And just like that, it is December, often referred to as the silly season as so many try to squeeze a myriad of things in before Christmas Day. Landscapers are stressed as every client wants their projects completed for the big day, retail garden centres are run off their feet with last-minute shoppers, and we usually have many events to attend for those end-of-year celebrations.… Continue reading
Read MoreI know spring is well underway when I see little visitors scuttling around my office despite my best efforts to discourage this activity. I was not surprised when reading research by Johnalyn Gordon and others, published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, describing cockroach resistance to pyrethrum-based surface sprays.… Continue reading
Read MoreI am constantly in awe of trees, especially big, sprawling trees. I love being around them, how they smell and look, and mostly what they provide us with. I love comparing the different types of bark, especially our beautiful Australian native trees; when I read an article recently about how trees give much more than we realise, I had to read on.… Continue reading
Read MoreWhile writing this editorial, I am listening to radio interviews about National Australian Science Week which aims to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education nationwide. One young seven-year-old told me that his school calls it STEEM, and the extra E is for the environment, a most important topic.… Continue reading
Read MoreInstead of reaching for the insecticide or insect repellent, a group, consisting of seven- to eleven-year-olds, were exposed to an insect revolution at ARC Ento Tech Ltd at Somersby, NSW. The event was organised by the Horticultural Media Association of Australia.… Continue reading
Read MoreThere is often a lot of talk about the ageing workforce in horticulture, so it was heartwarming to see many young people in attendance at a conference I attended recently for the International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS). They were a breath of fresh air and contributed enormously to the event.… Continue reading
Read MoreClimate change is a concern for most people and those concerns may impact on our industry. Consumers drive change; as awareness of environmental issues grow so does their desire for more sustainable gardens and landscapes. The demand for native and drought-tolerant plants is on the rise, as they are well adapted to local climate conditions and often require less water and maintenance.… Continue reading
Read MoreIt is with sincere gratitude that we say a massive thank you to Dan Austin for the many years he has contributed to Hort Journal Australia as writer on behalf of the International Plant Propagators Society. Dan’s horticultural knowledge along with his experience both as a lecturer with TAFESA and his vast experience working overseas brought interest to his articles and we have all benefited from that.… Continue reading
Read MoreI had the privilege of attending two events to celebrate International Women’s Day, an event that celebrates all women globally and recognises their achievements.
This event begun in the early 1900’s; the first in Australia was in 1928 in Sydney. and was organised by the Militant Women’s Movement calling for equal pay for equal work, an eight-hour working day for shop girls, and paid leave!… Continue reading
Read MoreLately we have received a lot of positive feedback about Hort Journal and our articles, via both email and text messages, and also during discussions. I want to thank those people as it gives me enormous pleasure to pass the feedback on to the contributors of the magazine, and as we are a small team, every cog in the wheel is crucial to a successful outcome.… Continue reading
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