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).… Continue reading
Read MoreBy 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.… Continue reading
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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)
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.… Continue reading
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Trees create a serene and calm environment as they cradle this design by Christian Jenkins design (Image: Karen Smith)
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.… Continue reading
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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)
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.… Continue reading
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Various types of spinach are popular ingredients in many dishes (Image: Bernadette Wurzinger, Pixabay)
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.… Continue reading
Read MoreWith 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.… Continue reading
Read MoreKaren Smith
In this issue, Clive Larkman explores weeds, an area we haven’t covered in some time. Coincidentally, while driving home this morning, I was pleasantly surprised to hear an ABC radio segment discussing an environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional Western-style casket for funerals.… Continue reading
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Paths need to be designed for practicality, whilst still being aesthetically pleasing (Image: Patrick Regnault)
By Patrick Regnault
Designing a garden requires a multiskilled approach. Plant and soil knowledge, an understanding of the influence of topography and geology on weather patterns, an ability to observe the local fauna and flora, a good grasp of engineering and construction, planning and scheduling proficiency, communication skills, and basic financial comprehension are all needed.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Gabrielle Stannus
Plans are well under way for Australia’s third Summer Olympics to be held in Brisbane in 2032. But did you know we have never held a ‘Horticultural Olympics’? According to the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), hosting such an event could provide the opportunity of a lifetime for one Australian city to recreate an urban landscape, leaving a permanent green legacy for its inhabitants.… Continue reading
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