By Clive Larkman
Plants are divided into a series of logical groups based on their botanical characteristics, a result of the work commenced by noted Swedish botanist and physician Carl Linnaeus in the early 18th century. Since that time, the science of classifying plants has developed greatly, and the decisions to move plants into or out of taxonomic categories are made based on increasingly smaller differences, thus becoming more technical.… Continue reading
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The fruit of the blue lilly pilly (Syzygium oleosum) can be eaten raw or may be used to make jams, jellies, sauces, syrups, confectionery and wine (Image: Tucker Bush)
By Jennifer McQueen
During Covid, as isolating households experimented with vegetable seedlings and graduated to fruit trees, Australian native edimentals began to catch the public imagination. ‘Covid shifted the perception of native edimentals from “hippy fringe” to mainstream curious,’ says Mark Tucek, founder of Tucker Bush.… Continue reading
Read MoreIn this issue, we focus on the theme of technological advancement, be that greenhouses, equipment and/or artificial intelligence. In a fitting segue from our last issue which focussed on professional development, Patrick Regnault has taken the word equipment to mean: ‘to equip oneself with knowledge’.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Michael Casey
As artificial intelligence moves into city planning and landscape design, a new partnership is emerging between data and horticulture.
Artificial intelligence is a phrase that can sound cold and mechanical, far removed from the soil, roots and living systems we are all accustomed to.… Continue reading
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Habitats develop in layers of repeated resource accumulations: niches where moisture and nutrients are captured between inanimate and living structures (Image: Erik van Zuilekom)
By Erik van Zuilekom
The polarised debate over native versus exotic species frequently misses the fundamental question: does the landscape function as an integrated ecology, or merely as a collection of isolated individuals?¹ Plant failure in professional landscapes may occasionally stem from poor species choice, though it most frequently emerges from inappropriate ecological integration.… Continue reading
Read MoreA pioneering, urban-greening approach transforming Australian cities into vibrant and biodiverse spaces has been released to the public, empowering home gardeners and land managers with over a decade of research and knowledge in native plant design and management.
Developed at the University of Melbourne, ‘Woody Meadows’ are redefining how councils, communities and developers design and maintain landscapes – turning concrete jungles into thriving green spaces.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Tara Cuddihy
This article builds on my recent story about the proposed tax on superannuation balances over $3 million under the Better Targeted Superannuation Concessions (BTSC) policy (see Hort Journal, July 2025). The proposal sparked considerable concern among Australians, particularly those with Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs) invested in non-residential properties, including farming land.… Continue reading
Read MoreImagine losing your entire crop – and your market – to one unseen disease.
That’s what growers overseas have faced with Xylella fastidiosa, one of the world’s most damaging plant pathogens.… Continue reading
Read MoreBy Daniel Fuller
For specifiers, flowers are important for several reasons. Of course they provide aesthetic value, but they also provide environmental support for pollinators. Flowers also attract biological pest control including the adult life-forms of predatory flies and parasitic wasps, whose larvae are incredibly effective at keeping sap-sucking and munching pest populations under control.… Continue reading
Read MoreThe Landscape Association (TLA) has announced the outstanding winners of the 2025 Landscape Excellence Awards, proudly sponsored by Glazed Co. Presented at a sold-out gala dinner at Sydney’s Doltone House on Friday 7 November, the event brought together more than 550 members, sponsors, suppliers and industry professionals to celebrate the very best in landscape design, construction and maintenance across NSW and the ACT.… Continue reading
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