Meet

Blooms and Brushstrokes

26 August 2019 | Penelope Curtin

In their floral history of Australian art, mother and daughter team Peneloep and Tansy Curtin uncover the stories behind some of our favourite floral artworks.

Delicious: Lentil’s summer breakfast bowl

13 December 2018 | Lentil Purbrick

Breakfast eggs get a super-fresh makeover in this dish from ‘The Village’ by Matt and Lentil from Grown and Gathered.

George Forrest: the plant world's Indiana Jones

22 May 2015 | Graham Ross

When we pick up a few plants at the local garden centre, we rarely give a thought to the brave adventurers who risked their lives to collect the plants from the wild hundreds of years ago.

Sarah Ryan’s garden reaches a peak in autumn when the perennial border is at luscious full volume and the mature trees that nestle up to the old farmhouse throw fiery reflections into the lake. Here she tells us what she’s up to in this busy season.

In my kitchen garden: Camden, NSW

28 February 2019 | Mickey Robertson

Mickey Robertson’s kitchen garden at Glenmore House is as beautiful as it is productive, experimental and instructive.

La Vie En Rose

28 February 2019 | Marian Somes

The charms of French country living inspired Marian Somes to create her own version at her beautiful garden Picardy in the Gippsland hills.

Meet Chris Cuddy

03 November 2015 | Robin Powell

Perenialle Plants is a mail-order nursery for tough plants, but you can also drop in. Don’t miss the chance if you are in the Canowindra area. As well as the plants, there’s an inspiring garden and lovely little shop full of artisan-made house and garden desirables.

Meet Claire Bickle

01 September 2016 | Robin Powell

Meet Claire Bickle, Garden Clinic's newest expert. Claire Bickle writes, talks and lives horticulture and sustainability. An expert on subtropical gardening, she’s also a self-confessed ‘poultry tragic’ and the Garden Clinic go-to for advice on backyard birds. Claire will be running a Jump Into Spring Class at this years Brisbane International Garden Show. Book now and come join in the fun.

Meet Daryl Jones, Bird feeder

01 June 2018 | Robin Powell

Millions of people around the world feed birds in their garden, which is not necessarily a good thing, as Professor Daryl Jones explains in his new book The Birds at My Table.

Meet Dave Gray: Head gardener, Everglades

29 August 2019 | Robin Powell

For the last two years Dave Gray has been head gardener at Everglades, a National Trust property in Leura, designed and built through the 1930s by Paul Sorensen.

Meet David Mabberley, Botanist and Author

14 February 2018 | Robin Powell

Sydney Parkinson made hundreds of sketches and watercolours for Joseph Banks on board the Endeavour on Captain Cook’s first journey. More than 200 years later they have finally been printed in colour as Joseph Banks’ Florilegium. Professor David Mabberley chose the prints and wrote the text.

Meet Dr Kate Neale, garden-health researcher

01 June 2018 | Robin Powell

What are the therapeutic benefits of gardening in social housing, preschools, schools, health services and aged care? Dr Kate Neale from Southern Cross University is keen to find out, starting with KindyGarden, a program aimed at getting 3-5 year olds growing food.

Meet Elaine Tocker

28 February 2019 | Robin Powell

Meet Elaine Tocker: Head gardener, Huka Lodge Huka Lodge, near Lake Taupo in New Zealand, is renowned for its fine food, generous hospitality, incredible location- and beautiful gardens!

Meet Elizabeth Back, Flower grower

06 September 2018 | Robin Powell

Elizabeth Back runs Wild Aesthetic Flowers. Robin Powell interviews Elizabeth here and gets to know what's growing in her garden

Meet Florist, Nga Bui

23 January 2018 | Robin Powell

Like a loose, just-picked look for the flowers in your house? So does Nga Bui. Here Robin Powell interviews one of Sydney's favourite florists

Meet Georgina Reid, storyteller and gardener

22 December 2018 | Robin Powell

Georgina Reid is a landscape designer, gardener and writer who four years ago launched the online magazine The Planthunter to explore the connections between people and plants. Her new book, ‘The Planthunter’, continues the conversation.

Meet Glennis Clark, Heritage Rose grower and Rookwood volunteer

21 May 2019 | Robin Powell

Among the hidden treasures at Rookwood Necropolis are beautiful old roses, cared for by volunteers.

Meet Justine Smith, Rhipsalis grower

11 October 2016 | Robin Powell

Justine Smith’s beautifully grown rhipsalis flew off the tables at Collectors’ Plant Fair this year. Don’t worry if you missed out - she’s now supplying Flower Power with these hairy hanging delights under the Jungle Cactus label.

Meet Kath Gadd

28 February 2019 | Robin Powell

Kath Gadd’s company is Mallee Design, a garden design business that uses only Australian plants, and does a neat sideline in beautiful, spun copper birdbaths.

Meet Keith and Maureene Smith

26 August 2019 | Robin Powell

Cancer fundraisers and plant propagators

Meet Kevin Collins, banksia collector

24 May 2016 | Robin Powell

Kevin Collins and his wife Kathy grow the world’s only complete collection of banksias in their garden at Mount Barker, Western Australia.

Meet Libby Litchfield, Owner of Hazeldean

21 May 2019 | Robin Powell

Hidden in the cold, dry treeless plains of the Monaro, south of Cooma, are some garden treasures like Hazeldean, an historic angus and merino stud that is also the home and garden of Jim and Libby Litchfield.

Meet Mark Jury, magnolia breeder

21 May 2019 | Robin Powell

If there’s a stunning deciduous magnolia in your garden with enormous cup-shaped blooms and rich colour, chances are it was bred by New Zealand plantsman, Mark Jury.

Meet Pat and Bill Rhodin Tulip Tops gardeners

13 June 2017 | Robin Powell

Meet Pat and Bill Rhodin, Tulip Tops gardeners. They work hard all year to make this garden's spring display something memorable

Meet Peter Hey, clivia breeder and grower of rare plants

28 February 2019 | Linda Ross

Meet Peter Hey, clivia breeder and grower of rare plants

Meet Robert Price

02 June 2016 | Linda Ross

Meet: Bob Price, founder and curator, Mexico’s Vallarta Botanical Gardens. Bob Price plan was to conserve Mexico’s unique flora and birdlife and the Vallarta Botanical Gardens he founded to help achieve that were recently included on the list of Top Ten Public Gardens in America you should visit.

Meet Ros Loftus

26 August 2019 | Robin Powell

Riversdale is a National Trust property in Goulburn where volunteers have battled drought, rabbits and running bamboo to recreate a beautiful, much-loved garden.

Meet Scott Pollock

16 May 2018 | Robin Powell

Meet Scott Pollock - Manager, Retford Park. James Fairfax believed that his beautiful Southern Highlands property, Retford Park, should be preserved for the enjoyment of the community. So he gave it to the National Trust, who took over the reins in August 2017.

Meet Simon Griffiths

28 February 2019 | Robin Powell

Meet Simon Griffiths, Garden photographerSimon Griffiths is one of Australia’s best-known garden photographers. He’s also a gardener, and his new book ‘Garden Love’ features his own garden in Kyneton, Victoria, as well as favourites from around the country.

Meet Tahnee Carroll, Stylist and plant-lover

06 September 2018 | Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan

Tahnee Carroll has never seen a room that can’t be made more appealing with a plant or two, as she explains in this extract from a new book on indoor plants, ‘Leaf Supply’.

Meet the Lindesay gardeners

23 January 2017 | Robin Powell

Every Thursday morning a group of garden lovers gathers in the beautiful grounds of Lindesay in Darling Point and gets to work. Here Robin Powell talks to the group about their passionate connection to this historic house and garden

Meet Tom Coward: Head gardener at Gravetye Manor

14 February 2018 | Robin Powell

Gravetye Manor is the garden of the influential English gardener, William Robinson. Robin Powell spoke to its current head gardener Tom Coward about its historical accuracy and modern excitement.

Meet: Richard Anderson, horticulturist and plant collector

18 March 2015 | Robin Powell

Robin talks to Richard about discovering new plants and propagating them to bring them market.

Meet: Alex Elliott-Howery

17 December 2015 | Robin Powell

Meet Alex Elliott-Howery, pickler and community builder.To say that Alex Elliott-Howery and her husband James Grant have a café doesn’t begin to tell the story. Cornersmith is not just a café, but a pickling and preserving business and school, and a trading hub for the produce gardeners of Marrickville.

Meet: Angus Stewart

09 September 2017 | Robin Powell

Meet Angus Stewart. Plant breeder, gardener and new resident of the Apple Isle. He is also our favourite native wildflower enthusiast.

Meet: Anita Rayner

30 November 2015 | Robin Powell

Meet Anita Rayner, Head gardener, Sydney Living Museums. The gardens at Vaucluse House are one of Sydney’s historic horticultural treasures. Anita Rayner fell in love with them at first sight; now she runs them.

Meet: Anne Ruston, rose garden owner

13 February 2015 | Robin Powell

Anne Ruston is a South Australian senator, but for rose lovers the really important job she holds is as owner of Ruston Roses, a horticultural icon in South Australia, established by her uncle David. We take a wander though the garden with her.

Meet: Annie Hughes, botanical artist

06 March 2015 | Libby Cameron

Fascinated by the colours and textures of seeds and fruits, Annie Hughes talks about her paintings.

Meet: Bethany Linz

07 March 2016 | Robin Powell

Meet Bethany Linz. Wallpaper and textile designer. Bringing the garden inside develops a whole new meaning with Bethany Linz’ botanically inspired wallpapers.

Meet: Beverly Allen, botanical artist

07 May 2015 | Libby Cameron

Beverly's background is in graphic design and illustration, however her discovery of Shirley Sherwood’s beautiful book ‘Contemporary Botanical Artists’ turned her to plants!

Meet: Bob Cherry, our favourite modern-day-plant-hunter

03 March 2015 | Graham Ross

After 40 years developing plants and showing them off in the beautiful gardens at Paradise Plants at Gosford on the Central Coast of NSW, plant hunter and developer Bob Cherry is selling up and moving on. Graham Ross spoke with him about his work.

Meet: Brendan Moar, show garden creator

11 February 2015 | Linda Ross

You really can't help but be a big fan of the work of landscape architect and television presenter Brendan Moar - he's adorable. Seeing one of his gardens come to life on his Lifestyle channel shows is a treat; seeing one live at the Singapore Garden Festival is even better.

Meet: Caitlin Sawyer

16 September 2015 | Robin Powell

Meet Caitlin Sawyer, Young Horticulturist of the Year in 2015, and winner of the BBM Sir John Pagan Horticulture Travel Scholarship for 2014/15.

Meet: Charlotte Thodey, painter

06 March 2015 | Robin Powell

We talk to Charlotte about her work and her exhibition at Chateau de Villandry.

Meet: Clarence Slockee, Aboriginal Education Officer at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

07 May 2015 | Libby Cameron

Clarence came to Sydney to study music and dance; his interest in the bush and the relationships between animals, plants and people led him to the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Meet: Criss Canning, still life painter

20 May 2015 | Sandra Ross

Criss Canning is one of Australia’s foremost painters of still life. Her meticulous and harmonious compositions impart a sense of serenity, while the colour palate is rich and sensuous. Most of her paintings feature plants from the garden at Burnside and Sandra asked her about the link between the garden and her art.

Meet: Dale Dixon, tropical plant enthusiast, curator of Latitude 23

19 July 2016 | Robin Powell

Meet Dr Dale Dixon, tropical plant enthusiast and curator of 'Latitude 23' at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney.

Meet: David Jones, plantsman, researcher and writer

20 March 2015 | Libby Cameron

Libby Cameron talks to David Jones about his love of orchids and his book, 'Starting Out with Orchids'.

Meet: David Kennedy

07 March 2016 | Robin Powell

David Kennedy’s Katoomba garden Clover Hill is a showcase of rare cool climate gems. With no room left, the avid plant collector and nurseryman has started a new garden over the mountains.

Meet: David Lawry, director, Avenues of Honour

18 February 2015 | Robin Powell

David Lawry has a simple, grand idea – that the life of every Australian killed in combat is commemorated in a living tree. We spoke with him about bringing the vision to life.

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