By John Bentley
The Melton Botanic Garden (MBG) has been booming and blooming thanks to a large team of volunteers from the Friends of the Melton Botanic Garden (FMBG), who are responsible for developing and maintaining the gardens with some support from Council.… Continue reading
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Warrigal Greens, an edible succulent common to coastal areas of southern Austral-ia, has made it to our plates at home and in high-end restaurants
By John Fitzsimmons
Driven by rising acknowledgement and regard for indigenous knowledge, environmental concerns, and the ever-present search for new taste sensations and culinary experiences, broad interest in ‘bush tucker’ has never been higher. What’s interesting is many edible indigenous or wild plants have been right under our noses all along.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Bruce Thompson
I remember reading Tim Low’s book “Wild Food Plants of Australia” as though gaining entry to a secret society of horticulturists. In those pages, my name was invisibly written, granted entry to that forbidden library of arcane knowledge where edible Aussie plants and fruits were celebrated again after languishing unnoticed for decades, despite the tens of thousands of years they provided sustenance to First Nations people.… Continue reading
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Aerial view of the property showing the location of the Inala Jurassic Garden Inala (Image: Inala-B Moriarty)
By Dr Tonia Cochran
The Inala Jurassic Garden is a privately-owned botanic garden located on South Bruny Island, south-eastern Tasmania. Its relatively remote location, on an ‘island off an island off an island’, is rather a fitting place for a garden which features living plant families whose ancestors thrived on the ancient Gondwana supercontinent before it split to form today’s southern land masses – quite the Jurassic Park, with its plant equivalent of dinosaurs that are still with us today.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Sandra Godwin
Each week thousands of people visit the Coal Loader at Balls Head, Waverton in New South Wales, to enjoy the fresh air and million-dollar views across Sydney Harbour. It’s a far cry from the days when workers laboured under a thick layer of black dust to unload coal from bulk carriers and transfer it onto smaller, coal-fired steam ships.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Patrick Regnault
As we become more environmentally conscious, individuals or communities in rural or regional areas may wish to re-vegetate part of their land to improve the local biodiversity. To be of full benefit the planting has to serve the local fauna, be a future seed bank for the local flora, and increase soil health.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Clive Larkman
As a botanist with a passion for correct plant nomenclature and growing the right plant, the difference between regular garden plants and the edible/medicinal sectors is huge. Although the nursery industry isn’t known for accuracy in naming and growing correctly identified plants, it does try to get it right.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy John Fitzsimmons
In any pursuit, templates can be a valuable aid to consistency and uniformity. The landscape industry is no different. Yet success can become its own worst enemy, especially when formulae become cliches and stifle innovation and creativity, and when cookie-cutter ideas no longer meet current and future challenges.… Continue reading
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Bronze Nothofagus gunnii (Deciduous Beech) leaves provide a sculptural introduction to the Entry Zone (Image: Chris Lang)
By Chris Lang
The Tasmanian Native Section and adjacent areas have undergone substantial change in accordance with long held plans to redevelop Tasmanian flora displays through the northern region of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. A significant landscaping effort, which commenced during September 2020, has resulted in the establishment of the Tasmanian Flora Entry Zone.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Lee-Ann Officer
Being a professional refers to making a livelihood in an activity or field of endeavour for financial return. A professional, as opposed to an amateur, conforms to the technical and/or ethical standards of a profession, and it is a permanent career with added accountability.… Continue reading
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