Banksias and grass trees provide a uniquely Australian beauty to this garden (Image: John Fitzsimmons)
By John Fitzsimmons
If our theme this issue is ‘Ornamentals: Beauty that endures’ then surely, we must start by defining ‘beauty’ and that raises more questions than answers. On such a theme, just where do we start? Beauty is a subjective and multi-faceted quality that evokes pleasure, admiration or deep emotional responses.… Continue reading
Read More![Old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) near Hay, New South Wales (Image: Thomas Mesaglio [thebeachcomber] via iNaturalist, CC BY-SA 4.0)](https://hortjournal.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1.-Atriplex_nummularia_Thomas_Mesaglio_iNat_CC-BY-SA-4.0-800x445.jpg)
Old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) near Hay, New South Wales (Image: Thomas Mesaglio [thebeachcomber] via iNaturalist, CC BY-SA 4.0)
By Clive Larkman
In my last article, ‘Saltbushes of the world’, I wrote about halophytes including mangroves, samphires and saltbush (Hort Journal Australia, February 2026). Like mangroves and samphires, saltbush occurs around the globe in a diverse range of climatic conditions.… Continue reading
Read More
The autumn senescence gives a wave of colour to the texture of the ginkgo fan-like leaves (Image: Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery)
By Caleb Roberts
Botanical name: Ginkgo biloba
Common names: Ginkgo, maidenhair tree
Family: Ginkgoaceae
Origin or native range: Ginkgo biloba is the sole surviving species within its entire division, class, order and family. This monotypic ‘living fossil’, so called because fossils nearly identical to the modern tree date back to the Jurassic period (around 170 million years ago), is now found virtually unchanged from its earlier iterations in small, woodland populations in temperate China.… Continue reading
Read More
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus (globe artichoke) (Image: Björn S via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)
By Patrick Regnault
During COVID-19, the popularity of growing one’s own food increased dramatically. However, food production to the level of self-sufficiency requires more land and effort than most people are willing to do or capable of making. That said, we can add trees, shrubs and climbers, or even aquatic plants to our plant palettes that will look good and produce food.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Clive Larkman
Plants are divided into a series of logical groups based on their botanical characteristics, a result of the work commenced by noted Swedish botanist and physician Carl Linnaeus in the early 18th century. Since that time, the science of classifying plants has developed greatly, and the decisions to move plants into or out of taxonomic categories are made based on increasingly smaller differences, thus becoming more technical.… Continue reading
Read More
The fruit of the blue lilly pilly (Syzygium oleosum) can be eaten raw or may be used to make jams, jellies, sauces, syrups, confectionery and wine (Image: Tucker Bush)
By Jennifer McQueen
During Covid, as isolating households experimented with vegetable seedlings and graduated to fruit trees, Australian native edimentals began to catch the public imagination. ‘Covid shifted the perception of native edimentals from “hippy fringe” to mainstream curious,’ says Mark Tucek, founder of Tucker Bush.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Joe Rogers
Australia’s turf industry is built on innovation, and occasionally, a new variety emerges that reshapes what professionals expect from their turf. That moment has arrived again, with the introduction of Stampede Hybrid Buffalo™. Stampede is a next-generation turfgrass that is the result of years of rigorous research, trials and development in Australia and internationally.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Caleb Roberts
Botanical name: Malpighia emarginata ‘Florida Sweet’
Common name(s): Acerola, Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry, wild crepe myrtle, Antilles cherry
Family: Malpighiaceae
Origin or native range: Hailing from Central America and Mexico, the highest production of Malpighia emarginata (Syn.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Clive Larkman
Over the years I have often written about edimental plants and how good they are for the urban garden. We all know that prior to the modern supermarket the home garden was a major source of edible plants.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Michael Casey
Bushfoods have long been valued for their cultural and culinary significance, but their true potential lies in how they can transform our cities. By choosing species that thrive in tough environments, we can create urban landscapes that are resilient, biodiverse and deeply connected to country.… Continue reading
Read More
