Horticulture courses previously offered by Swinburne TAFE at no cost to students under Victoria’s priority TAFE courses program, will be shut down. Existing students will be either transferred to other providers or may be able to carry on until the course is complete.… Continue reading
Read MoreFor the first time in fifteen years I missed the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS), except for lockdowns and cancellations due to COVID19. Unfortunately, I had to suffer ten days of near perfect diving conditions on the coral reefs between Lizard Island and Cairns, including the Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy John Fitzsimmons
As it exited pandemic times the biennial Australian Landscape Conference 2023 attracted impressive audience numbers and was another signature offering of diverse and accomplished presenters. While the 2023 theme was nominally ‘Beyond the Boundaries’ it could be argued this conference revealed just how much awareness, skill, and creativity is needed and how challenging it can be to identify ‘boundaries’ much less define them.… Continue reading
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The spectacular colour and leaf details of the majestic Encephalartos horridus growing in the living collection of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Australia (Image supplied by Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney)
By James A. R. Clugston and Scott Yates
Cycads are a charismatic group of plants with a lineage that dates back more than 250 million years. With around 370 currently recognised species in 10 genera split between two families (Cycadaceae and Zamiaceae), they are diverse and have a strong pantropical distribution.… Continue reading
Read MoreSyzygium ‘Up and Away’ is the dream plant you have been searching for. With an unrivalled neat, columnar habit, and stunning foliage colour year-round, what more is there to be desired? White flowers are borne throughout the warmer months. Flowers are pollinator-friendly, attracting some of our beautiful native birds.… Continue reading
Read MoreSure to turn heads with its striking foliage and eye-catching narrow growth habit, Ginkgo ‘Lemonlime Spire’ is the perfect addition to any garden or landscape design.
Famous for its foliage colour throughout the year, ‘Lemonlime Spire’ won’t disappoint. Its light-green spring foliage deepens to darker shades of green as the season progresses.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Gabrielle Stannus
A small footprint does not necessarily make for a boring garden, judging by the balconies I saw at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show recently. Given the growing number of multi-level apartment buildings that have been, and are continuing to be constructed in our urban environments, the demand for balcony gardens will not be going away anytime soon.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Michael Casey
Global cities continue to develop at a rapid rate, and with an increase in size comes more people, more built structures, and in a lot of cases fewer green spaces for biodiversity to thrive. To counter the reduction of biodiversity, city planning needs to incorporate larger dedicated green areas rather than commonly creating small green spaces.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Karen Lau and Steve Warner
It has long been said that gardens can heal the soul and replenish depleted spirits. For years, we have been coming together in one form or another to cultivate soil, produce food and experience a social connection.… Continue reading
Read MoreAs the southern hemisphere’s largest garden and flower festival, and the fifth largest on a global scale, the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) had a jam-packed program offering something for green thumbs of all ages and experience levels, with fifty garden displays including the Welcome Garden with daily Tai Chi and meditation sessions, fantastical floral fashions, engaging hands-on workshops, inspiring educational talks from celebrity gurus, and endless family fun.… Continue reading
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