By Clive Larkman
Despite there being over 100 species in the Coffea genus, only a few of those are cultivated for human consumption. In my last article, I wrote about how we only really grow Coffea arabica and C. canephora ‘Robusta’, or a hybrid of the two (‘Coffee: A shrub with history!’,… Continue reading
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Keynote speaker Sally McGrath shares this year’s International Women’s Day ‘Give to Gain’ message (Image: The Landscape Association)
Over 120 members and guests of The Landscape Association (TLA) gathered for the annual Women in Landscaping Brunch on 24 March, 2026, to celebrate the role of women in the industry, alongside International Women’s Day (IWD). With a fresh new format, the Artarmon event showcased insights from our keynote speaker, Sally McGrath, under the IWD theme, #GivetoGain.… Continue reading
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'Sentio’: Human sensitivity and vulnerability expressed in a beautiful sensory garden crafted by Conchi Batson (Image: Patrick Regnault)
By Patrick Regnault
Visiting the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in late March helped me to clarify what I am looking for in a garden. It is not only the craftmanship, plant knowledge and overall balance, but something less tangible and probably harder to define, a presence, a purpose.… Continue reading
Read MoreThe International Day of Plant Health falls on 12 May, so in the lead up to this event next month, I thought it only fitting that we dedicate an issue to the theme of biosecurity.
Some of you may be attending the Plant Biosecurity Research Symposium at the State Library of Victoria, Melbourne in May.… Continue reading
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Delegates at the International Horticultural Expo Conference on 9 March 2026 (Image: Ludovic Vilbert, Inwardout Studio)
By Gabrielle Stannus
The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) 2026 Meeting, which took place from 8-12 March 2026, offered unique insights into the current challenges and opportunities for the global industry and provided in-depth knowledge of Australia’s ornamental horticulture sector.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Sean Cole
Every week or two somewhere in Australia, a new plant pest or disease is detected. Most growers never see those headlines directly, but the consequences travel fast: lost crops, halted plant movements, disrupted supply chains and extra costs.… Continue reading
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Celeste Cook undertaking a nursery walkthrough as part of the GrowConnex extension program (Image: Greenlife Industry Australia)
By Celeste Cook
Biosecurity often sounds like an industry-level issue. But inside a nursery, it usually comes down to much smaller things. Most nursery pest problems start with something small. Often it starts with a shipment of plants that does not look quite right that enters the production space.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy John Fitzsimmons
Garden centre operators have many opportunities to improve merchandising and increase sales volumes. As practical demonstrations at the Garden Inspiration Group’s 2026 gathering in Melbourne showed, these improvements need not necessarily be costly.
The Garden Inspiration Group (GIG) invited key staff from independent garden centres to its annual function at The Manningham in Bulleen on 2 March 2026.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy John Siemon, Damian Wrigley, David Smith, Peter Scott, Brett Summerell, Matthew Laurence and Sarah Dunstan
Australia’s botanic gardens are more than tranquil retreats and essential hubs for conservation – they are frontline sentinels in the battle against invasive species, plant pathogens and the growing threats posed by global change.… Continue reading
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Dr Chris Brosnan and Dr Don Gardiner in the University of Queensland (UQ) laboratory (Image: Megan-Pope, UQ)
By Natalie MacGregor
University of Queensland (UQ) research has revealed that double-stranded RNA-based biopesticides (dsRNA) sprayed on plant leaves can travel right down into root systems. Led by Dr Chris Brosnan at UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), the work also disproves a long-standing misconception that dsRNA directly enters plant cells.… Continue reading
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