By Clive Larkman
2021 and it seems we are living in a crazy world. Without looking at COVID-19 and its maddening repercussions, we need only to look at the ever-evolving world of medicine, herbs and therapies to really be confused.
On the positive side, there is a greater acceptance of non-traditional Western therapies, however, an understanding is far from simple.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy John Sandham
In the British summer of 1829, while undertaking the collection of a moth pupa into a sealed glass vial, Dr Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward (1791-1868) observed that fern spores and grass seed, captured within the closed environment, could germinate and grow without any outside assistance.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Clive Larkman –
I have written about a number of herbs over the years, some of which have a narrow range and only a few species. These include lavender and rosemary (now salvia) which come from the countries on the northern side of the Mediterranean.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Bruce Thompson –
Common Name: Blue Tongue, Native Lasiandra, Indian Rhododendron, Malabar Rhododendron, Singapore Rhododendron
Genus: Melastoma
Species: malabrathicum subsp. malabrathicum
Family: Melostomaceae
Origin: A pan-tropical species occurring in open forest and disturbed rainforest in north Queensland, down to Kempsey in New South Wales, the Kimberley region in Western Australia, the Northern Territory as well as Indomalaya and Japan.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Dale Arvidsson –
Long before today’s online world created an insatiable desire for exotic and unusual indoor plants, pteridomania, a Victorian craze between the 1840s and 1890s, saw the desire to collect ferns in Britain and its colonies. Glass houses, conservatories and ‘stumparies’, naturalistic displays of felled trees and exposed roots often shrouded by hardy ferns, allowed the wealthy insatiable collectors to display ferns collected from around the globe.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Bruce Thompson –
Common Name: Beach Almond, Sea Almond, Malabar Almond
Genus: Terminalia
Species: catappa
Family: Combretaceae
Origin: Occurs in north Queensland and the Northern Territory, as well as Malesia to Polynesia and South-East Asia as a mid-canopy tree, just inland from beaches as well as river mouths and coastal plains.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Clive Larkman –
It seems the world is always in a state of flux and our industry is no different. Some of the changes are obvious and don’t really bother anyone whilst others are a major problem. Some are a pain for the growers and some for the retail sector.… Continue reading
Read MoreSuccessful tree growth in urban environments is reliant on more than just species selection. It is about planting the right tree in the right location to achieve successful landscape outcomes.
In an increasingly challenging urban landscape, planning and infrastructure must support the tree taxa selections to ensure they have the adequate resources and suitable growing conditions in order to survive and thrive, and provide the aesthetic and environmental services expected of them (Diamond Head Consulting Ltd.,… Continue reading
Read MoreAt the time of writing most of us are still living under the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, positive messages are getting through. Many are hoping and planning for an improving trend heading to year’s end. It’s therefore also understandable that such positivity is reflected in lightness, brightness and colour.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy John Fitzsimmons
All Images by John Fitzsimmons
There are more than 140 recognised botanic gardens in Australia ranging from large internationally recognised sites to smaller gardens, specialised or of historical note. In Melbourne, the Maranoa Botanic Gardens in leafy Balwyn is a hidden gem not widely known.… Continue reading
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