International Plant Propagation Society

By Dan Austin

When talking tools for plant propagation, there is no doubt people will have their favourites, not only brands, but gadgets and home engineered hacks. So, if you are coming in green to the industry, it is worth knowing about a few tools of the trade.… Continue reading

By Dan Austin

Container growing has revolutionised the way we grow, distribute, and utilise plants. Allowing for greater convenience in transport and options for creativity when displaying plants, containers come in all shapes and sizes but choosing the best option can be a challenge.… Continue reading

By Dan Austin

As famously pondered by the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, ‘the only constant in life is change’ and as every aspect of our lives, from how we spend our time to where we reside, is changing faster than ever before, so are our gardens.… Continue reading

By Dan Austin

Over the last twenty years, green architecture has moved ahead in leaps and bounds but it hasn’t been a smooth journey, especially in the case of green walls.

At the dawn of the century, green walls were little more than a curiosity in Australia but as the decade of the noughties rolled on, significant investment started to allow for green walls in both new builds and existing architecture.… Continue reading

By Dan Austin

It’s no trade secret that joining multiple industry bodies is one of the most valuable things a person can do for a successful career foundation. On reflection of my own career, the value of belonging to these organisations and being involved has allowed me to reach many milestones along the way.… Continue reading

By Dan Austin

In a world where ongoing taxonomical changes are making it increasingly hard for the average horticulturist to keep up, we are also faced with an ever-increasing range of cultivars. The plant palette available in Australia in 2021 is enough to make your head spin but as a gardener, there is probably not a more appealing problem to be faced with.… Continue reading

By Dan Austin

There is no denying that the horticultural landscape has changed in Australia and across the world, as technology advances faster than anyone could have imagined.

Whether it is a drone hovering above a broad acre farm using infrared imaging to assess the health of the crop, a revolving laser tower acting as a scarecrow, or the irrigator using sophisticated probes and software to determine soil moisture and calculate appropriate watering scheduling, agtech has revolutionised the way we grow plants from propagation to harvest.… Continue reading

By Dan Austin

Fertile soil is key to healthy plants but how do you navigate the world of soil ameliorants when there are so many products out there?

Whether taking the form of a mineral mix, foliar feed, humic acid, mycorrhizae, slow release prills, fish emulsion or seaweed extract, it can be overwhelming navigating the world of soil fertility when all you want to do is produce healthy plants.… Continue reading

By Tyson Felix –

It’s certainly not a revelation that pollinator species are under increasing strain in recent years. It’s a topic that has been keeping people up late at night and while there is an impressive diversity of insects of value that frequent the garden, none seem to hold a place in our hearts as much as butterflies.… Continue reading

By Dan Austin –

Achieving the illustrious title of the world’s largest flower, the corpse flower (Rafflesia arnoldii) is the largest species of a charismatic genus not often seen. The plant has earned its common name because of the foul odour of rotting meat the flower emits to attract carrion-feeding pollinators, and with its fleshy red mass growing up to a metre in width, the flower could quite literally be mistaken for a corpse.… Continue reading