societies, three Royal Horticultural Societies and a couple of Royal Botanic Gardens.… Continue reading
Read MoreSpring 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. … Continue reading
Read MoreBy Karen Smith
It had been 1106 days since the Independent Garden Centres (IGC) held their last conference, said IGC’s Evan Meuller. The location was originally secured in 2020 but was cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns. All in all, COVID-19 restrictions caused conference cancellations three times.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Karen Smith
Queensland’s Gold Coast turned on the sun yet again for the Nursery & Garden Industry Queensland’s (NGIQ’s) Green Expo. Exhibitors and visitors embraced the new venue at the Gold Coast Turf Club, stating that it had a more intimate feel, bump in was a breeze and parking was plentiful and free.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Karen Smith
As I made my way around the recent Queensland Garden Expo held in Nambour recently, I observed that this was an event for true gardeners with a thirst for horticultural knowledge from the best in the industry. This annual event has reached its 37th year.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Karen Smith
Fifty years after the first meeting of plant propagators under the banner of the International Plant Propagators Society, the IPPS returned to the Blue Mountains in NSW to celebrate the ongoing success of the society. The two years since the last conference did nothing to lessen the camaraderie and goodwill shared between members.… Continue reading
Read MoreThe summer in NSW and Queensland has been a very wet event this year following a trend of recent wet seasons and I feel so sorry for people affected by floods and torrential downpours. The extended wet periods and extreme humidity have increased the number of unwanted indoor plants in the form of moulds.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Karen Smith
Entering the Exhibition Centre, Carlton Gardens for the recent Melbourne International Flower and Garden show (MIFGS), visitors were treated to a sea of colour, the main area complete with a carousel in the centre surrounded with chrysanthemums, and the eye-dazzling floral displays nearby were works of art.… Continue reading
Read MoreThe new year of 2022 has brought many changes with it, the least of which is a change of leadership at Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA). Hort Journal would like to welcome GIA’s new Chief Executive Officer Joanna Cave. Joanna comes to the role with a wealth of experience as a CEO of a variety of peak bodies, membership organisations and not-for-profit associations, both in the United Kingdom and in Australia.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Karen Smith
What if you could take a waste by-product of your normal production process and turn it into an income stream, and at the same time reduce your carbon footprint? Collaboration between the University of Technology and Sydney brewers, Young Henry’s, are investigating the link between the diet of cattle and the greenhouse gas emissions they produce.… Continue reading
Read More
