Tuesday, June 3, 2025

landscape design

EditorialEditors editorial

Landscaping the future

Karen Smith 188 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Speaking with designers and installers at the recent Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) made me think about some of the challenges and issues they need to address when designing landscapes. The landscape philosophy is constantly evolving.

From climate change and urbanisation to social equity and technological innovation, landscape architects and designers are now focusing on creating spaces that not only look aesthetically pleasing but also regenerate ecosystems, promote well-being, and promote environmental resilience.…

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The Stones – a garden with heart (Image Patrick Regnault) The Stones – a garden with heart (Image Patrick Regnault)
LandscapeLandscape event

Exploring excellence: Visiting gardens of the Macedon region

Patrick Regnault 143 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

By Patrick Regnault

Before the Australian Landscape Conference 2025 was held in Melbourne recently, Outlandish Ventures organised a tour of various gardens in the Mount Macedon region and the surrounding district. We visited five very different gardens, and each garden provided food for thought.

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Dahlia x hybrida 'Sincerity Rose Bicolour' (Image: Syngenta flowers) Dahlia x hybrida 'Sincerity Rose Bicolour' (Image: Syngenta flowers)
LandscapePlant of the Year 2025

2025 Plant of the Year winners 

Gabrielle Stannus 174 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

By Gabrielle Stannus

Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria (NGIV) launched its inaugural Plant of the Year awards late last year, with the winners announced during the annual Australian Horticultural Trials Week in December. I spoke with the breeders and growers behind these plants at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, where their award-winning cultivars were receiving much attention from those in attendance, to find out their landscape uses.

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The ‘ǝ’skāp’ Show Garden at MIFGS 2025 (Image: Ludovic Vilbert, Inwardout Studio) The ‘ǝ’skāp’ Show Garden at MIFGS 2025 (Image: Ludovic Vilbert, Inwardout Studio)
LandscapeLandscape Design

Early planning planted the seeds of ǝ’skāp’s MIFGS win, part one

Gabrielle Stannus 140 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

By Gabrielle Stannus

Designed by Rob Cooper from Distinctive Gardens in Adelaide and constructed by Yergan Landscape and Desert Flower Landscaping, show garden ‘ǝ’skāp’ took out the City of Melbourne Award of Excellence for Best in Show, as well as a Gold medal, at the recent Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS).

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Plant PalettePlants

Hackable groundcovers – the ultimate rejuvenators

Daniel Fuller 113 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

By Daniel Fuller

At Ozbreed, we believe we’re only just now starting to bring out the best traits of our native Australian plants. Recently, we’ve had a renewed focus on providing the industry with plants that can be hacked back reliably for ease of maintenance.

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Natallie Back’s 'The Sustainable Sanctuary' was built from the grant awarded to her from Open Gardens Victoria (images supplied by Karen Smith) Natallie Back’s 'The Sustainable Sanctuary' was built from the grant awarded to her from Open Gardens Victoria (images supplied by Karen Smith)
EditorialIndustry Event

Design, Inspiration and Colour

Karen Smith 137 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

Melbourne celebrates horticultural ingenuity

By Karen Smith

What draws over 115,000 visitors to Melbourne’s Carlton Gardens each year for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show? The reasons are many and varied – from stunning floral displays to world-class Show Gardens.

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Trees create a serene and calm environment as they cradle this design by Christian Jenkins design (Image: Karen Smith) Trees create a serene and calm environment as they cradle this design by Christian Jenkins design (Image: Karen Smith)
Business FileEditorial

Cost-Plus quoting and how it works

John Corban 116 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

By John Corban

How a Cost-Plus Estimate works, whether it can work for you, and how to effectively sell it.

Over the past few years, I have been increasingly asked about Cost-Plus estimating, how it works and whether the enquiring contractors should utilise it.…

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A Baw-Baw Berry (Wittsteinia vacciniacea) plant vegetatively propagated testing conservation horticulture methods and now established in the Gondwana Garden, as an ex-situ Living Collection, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – Cranbourne. (Image: S. Levy) A Baw-Baw Berry (Wittsteinia vacciniacea) plant vegetatively propagated testing conservation horticulture methods and now established in the Gondwana Garden, as an ex-situ Living Collection, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – Cranbourne. (Image: S. Levy)
ConservationEnvironment & Sustainability

The high preservation value of conservation horticulture

admin 153 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

By Dr. Megan Hirst and Holden Sayers

Conservation Horticulture is an important discipline driven by botanic gardens working towards global strategies to address plant conservation, with an emphasis on ex-situ living plant collections of high preservation value. The role brings together the ecology of a species with horticultural techniques to successfully propagate and provide plant material for ex-situ living collections, reintroduction, or more broadly, cultivation.

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Various types of spinach are popular ingredients in many dishes (Image: Bernadette Wurzinger, Pixabay) Various types of spinach are popular ingredients in many dishes (Image: Bernadette Wurzinger, Pixabay)
Plant PalettePlants

Another spinach!

Clive Larkman 99 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

By Clive Larkman

Spinach has to be one of those vegetables that many people have a love/hate relationship with in the western world. Kids hate it because it is green and often served as a pile of mush. When cooked fresh it isn’t too bad, but when cooked from canned or frozen it is really not a pleasant side dish.…

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The impact of plastic on marine life (Image: cloud_purple, Pixabay) The impact of plastic on marine life (Image: cloud_purple, Pixabay)
EditorialNewsbuds

New developments with biodegradable plastics

admin 85 Views 0 Comments ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  ,  , 

With the ongoing concerns of plastic waste and pollution it is heartening to hear that Japanese researchers have recently developed innovative biodegradable plastics that decompose rapidly in marine environments.

A team, led by Takuzo Aida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), in collaboration with the University of Tokyo and Eindhoven University of Technology, has created a durable plastic that fully dissolves in seawater.…

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