Avoid using soft plastics where possible (Image: Karen Smith) Avoid using soft plastics where possible (Image: Karen Smith)
Recycling

Buying back soft plastic recycled products

Bruce Thompson 620 Views 0 Comments

By Bruce Thompson

It’s all about supply and demand. With an oversupply of soft plastics collected and not enough of recycled products being purchased, we need to look at what is required to ensure the recycling program continues.

In late 2022, many Australians who had been diligently collecting their soft plastics and taking them to Woolworths, Coles and Aldi supermarkets to place into REDCycle bins, woke to the news that REDCycle had temporarily ceased their collection service.… Continue reading

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Community plantings (Image: ABGMA) Community plantings (Image: ABGMA)
Botanic Gardens

Greening our Garden

Michael Elgey 724 Views 0 Comments

Returning 40 hectares of native canopy at Australia’s largest Botanic Garden

By Michael Elgey

In 2019 the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan (ABGMA) secured NSW State Government grant funding as part of the Greening Our City initiative. Our successful proposal was to plant 22,500 native trees and return a canopy that was unfortunately cleared during European colonisation.… Continue reading

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Industry News

Polish allotment gardening changing character

admin 587 Views 0 Comments

Abstract: Polish allotment gardeners, who cultivate publicly owned urban space, constitute the largest group of city land managers in the country. Detailed studies about the uses of cultivated plants on allotment gardens do not exist.

The aims of (this) study are to document plant richness and diversity of allotment-garden use and to explore the (changing) purpose of such gardens.… Continue reading

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Plant PalettePlants

Bird loving ‘Honey Pots’

Paul Carmen 685 Views 0 Comments

By Paul Carmen

Label Name: Banksia spinulosa

ACRA Registration: 1337

Family: Proteaceae

Origin: Collected from a coastal area in southern Victoria. Selected by Rod & Robyn Parsons for the strong honey fragrance of the flowers. Received in June 1999.

Characteristics: A moderately dense small shrub that grows to 1m(h) x 1.5m(w), The flowers are golden in colour with red styles, 50-200mm long x 40-80mm in diameter and bloom from  March to  August.… Continue reading

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Newsbuds

GM tomatoes for home gardens

admin 648 Views 0 Comments

The possibility of bringing genetically modified (GM) purple tomatoes to the gardens and plates of home-growers has moved a crucial step closer, following a decision by United States regulators. Norfolk Plant Sciences Ltd announced a decision by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which means US home-growers may be able to purchase seeds and grow the nutritionally enhanced, high-anthocyanin, purple tomato from (northern) spring 2023. … Continue reading

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