By Michael Casey
Vertical gardens have sometimes been described as “gardens on life support”, a label that often rings true when essential design considerations are overlooked before the installation. However, this doesn’t have to be the case.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Gabrielle Stannus
Designed by Rob Cooper from Distinctive Gardens in Adelaide and constructed by Yergan Landscape and Desert Flower Landscaping, show garden ‘ǝ’skāp’ took out the City of Melbourne Award of Excellence for Best in Show, as well as a Gold medal, at the recent Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS).… Continue reading
Read MoreGarden City Plastics (GCP) proudly celebrates its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of growth, innovation, and commitment to the horticultural industry. From humble beginnings in 1975 as a small, family-run business, GCP has grown into Australia’s leading supplier of horticultural containers, trusted by nurseries, growers, and industry professionals nationwide.… Continue reading
Read More
A typical Australian new housing situation. What's missing apart from the trees? Shade, cooling, wildlife habitat, general amenity. Some parts of the land development industry admit they can do better. Would a new Urban Greening study discipline help? (Images supplied by John Fitzsimmons)
By John Fitzsimmons
Most people reading this journal probably admire and appreciate trees. Some might not be huge fans, but I’d like to think there are very few tree-hating readers. But the haters, more who just don’t care and others who simply have other (usually political or monetary) priorities, are preventing or limiting the benefits of trees accruing to society and the world at large.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Daniel Fuller
At Ozbreed, we believe we’re only just now starting to bring out the best traits of our native Australian plants. Recently, we’ve had a renewed focus on providing the industry with plants that can be hacked back reliably for ease of maintenance.… Continue reading
Read More
Natallie Back’s 'The Sustainable Sanctuary' was built from the grant awarded to her from Open Gardens Victoria (images supplied by Karen Smith)
By Karen Smith
What draws over 115,000 visitors to Melbourne’s Carlton Gardens each year for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show? The reasons are many and varied – from stunning floral displays to world-class Show Gardens.… Continue reading
Read More
Trees create a serene and calm environment as they cradle this design by Christian Jenkins design (Image: Karen Smith)
By John Corban
How a Cost-Plus Estimate works, whether it can work for you, and how to effectively sell it.
Over the past few years, I have been increasingly asked about Cost-Plus estimating, how it works and whether the enquiring contractors should utilise it.… Continue reading
Read More
A Baw-Baw Berry (Wittsteinia vacciniacea) plant vegetatively propagated testing conservation horticulture methods and now established in the Gondwana Garden, as an ex-situ Living Collection, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – Cranbourne. (Image: S. Levy)
By Dr. Megan Hirst and Holden Sayers
Conservation Horticulture is an important discipline driven by botanic gardens working towards global strategies to address plant conservation, with an emphasis on ex-situ living plant collections of high preservation value. The role brings together the ecology of a species with horticultural techniques to successfully propagate and provide plant material for ex-situ living collections, reintroduction, or more broadly, cultivation.… Continue reading
Read More
Various types of spinach are popular ingredients in many dishes (Image: Bernadette Wurzinger, Pixabay)
By Clive Larkman
Spinach has to be one of those vegetables that many people have a love/hate relationship with in the western world. Kids hate it because it is green and often served as a pile of mush. When cooked fresh it isn’t too bad, but when cooked from canned or frozen it is really not a pleasant side dish.… Continue reading
Read MoreWith the ongoing concerns of plastic waste and pollution it is heartening to hear that Japanese researchers have recently developed innovative biodegradable plastics that decompose rapidly in marine environments.
A team, led by Takuzo Aida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), in collaboration with the University of Tokyo and Eindhoven University of Technology, has created a durable plastic that fully dissolves in seawater.… Continue reading
Read More
