In this issue, we cover bedding plants, colour in design, and much more. I have also written about the marketing behind the recent flowering of Amorphophallus titanum in botanic gardens across Australia. This got me thinking about two interconnected subjects – colour and marketing!… Continue reading
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Most of the elements to be on trend in 2025, including natural materials, curved lines, pollinator attractants and water (Image: John Fitzsimmons)
By John Fitzsimmons
We’re out of the starting blocks for 2025 and the trend trajectories were probably set last year (or earlier) anyway. Nevertheless, a quick run around the traps of those with crystal balls reveals a few common themes across various domains.… Continue reading
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The Floral Clock at Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourne (Image: Stefan Schäfer, Lich via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).
By Gabrielle Stannus
Bedding out is temporary and labour intensive. So why should we do it? What are the pros and cons of this type of design and the plants used to fulfill its intent? Jeremy Critchley from The Green Gallery took time out of his busy schedule overseeing the construction of a new, large, high-tech wholesale production nursery at Mangrove Mountain north of Sydney to answer my questions.… Continue reading
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Grasses in paper plugs. Plastic trays are reused, and transplant shock is avoided (Image: Patrick Regnault)
By Patrick Regnault
Over the last few decades, the industry has made great strides with water and fertiliser use. Pots and the use of plastic is an area where progress can be made. Some nurseries will take back the pots to sterilise them before reuse, and others will recycle them as part of a scheme.… Continue reading
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Punggol Mall in Singapore uses green roofs, podium gardens and tiered levels that retain water to avoid peak discharge into the river system – a great example of a nature-based storm water management solution (Image: Michael Casey)
By Michael Casey
As cities continue to grow, so do the challenges of managing urban heat, record-breaking floods, and extreme weather events that are pushing some urban areas toward uninhabitable locations. Addressing these challenges requires a diverse urban toolkit, one that embraces high-tech, low-tech, and even no-tech solutions.… Continue reading
Read MoreMany of the cultivated berries are native to a small number of countries. However, the raspberry comes from a wide range of countries. The common one is Rubus idaeus, native to Europe and northern Asia. It grows in a range of temperate climates, meaning it is now grown in most countries and regions that have a period of winter chill.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Karen Smith
The stench of Amorphophallus titanum (corpse flower) attracted more than just a few carrion beetles for pollination – crowds in the thousands queued for hours, even days, to witness the rare bloom of this endangered plant. So how did botanic gardens across the country manage to attract such massive audiences to see (and smell) something often described as a mix of rotting flesh and sweaty socks?… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Lisa Wightwick
The International Plant Producers Society* (IPPS) recently held a regional event hosted by Jane and Gary Barfoot, founders of Peninsula Growers wholesale propagation nursery at their site on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. The event coincided with NGIV’s Australian Horticultural Trials Week, in which Peninsula Growers also participated.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Praful Umaretiya
Western Australia’s unique flora faces increasing threats from habitat loss and environmental changes. Tissue culture techniques have emerged as a vital tool for horticulturists and conservationists in propagating rare and vulnerable species, which can be rapidly produced from a limited number of initial specimens.… Continue reading
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A farmer drives a harvester to harvest sunflower seeds in a field in Linhe District of Bayannur, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
Wang Fei is hailed as the ‘King of Sunflower Seeds’ in his hometown of Bayannur, in Northern China.
The title reflects his passion for the crunchy snack and his remarkable achievement in transforming locally grown sunflower kernels into a global commodity, with markets spanning the Republic of Korea, Egypt and Germany.… Continue reading
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