landscape design

CareersCareers & Education

Plan A, and no Plan B, is the powerful approach to succeed

By John Corban

“I hate Plan B. People perform better, in sports and everything else, if they don’t have a Plan B. I’ve never, ever had a Plan B.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Schwarzenegger believes people have a backup plan because they are worried they will fail.… Continue reading

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Plant Protection

Crop protection: Wildlife’s safety net

By Gabrielle Stannus

From private residences to public landscapes, keeping out unwanted pests is just part of the job, and fundamentally good design. However, what if that ‘pest’ also happens to be a protected native species? If you are designing or maintaining a productive garden, make sure you know how to net fruit trees safely to avoid harm to Australia’s unique fauna.Continue reading

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LandscapeLandscape Design

Cottage charm

By Lynne Testoni

A well-thought-out maintenance plan has retained the charm and authenticity of these classically planted gardens.

There is something reassuring and calming about an English-style cottage garden. Set among eight acres of magnificent English-style gardens, Annesley Bowral Retirement Village, about 120km south of Sydney, New South Wales, could be called a Southern Highlands sanctuary.… Continue reading

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Native PlantsPlants

Native plants and grasses surveyed with Landscape Architects

By Daniel Fuller

Plant breeding has made significant strides over the past couple of decades. What once impressed landscape architects no longer suffices, as new cultivars are now more resilient, requiring less maintenance. While nursery businesses know what has sold well in the past, predicting future popular cultivars remains a challenge.… Continue reading

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Greener Spaces Better Places Update

What’s Growing on?

Industry experts invite 82,000 Aussies to ask me anything!

Welcome to this month’s Greener Spaces Better Places program update. Read on to find out the latest news and highlights to keep you up to date on what’s happening and how you can benefit.Continue reading

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Greenhouse RoboticsGreenhouses & Technology

High-tech and ‘better mousetraps’

Compiled and edited by John Fitzsimmons

As Dutch startup Cubic Grow BV points out, horticulture is on the verge of a radical transformation with robotics, automation, and autonomous cultivation enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and optimising product quality. Often, it’s not about inventing the mousetrap but certainly about making a better one.Continue reading

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Plant Protection

Personal protection – disease prevention

By Patrick Regnault

Working in gardens gives immense pleasure but it is not without risk. A garden has many guests including small creatures that are part of the ecosystem. It is not all about bees and butterflies and cute little birds.Continue reading

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Environment & Sustainability

Shade and tree coverage, critical amid rising urban heat

By Michael Casey

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) confirmed 2023 was the warmest year on record. The annual average global temperature in 2023 was close to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, a significant benchmark set by the Paris Agreement to limit long-term temperature increases.Continue reading

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EditorialIndustry Event

Seeds of change

By Leigh McGaghey

Therapeutic Horticulture Australia (THA) recently hosted their national Conference ‘Seeds of Change: Social Physical and Mental Wellbeing Through Therapeutic Horticulture’ at the RACV Resort in Noosa, Queensland. Volunteers delivered a tremendous event over three days, with the conference as well as tours, workshops and social events bringing together delegates from across Australia.Continue reading

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CareersCareers & Education

Career progression without becoming a manager or starting a business

By Daniel Fuller

For most of my decade-long career in the landscape maintenance sector, I truly believed that I only had two pathways to progress my career in the horticulture industry – move into management at a large company, or start my own maintenance business.Continue reading

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