Sunday, July 6, 2025

Garden Design

Botanic Gardens

Saving cycads from extinction in botanic gardens

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

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Plant PalettePlants

Dream plant you have been searching for

Syzygium ‘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

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Plant PalettePlants

‘Living fossil’ from Gondwana

Sure 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

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Landscape

Top tips for designing your next balcony garden

By 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

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Green InfrastructureLandscape

Biodiversity built for purpose

By 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

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Landscape Design

Wellness Garden: The essence of flow

By 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

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Industry Event

Success at Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

As 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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Environment & SustainabilityPest and Diseases

What grub is that?

By Denis Crawford

Insects that have life cycles of complete metamorphosis have larvae that come in a variety of forms.

A life cycle of complete metamorphosis (holometabolous) means hatching from an egg into a larval stage, then pupating, and later emerging as an adult.… Continue reading

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Newsbuds

Schoolyards help cities adapt to climate change

Vibrant, green schoolyards not only address climate change issues, but they can also prepare children for a nature-filled future.

Organised by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in collaboration with the Worshipful Company of Gardeners (WCoG) and sponsor Expo 2023 Doha Qatar, the AIPH Green City Briefings 2022-23 are a series of one-hour webinars focussing on cities around the world that can demonstrate significant progress in including plants and nature in their city’s form and function.… Continue reading

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Newsbuds

Student design winner does MIFGS garden with all-female trade team

Landscape architect and University of Melbourne (Burnley) horticulture student Emma

Sheppard-Simms is the successful recipient of the inaugural Open Gardens Victoria (OGV) Student Garden Design Competition.

The grant provided $10,000 to design and install a vibrant garden at the OGV stand at the recent Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) 2023.… Continue reading

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