Groundswell Vol 24 No 4 (April 2013)

VOLUME 24 NUMBER 4 APRIL 2013

‘Haute-Culture’

Print Post Approved PP381 667/00685

takes gold at MIFGS

GROUNDSWELL RRP $8.95

G R O W I N G W E L L : P L A N T S A S T H E R A P Y – S E E PA G E 6

what’s inside

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16

22

26

gs features

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Growing Well

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NextGen: Veggie boxes inspire a new generation of horticulturist

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MIFGS 2013: Coverage

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The changing face of garden centre retailing

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Sowing the seeds for greener cities

NGIV

PARTNERS PROGRAM PLATINUM

GOLD

SILVER

price update Increased by $1.88 per tonne (0.10 cents per litre) Prices effective 1 April 2013 (inc Carbon Tax &GST)

PUBLISHER NURSERY & GARDEN INDUSTRY VICTORIA PRESIDENT David Howard CEO Euan Laird EDITOR Youna Angevin-Castro CONTRIBUTORS Alan Hollensen, Mitch Gobel, Nan Cleven ADDRESS Unit 3, 307 Wattletree Road, East Malvern, 3145.

MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 2280, Wattletree Road LPO, East Malvern VIC 3145.

TELEPHONE (03) 9576 0599 FAX (03) 9576 0431 EMAIL youna@ngiv.com.au WEBSITE www.ngiv.com.au FINISHED ART Vale Graphics 2 Johnston Street, Ashburton VIC 3147.

Telephone: (03) 9885 2315 Mobile: 0409 88 77 06 Email: angiev@optusnet.com.au PRINTING Southern Colour 2 Southpark Close Keysborough VIC 3173

This project has been funded by HAL using the nursery levy and matched funds from the Australian Government.

HORTICULTURE AUSTRALIA Horticulture Australia Limited Level 7, 179 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000.

Tel: (02) 8295 2300

What a tremendous start to the year! As we close the door on yet another MIFGS, it is a good time to acknowledge the enormous efforts that our industry puts into this annual event to make it a success.

My congratulations go to everyone who participated at MIFGS – those generous nurseries who provided plants for the amazing array of show gardens and outdoor exhibits; those who volunteered their time at the Garden Advice Clinic or Tree & Shrub Growers stand; those who spent the five days showcasing the industry and making connections with the public…to each and every one of you I say thank you for flying the flag for the industry. With 105,000 people through the gates over the five days, it is undeniable that this is a unique opportunity for us to position ourselves front and centre in the eyes – and minds - of the public.

That said, with the hustle and bustle of MIFGS now behind us, it is a perfect opportunity to regroup and review the event. Over the coming months the creative group will be evaluating this year’s show, and will put forward to the Flower & Garden Show Board for their consideration their recommendations for the future improvement of the event.

More broadly, it is probably also a good time for the industry to take a look at its activities within the context the wider community.

If we are to be a successful and progressive industry, we need to ensure that we remain relevant to our consumers.

This requires a constant program of evaluation and re-evaluation of where we sit in within the wider marketplace, and is dependent on being able to identify and act on opportunities as they arise. Critical to this is that we are perceived as an open and transparent industry.

It is through honest and open dialogue – both within the industry, and with our external partners – that collaboration and innovation will thrive. But to do that, we need to ensure that everyone feels that they have a voice, and that they will be heard.

Conferences are traditionally the breeding ground for discussion and ideas, and I anticipate that the upcoming joint NGIV/IPPS conference will be no different. Let us use this opportunity to continue the conversation about the future of our industry!

Cheers,

David Howard NGIV President Bay Road Nursery

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gs insight

DAV I D H OWA R D

Hi.

T

he therapeutic value of gardens is not a new concept.

During the Middle Ages in Europe, monasteries were known to create complex and elaborate gardens as a refuge for ill patients during their recovery. Over the centuries, the practice of using gardens and gardening for improving recovery and general health has grown, and in the twentieth century horticultural therapy emerged as a valid form of therapy for a variety of mental disabilities, physical disabilities, visual impairment, acquired brain injury, aged care, substance abuse, correction settings, youth and child care, hospitals as well as the general health and wellbeing of the community.

Over the last ten years, horticulturist and registered nurse Steven Wells has been using horticulture therapy as part of the rehabilitation program at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre. Over that time, Steven has created a program, and a garden, that inspires his patients, their families and the staff on a daily basis.

Steven began his career as a registered nurse in South Australia, but after moving to Melbourne, decided that he was ready for a career change. A trip to the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show opened his mind to horticulture as a possible career, and in 2000 he enrolled in the Diploma of Applied Science at Burnley.

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“I continued to work part-time as a nurse while I studied.

But after I completed the course, I left the healthcare sector and went to work full-time in a retail nursery. I really valued the experience of getting amongst the plants, and putting the knowledge I had gained during my studies into practice,” he said.

Unfortunately, Steven discovered that his new-found career lacked some of the flexibility of nursing, and after a couple of years as a full-time horticulturist, went back to working in a hospital.

“It was a practical decision at the time to go back to nursing, but I was determined not to give up my horticultural pursuits altogether.”

Working four days a week at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre in Kew, Steven committed one day a week to his gardening. He joined a Growing Friends group at the Royal Botanic Gardens, where he interacted with other gardeners and kept his passion for plants alive. Before long, his attention turned to the gardens at the hospital.

“The outdoor space at the hospital was very bland…exposed walls with a bit of lawn and minimal plantings. My green thumb was itching to do something about it.”

It was whilst undertaking his horticultural studies that Steven had been introduced to the idea of horticultural therapy.

“I initially resisted the concept because I was looking for a complete career change. But once I was back at the hospital, it made more sense. So I approached my Unit Manager, who was very open to the idea, and was happy for me to run a garden program with patients for one hour a week.”

Working within the Acquired Brain Injury Unit, Steven developed a program of gardening activities that would help his patients on their journey to rehabilitation. Every activity is designed to be purposeful, and to assist with recovery. This means that the focus of the program is very much about the process of gardening, rather than production.

“The idea of horticultural therapy is to use the garden as a way to subtly work with patients on specific areas of rehabilitation. This may be about re-establishing fine motor skills, strengthening their planning and processing abilities or even helping them to speak again and improve their communication skills,” Steven said.

“For patients who were avid gardeners before their injury, working in the garden can provide a sense of familiarity and normalcy during their stay at the hospital – which may extend over weeks or months – which can only be beneficial to their recovery. For some patients, this will be their first introduction to gardening, but the benefits are the same.”

Since starting the horticultural therapy program in 2003, the program has grown to include patients from all units of the hospital. Steven has also been charged with creating and designing the gardens across all the Austin Health campuses.

Following a review of the sites, he has developed a master plan and environmental strategy for the health provider’s outdoor spaces, with a specific focus on patient outcomes. This has essentially taken him off the ward (although he does continue to do one nursing shift per fortnight), and into the gardens for most of the week. Part of his focus has been to create green spaces that provide respite for patients during their stay.

“Gardens in themselves have therapeutic value. For many patients their stay at hospital is confined to the four walls of continued over…

Connecting the dots with research The link between general wellbeing and access to nature has been documented in a number of research papers worldwide. Steven is currently working with Associate Professor Mardi Townsend from the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University to establish a body of research to support the work he is doing with the Royal Talbot.

“I approached Associate Professor Townsend when I took on the role, as I felt that any research validation would be beneficial to the program.

With increased demands on health services, it is not uncommon for nonessential services to be pared back in the face of funding challenges.

“I think, intuitively, we all know that there are positive outcomes for patients and the community as a result of investment in green spaces, but hopefully this research will bring some weight to that discussion.”

Associate Professor Townsend is involved, in collaboration with Parks Victoria and other partner organisations, in investigating the benefits of contact with nature for human health and wellbeing. Current and recent research includes: an investigation of health and wellbeing outcomes of differing levels of access to nature for residents of high-rise housing; a study of mental health benefits of hands-on nature based activities in primary schools; a nature based intervention program for people suffering depression, anxiety and/or social isolation; an assessment of health benefits of a visiting companion animal program in an acute care hospital; several projects exploring the health and wellbeing outcomes of ‘bush adventure therapy’ programs in Australia; several projects exploring the benefits of environmental volunteering; and a project assessing the valuing and use of parks in high and low socioeconomic areas.

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GROWING WELL continued…

their room, and the hospital gardens provide a place for them to go where they can feel safe and calm. What I try to do is create a tranquil environment which promotes healing and psychological recovery during their stay.”

One of Steven’s greatest challenges is the limited funding and resources available for his projects. Garden projects are funded through non-operational funding, which means he relies on donations, grants and community support.

“Because of our restricted budgets, I don’t have a lot of scope to create a space that needs a lot of ongoing maintenance.

Everything I design has to be low maintenance and high impact. We tend to propagate a lot of succulents because they are forgiving, but also because they bring a lot of colour and shape to the space.”

That said, he is clear to point out that it is not purely a succulent garden.

“Although I’m more cautious than bold, I’m not afraid to get inspired and dream big. Things might take a little longer to achieve, but I see the garden as an ongoing, long-term prospect.

At any one time, I might have ten different projects that I’m working on – some are small areas, some are bigger – but they all form part of the bigger picture.”

Critical to the bigger picture are Steven’s relationships with donors.

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“Without those partnerships, I wouldn’t be able to do my job.

Every relationship established with a donor is important, no matter the size of the contribution. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about a substantial financial commitment, or a couple of $10 plants that have been gifted to us - anything, and everything, is significant.”

Steven’s passion is infectious, and it’s not surprising that his work is being recognised across the country. In 2012, he was named Gardening Australia’s ‘Gardener of the Year’ – an accolade that has given him a platform from which to promote his work, and share his knowledge.

“I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to develop my passion through this role, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of the organisation I work for. The Royal Talbot is a great showcase of what can be achieved, and I’m fortunate enough to be able to stick around and see the garden grow into what it is today.

“As a designer, you rarely get to see a garden when it comes to fruition. Usually you’ve moved on to another project by then.

So to have been able to design and create the garden, and still be working within the space is a very privileged position to be in.”

If you would like to see Steven’s work, the next Tree & Shrub Growers meeting will be held at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre on Tuesday 16th April. For more information or bookings, contact the NGIV office ngiv@ngiv.com.au.

A recent visit to the unique inner city premises of The Little Veggie Patch Co. proved an exciting discovery for young horticulturist Mitch Gobel of Tavistock Nursery.

A

s a fourth year apprentice, my views on the horticulture industry are forever evolving and expanding.

My desire for knowledge and inspiration has led me to NextGen. It’s here that I have found the perfect education.

On the evening of Thursday 22nd February, I was fortunate enough to attend a laidback, but very informative tour through the inner city premises of The Little Veggie Patch Co. – a gardening oasis created by Fabian Capomolla and his partner Mat Pember. Fabian gave a speech about the ideas and goals that he had set out to achieve through the business, he then went on to explain how he turned those ideas and goals into reality.

I took in as much as I could and I am still taken back by the brilliance of The Little Veggie Patch. It is more unique than anything I have experienced before. The idea of getting people who haven’t been exposed to growing fruit and vegies, or even gardening, out of their inner city apartment and into the garden, whilst operating as a successful business, is not easily achieved. I’m sure this could be attempted in many ways before being successful, but by virtue of a well thought out marketing and promotional strategy, the business is quickly expanding. The Little Veggie Patch has only been running for four months, and in that time 80 per cent of its gardens/ apple bins are occupied.

The portable veggie gardens (apple boxes filled with the appropriate growing medium, and then planted out) have been a huge success. Located at Melbourne’s Federation Square, it is easily accessible and provides not only a well-needed green space in the city, but an environment where its members can escape the busy city life, unwind and relax. Amongst the 100 veggie gardens there are cooking facilities including BBQ’s, communal seating and shaded areas to accommodate for every part of Melbourne’s famously horrible weather.

Fabian is regularly available at the site and is passionate about educating people in the garden.

‘About 80% of the people that come here, had never grown a plant in their life’, he explained. Fabian will happily provide anyone with assistance in getting the most out of their patch, and is also happy to help out with garden maintenance – including watering during those hotter times if the owners are unable to be there to do it themselves. From the great looking produce that I spied overflowing from the gardens on the night, it was apparent that by investing in The Little Veggie Patch Co, people are also investing in their health, through organic food as well as their education and social life, for a very reasonable price.

On the evening we attended it was a comfortable 25 degrees – perfect weather to enjoy a few quiet drinks with friends and also meet some bright new faces, who seemed to be just as enthused about the horticulture industry as I am.

Photo credit: Tracey Wall

After the tour from Fabian, we made our way to a modern Japanese restaurant in Federation Square for some great food, great company and a few more drinks. It was a thoroughly enjoyably night, and one that I got a lot out of – both educationally and socially. It was a great opportunity to socialise with people my own age who share a common interest in horticulture, which, unfortunately, is rare. On behalf of everyone who attended I’d like to thank NextGen and the Little Veggie Patch Co for putting the evening together, I had a great night and I encourage anyone else in a similar position to myself to come along to the next NextGen event.

For more information about upcoming NextGen events, visit: www.nextgenvictoria.com.au

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Photo credit: Tracey Wall

Veggie boxes inspire a new generation of horticulturist

Trade Day News from Tuesday March 5, 2013

Sun and sausages at the Autumn Gala Trade Day March Trade Day sweltered as the hot weather continued, with many looking forward to the cooler, colourful days of autumn – and hopefully some much needed rainfall.

In anticipation of the busy season ahead there were very few vacancies, and Standholders displayed with a fantastic array of stock. Buyers were out early preparing, for the traditionally busy Easter period.

For the first time, Trade Day welcomed members of Landscaping Victoria, with a number of specialist landscaping exhibitors participating as well.

‘Bruce’ the very friendly bunny and his helper, Silvia, stopped by the Suregro stand to make sure the crew had their share of Easter eggs. Wonder why?

Terry Meehan and Paul Hamilton of Landscaping Victoria with State Labor Member for Monbulk James Merlino, NGIV CEO Euan Laird and NGIV President David Howard.

Erin Callanan of Landscaping Victoria was surprised by a visit from the Easter Bunny – all a part of the day!

And Industry Silver Partner – J F T Nurseries – our inaugural ‘Ice Cream van’ sponsor this month.

Sales Force Agencies – Penny Watson, Rod Bahamondes & Cath Le Brun. Sales Force is a supplier/distributor of a large range of retail products within Australia & New Zealand.

Heather Sands & Carola Fiedler enjoyed their visit to Trade Day, keeping busy during the morning distributing stock lists in preparation for their Winter range of quality, bare rooted trees.

More information - Contact Cath on Mob. 0412 744 793

Contact JFT on: Ph 03.9737 9633 for more information or orders.

Caribbean Gardens Entrance via 1280 Ferntree Gully Rd, Scoresby Melways Ref: 72 F8 gs APR13

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Gala Day Raffle – A day of surprises for our lucky Prize winners:

THE GALA BBQ AND Coffee Cart WAS PROUDLY sponsorED BY

PLATINUM PARTNER, GREENHILLS PROPAGATION NURSERY Serge of JD’s Leitchville – A ‘Quadrella’ – a fourth time winner for another familiar face – and some more planting work for the Grandchildren.

Steve Rowe and Keith Hobbs of Rowes Nursery, Warragul.

Ross & Mark were more than happy to draw out the winning names for our Buyer’s raffle.

Sally Tulloch – another regular buyer – busily taking a group of students from Holmesglen on tour of Trade Day, pausing just long enough to collect her prize.

As well as having a large range of tubes on display, Greenhills featured a large colourful specimen of the fantastic Euphorbia Lipstick – for stockist details call 03.5629 2443.

Steve & Lorraine Lund – of Northcote Nursery – very happy with a 2nd win in 6 months

The boys were very supportive of involving Landscaping Victoria members at Trade Day, an industry initiative well received and, they hope, will be repeated.

Important TRADE DAY Date

Jo Pringle, of Harry’s Garden Products, Seymour. A first time win in many years of attendance.

Reminder: The next Trade Day will be Tuesday 9th April – the Tuesday after Easter.

PLUS: We will be having a Footy Theme at our April Trade Day Karen Haw and Gino Castellano – The Town Centre, Mirboo North – regular buyers enjoying their 3rd win in about 15 years. Just takes time!

Our ‘thanks’ once again to Peter Vercoe from Warequip, for supplying an electric trolley and assisting David with the collection of Plants & Products raffle prizes from our ever generous standholders.

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• Dress up in your favourite footy clothes • Handball target competition – Perpetual Trophy recognition • Have a Hot Pie ’n’ sauce for morning tea

Join in on the NGIV Footy Tipping competition NOW! Log on to: www.footytips.com.au/comps/Nursery_and_ Garden_Industry and enter the password NGIV. Bragging rights and great prizes – including an AFL footy jumper in your choice of colour and size.

MIFGS recognises excellence with Awards ‘ReSurgence’ presented by Bay Road, designed by Candeo Design, constructed

by Semken Landscaping AWARDS: Horticultural Media Association award for ‘Best Use of Plant Life’ People’s Choice Award for Landscaping Silver medal – Show Garden Category Following up from last year’s show garden success, Bay Road Nursery undertook the challenge to create yet another stunning entry to the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, teaming up once again with Candeo Design and Semken Landscaping to create ‘ReSurgence’.

“The Journey to the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show started two weeks after the completion of last year’s show garden,” writes Candeo Design’s Brent Reid.

“A meeting was called between Semken Landscaping, Bay Road Nursery and Candeo Design to debrief the 2012 show and its outcome for the companies. [The 2013] show was discussed at the meeting and it was decided that these companies would collaborate again for a show garden. Forty eight weeks out from the 2013 show, a garden was started.”

Key to the design of ReSurgence were the plants – a point that was not lost on the judging panel from the Horticulture

Media Association who honoured the design with their ‘Best Use of Plant Life’ award.

As was the case for most garden displays at MIFGS this year, installation for the garden began on the Labour Day weekend with site preparation. The following 11 days were all systems go for the crew in the lead up to the official launch on the 20th of March.

“I cannot imagine how many hours have gone into creating this garden by all of the people and companies involved,” said Brent.

“I personally started keeping track of hours when we decided to do another garden. I stopped counting just before Christmas in 2012 at 128 hours. My guess would be somewhere up around 300 hours?”

FLEMINGS’ NURSERIES (right) AWARD: Silver Medal – Outdoor Exhibit category

WATER FEATURES DIRECT (left) AWARD: Bronze Medal – Outdoor Exhibit category

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‘CUBE2’ by Scott Wynd TLC Design AWARDS: Best in Show – 2013 City of Melbourne Award of Excellence Gold Medal – Show Garden category With only five weeks to design his garden prior to the start of the 2013 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, Scott Wynd’s work was cut out for him. But despite the pressure, this seasoned designer – who has won awards at both MIFGS and Chelsea over the years – came up with the goods, earning himself a Gold Medal, and the coveted ‘Best in Show’ award for Cube2.

With restrictions on both time and resources, Scott and his team have created a space which, from the crowds that it attracted throughout the show, is appealing and accessible.

“The idea was to create a liveable outdoor room – something you might find in an inner-city home in Fitzroy or Brunswick with limited backyard space,” said Scott.

Using green on green plantings, accented by variegated foliage, the design is lush and textured. However, the overall design is a simple one – deliberately so.

“We wanted to create a space that was green, yet reflected light and was inviting. We also wanted to keep things simple, and be as resourceful as we could given the short timeline

and budget restraints. For example, the feature wall in our original design was a bit different, but we had to keep costs down. The final wall is actually created from timber offcuts, and has created an equally striking effect.”

Of the overall outcome of the show, Scott is modest in his assessment.

“It was definitely a challenge,” says Scott, “but we were very pleased with the end result.”

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‘Haute-Culture’

takes gold!

Haute (Oht) adjective 1. high-class or high-toned; fancy 2. high; elevated; upper.

Cul-ture (Kuhl-cher) noun 1. the artistic and social pursuits, expression, and tastes valued by a society or class 2. the enlightenment or refinement resulting from these pursuits 3. the attitudes, feelings, values, and behaviour that characterize and inform society as a whole or any social group within it 4. the cultivation of plants, esp by scientific methods designed to improve stock or to produce new ones

Hor-ti-cul-ture (Hawr-ti-kuhl-cher) 1. the cultivation of a garden, orchard, or nursery; the cultivation of flowers, fruits, vegetables, or ornamental plants.

2. the science and art of cultivating such plants.

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The Tree & Shrub Growers Victoria joined forces with Yates to create a gold medal winning outdoor exhibit at MIFGS. With a clever play on words, this stunning display celebrated the finest elements of Melbourne culture.

An outstanding design by Steve Day and Terry Meehan brought the focus back to plants in the Tree & Shrub Growers display this year, bringing home a Gold Medal in the Outdoor Exhibit category. Visitors were wowed by an eclectic display of all things that make Melbourne the cultural and garden capital of Australia.

With references to Melbourne’s flourishing art scene, the Melbourne Cup, AFL football and our booming café culture, the display was a hub of activity during the five days of the show.

Upon entry to the exhibit, visitors were greeted by a full-scale Teak Horse from Gisborne Nursery beside the elliptical ‘racetrack’ that guided them around the stand.

A stylised footy field, featuring a set of goalposts, served to showcase the importance of turf to our State capital, whilst providing a main arena for garden advice presentations by industry experts throughout the week, including Channel Seven’s Jason Hodges.

Drawing from the lyrics of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Big yellow taxi’, music and art converged with a tree museum of Norfolk pines and a gallery of living landscapes, including a framed view of the lake, reminded visitors of the aesthetic significance that gardens play in our city. Meanwhile, not to be outdone by the Melbourne Fashion Festival which was being staged at the same time as MIFGS, the Haute-Culture stand featured some ‘green’ couture of its own with elaborate costumes inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet created by RMIT fashion students using plant materials.

A homage to the popular children’s story book ‘The Lorax’ saw a lush recreation of Dr Suess’ imaginary land, complete with truffula trees and the sage words of the lifted Lorax. Gardening celebrity Jane Edmanson delighted audiences with a public reading of the book, before inviting children to pledge their commitment to the trees by planting a stylised truffula tree in the display.

The garden also played host to a live demonstration by skin illustrator Emma Hack.

Best known for her collaboration on Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ music video, Emma has received international acclaim for her unique practice of camouflaging the human form. Emma’s beautiful model drew record crowds across the day as she was transformed into a garden nymph before their very eyes.

Rounding out the week’s cultural connections was a coffee pavilion featuring a barista, café seating and edible plantings, and which provided a central perch from which people could enjoy the view.

Tree & Shrubbies gather at MIFGS On the Friday 22nd, Tree & Shrub Growers Victoria enjoyed their monthly gathering at the Haute-Culture stand at MIFGS. Although Steve Day missed the event due to illness, Daniel Mansfield took the opportunity to thank major sponsor Yates, and everyone involved in helping to pull together the outdoor exhibit.

Following some early canapés on the stand, the night continued on at the Pumphouse where an enjoyable evening was had by all.

what’s newfrom Dynamic Lifter PLUS range now in 7kg size In spring 2012 Yates introduced the Dynamic Lifter PLUS range – three organic-based plant foods that were boosted with added nutrients and blended to suit special groups of plants.

Dynamic Lifter PLUS Vegie Food – perfect for feeding all types of home

grown herbs and vegetables.

Dynamic Lifter PLUS Fruit Food – ideal for all fruiting plants, especially

citrus. It produces richer, juicier and more abundant crops.

Dynamic Lifter PLUS Flower Food – enhances flower growth and development.

It’s great for encouraging show-stopping roses and other flowering plants.

The Yates Dynamic Lifter PLUS range was first introduced in conveniently-sized, 1.5kg bags. Now, due to market demand, the range has been expanded (in all ways!) with the three variants now available in a new, economical, 7kg size.

For more information contact Judy Horton via email judy.horton@yates.com.au or phone (02) 9794 9481

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MIFGS 2013

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A SNAPSHOT FROM THE ACHIEVABLES

The Debco Avenue of Achievable Gardens continues to be a highlight of MIFGS. Coordinated by NGIV’s Alan Hollensen, the gardens represent months of planning and preparation in the lead-up to the show.

The gardens are designed and constructed

by Horticulture students at Swinburne University of TAFE, NMIT, Holmesglen, Kangan Institute & Chisholm Institute.

COASTAL WAVE Rohan Thorn >> Holmesglen Institute of TAFE

COASTAL WAVE DESIGN: Rohan Thorn CONSTRUCTION: Holmeslen Horticulture Students >> Holmesglen Institute of TAFE

FIRST PRIZE

Inspired by a relaxed coastal environment, Rohan’s design brought a fresh perspective to the Avenue of Achievable Gardens, leading him and the students at Holmesglen to first place in the student design competition.

A curved palisade wall sets the scene for the design, reminiscent of the rise and fall of the waves on a sandy shell beach. Plants were selected for their suitability in the sometimes harsh conditions of coastal living, as well as for their colour, contrast and decorative qualities.

Much of the delight of Rohan’s design is in the detail.

She Oak seed pods are scattered across the floor of his garden, and are echoed in base of the seat fashioned from reclaimed spotted gum.

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And while Rohan’s design is reminiscent of a summer holiday at the beach, he is quick to point out that the design could work equally well in non-coastal areas as well.

“Although we wanted to ensure that the plant selection was suitable for seaside planting, many of the plants that we ended up using are equally at home in the inner city landscapes of Melbourne.”

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: Bonnie Thexton, Charlotte Wood, Dan O'Callaghan, Jeanette Spitiri, Josh Sperring, Gavin Lane & Rupert Baynes-Williams >> Swinburne Institute of TAFE If you ever lived in an inner city share-house as a university student, you could be forgiven for thinking that you had just stepped back in time with Grey to Green. This evocative design by Swinburne students celebrates the nature of inner-urban Melbourne; its art, culture, inner city laneways and urban gardens.

A cobblestone path leads the eye to a timeless laneway scene, where a lemon tree hangs over the fence, and a fig tree bears fruit for the local community.

According to the students, the design ‘speaks to urban renewal and the sense of community that comes from creating places to escape the hustle and bustle’ as well as the growing prominence of urban farming within the urban landscape.

THIRD PLACE

SECOND PLACE

GREY TO GREEN

PARADISE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: Chris Henbery, Brent Hills-Hayes, Alex Brodrick, James Bourke, Brhydi Carroll, Emma Hosking, Brady Hunter & Jack McLellan >> Swinburne Institute of TAFE Although a late entry to the Avenue of Achieveable Gardens, this design by Swinburne students is far from a slap-dash affair. Drawing on the tranquil atmosphere and lush foliage of the tropics,‘Paradise’ presents a garden space that is high impact, but low maintenance.

A suspended chair forms a centrepiece to the design, looking out across a landscape of green and purple foliage. A unique feature of the design is a roof fashioned from recycled bottles, containing coloured water that allows light to travel through and provide a flash of colour in the garden.

“In a busy, suburban lifestyle, you can have a place to escape to. Our garden demonstrates that a taste of paradise and relaxation is achievable in a suburban and confined space.”

Sit back, relax and enjoy paradise…

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The changing face

of Garden Centre Retailing Like most areas of the nursery and garden industry, the nature of garden centre retailing has shifted as the needs of consumers evolve. Alan Hollensen explores some of the challenges and opportunity provided by this changing landscape.

The pets section of some European garden centres are simply huge – but so is the market.

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here are a number of challenges facing the modern-day garden centre retailer, however the single biggest driver of change in nursery retailing today is the escalation of urban land values. This has virtually seen the demise of most inner city nurseries, with the welcome exception of Fitzroy Nursery. What next though for those businesses on the next band out – when land prices eventually see their closure for development sites? This is a trend that can be witnessed across the city, and in many regional towns too, but these changes are at their most dramatic, and permanent, right where we’d all hope we’d be selling lots of plants: the affluent inner and middle suburbs of Melbourne.

Another issue facing many nursery retailers is that they are now simply unable to make enough money selling plants to keep their businesses profitable. Wage costs are climbing, along with utility prices and pretty much everything else; except the retail price of the plants we sell. The result of this has

One thing we do better than the UK is sell pots – here we’re very well served by our wholesalers and our offer is considerably further ‘up-market’.

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been the rapid diversification into product lines that even a few years ago would have seemed unlikely. More of this later because this trend, one forced upon us to some degree, has opened up significant opportunities to grow businesses and increase profitability.

The third challenge of significance for the retailing sector is the emergence of the so-called ‘Box’ outlet. This is a challenge for a rather unexpected reason – for many people they are now happily ensconced as their local nursery. I was speaking with a friend recently who pointed out that at the suburban Bunnings store where she works, a customer recently purchased $400 worth of indoor plants as part of a $900 sale. In fact given the location of this store, the customer had little choice but to buy them there – quite apart from the fact that in his eyes he was shopping at ‘his’ nursery. This experience is now a common one that stands apart from the conventional wisdom that the ‘Boxes’ are where the non-gardener shops.

Food is ‘Big’ and getting bigger in nursery retailing.

Yet, with every challenge comes opportunity. Diversification, as I mentioned earlier, is one of these opportunities. This has seen one notable retailer turn to selling artificial flowers, where the only limit on the price the customer will pay is the quality of the product. In other words, they are less price sensitive than real plants. And if you want to bump the price up a notch – add a stick-on plastic ladybird and an extra five bucks while you’re at it.

Women’s clothing is now gaining acceptance among nursery retailers and is stepping further away from what is now the usual offerings of scarves and bags – which in themselves seemed pretty radical not so long ago. I recall one judge of the Nursery Awards only a few years ago who was staggered to see scarves on offer – now they are commonplace and the more adventurous retailers offer the rest of the outfit to go with them.

Jewellery is another range that is gaining acceptance in retail nurseries. So it should – it takes up hardly any floor space, it can be ranged in such a way that comparison shopping for price is impossible, it is a great impulse line and margins are terrific. Why wouldn’t you carry it?

But let’s not forget plants – at the end of the day they remain the reason customers come into your premises and are most likely what got you into the business in the first place. And here in Victoria we are just so well served by our growers.

The variety on offer and the remarkable quality which we now take almost for granted are hallmarks of the industry in this state. A visit to Trade Day will reveal the most remarkable range of sensational plants at their absolute best. Plants need to remain the focus of our businesses in the sense that their simple needs must continue to be met when they make it into the nursery.

Opportunity remains in many nurseries for plants to be better exploited. The late Brian Jackson, the manager of Linton’s for many years, held the belief that plants should be sold for as much as you can get for them. This is one philoshophy that I believe we should see more of. Brian wasn’t interested in margin as such, but rather what the emotional appeal of the plant might be and how much would a customer pay as a result. Here in Victoria we have access to stock of such phenomenal quality that this is both possible and desirable.

It worked for Linton’s, and it will work for you.

Bird feeders were mentioned at the recent GIG function as very profitable in the UK.

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Plantmark has opened its newest site in Wantirna, in Melbourne’s east.

It is conveniently located on Boronia Rd, right next to the EastLink Boronia Rd Exit.

Simon Lindsay, Plantmark National Manager says ‘We are thrilled to open our fourth Melbourne site. With the opening of Wantirna we now have a Plantmark located in the north, south, east and west of Melbourne, making access a lot easier for our trade customers’.

With the recent opening of the new Plantmark Langwarrin in December 2012, and the existing Werribee and Thomastown stores, Wantirna is an ideal location for their fourth Melbourne store. Plantmark also has sites in Kellyville NSW and Merrimac on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

Plantmark’s Wholesale Trade Nursery in Wantirna stocks the same huge range of plants as other Plantmark locations, from the same reliable suppliers.

With over 120 green-life suppliers in the one location, and sourcing from over 600 suppliers nationally, Plantmark have the largest wholesale range on offer. From tubestock to advanced trees and everything in between.

In addition to the Trade Market, Plantmark Wantirna also has a dedicated DIRECT Sales Team to service the Sales & Quote requests by phone, fax and email.

Plantmark is celebrating its 25th year as one of Australia’s leading wholesale nurseries.

Plantmark Lynbrook closed in December 2012.

Plantmark Wantirna 771 Boronia Rd Wantirna VIC 3152 Tel: 1300 787 401 Fax: 1300 787 402 E: wantirna@plantmark.com.au www.plantmark.com.au

VICTORIAN PLANTS

STEAL THE SHOW @ MELBOURNE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL URBAN COFFEE FARM

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ver 1,200 Victorian-grown plants took centre stage last month as part of the ‘Urban Coffee Farm and Brew Bar’ pop-up installation - a collaborative effort between the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and architect firm, HASSELL.

The ‘Victorian-Grown Tropical Garden’ was provided by Melbourne-based nursery, Warner’s Nurseries and demonstrated the types of lush greenery which can be grown to achieve a tropical effect in Victoria’s cooler climate.

As part of the installation, Warner’s Nurseries provided approximately 24 different species of plants for the Urban Coffee Farm, which was on display at the Red Stairs in Queensbridge Street Square.

Warner’s Nurseries managing director, Michael Warner said the addition of plant life to the Urban Coffee Farm was an exciting initiative which perfectly complements Melbourne’s wonderful café and garden culture and passion for delivering innovative ‘green space’ within the CBD. “Melbournians are passionate about gardening and green space, which is why we were so keen to come on board and be a part of the installation.

“Imagine walking to work as you do every day, only to be greeted by this huge tropical garden in the middle of the city. It definitely caused a stir among passers-by which goes to show how much we Melbournians love to push the boundaries when it comes to landscape design.

Michael said he was delighted to be involved in the Urban Coffee Farm, which he believes took the concept of ‘greening our city’ to new levels.

“When we were originally approached by the Festival to see if we could help to create a tropical garden in Melbourne’s CBD, it was such a clever idea, so we thought why not take it one step further by showcasing species which could be easily replicated at home.

“So that’s where the idea for our ‘Victorian-Grown Tropical Garden’ came from – all of the plants we have used in the Urban Coffee Farm focus on lush green foliage which creates the tropical feel, but selected for the Victorian climate so they will perform in gardens at home,” he said.

For more information on the plants selected for the Victorian-Grown Tropical Garden, visit www.warners.com.au/Garden-Themes

Beat the heat with more trees,

please!

After Victoria’s hottest summer was followed by the longest March heatwave on record, a new report says people are more at risk from extreme heat due to our failure to properly plan for its impacts.

Heatwaves cause more deaths in Victoria each year than other natural disasters such as bushfires and floods – yet despite the risk, heatwaves are not included in the State’s emergency management plans – potentially putting more lives at risk, warns the Feeling the Heat: Heatwaves and social vulnerability in Victoria report from the Victorian Council of Social Service.

“In the summer of 2009, an estimated 374 Victorians died as a result of a heatwave. This was a greater toll than our worst bushfires and placed Victoria’s health and emergency services under intense strain,” said Carolyn Atkins, Acting CEO of VCOSS. But refuge from future heatwave events could be a simple as planting more trees across the state.

“Keeping cool during hot spells such as the one experienced in March can be a drain on everyone – physically, emotionally and financially,” said NGIV CEO Euan Laird.

“The urban heat island effect means that temperatures in the city of Melbourne can be as much as four degrees higher than surrounding areas, especially at night-time. Yet one of the simplest solutions is to invest in the planting of more trees. Melbourne scientists are using thermal imaging to show that green spaces can help reduce temperatures in our cities, and that leafy green streets are much cooler during heat events.”

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Sowing the seeds for greener cities The University of Melbourne has launched Australia’s largest green roof research and outreach project at the University’s Burnley Campus near Richmond.

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he Burnley Green Roofs Project will determine the best plant species and soils to use on city roofs, demonstrate how green roofs can use storm water and reduce building energy use and showcase how beautiful and multi-functional green roofs can be.

The project includes a large demonstration roof consisting of 14 different green roof types made up of distinct planting zones, irrigation and growing treatments; a research roof, dedicated to quantifying the environmental benefits of green roofs and plant performance; and a biodiversity roof, comprising a range of habitat features to encourage and sustain local wildlife.

The project was led by Dr Nick Williams and Mr John Rayner from the University of Melbourne, and the roofs designed by multidisciplinary design practice HASSELL to enable small group teaching activities and demonstrate the variety of green roofs available to the building industry.

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The research team at the Burnley campus was the first to develop an Australian research green roof in 2008, which, although significantly smaller revealed a 48% reduction in summer energy use.

Dr Williams, from the Melbourne School of Land and Environment said green roofs had a range of environmental benefits that could help adapt Australian cities to climate change, as well as social andeconomic benefits that could make denser cities more liveable and attractive.

“Cities suffer from the urban heat island effect which makes them up to four degrees warmer than surrounding areas.

Green roofs can help overcome this by reflecting the sun’s radiation and providing shade or evaporative cooling as well as dramatically reducing a building’s energy costs, trapping dust and pollutants and dampening noise,” Dr Williams said.

“Green roofs act as a sponge reducing storm water runoff and potential flooding while lowering local temperature through evaporative cooling.

“We also want to use the biodiversity roof to understand how city roofs can be used to provide habitat and act as ‘stepping stones’ to link fragmented urban wildlife habitat. This roof includes local native plants, an intermittent stream and hollow logs for habitat.”

Despite the many benefits of green roofs, and their popularity overseas, they are not common in Australia.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, who launched the project in February, said “We know that roof tops make up 17 per cent of the total land area in the city. Green roofs are a tremendous opportunity to achieve savings for building owners and create attractive, usable spaces for tenants and residents. It is clear to me that successful cities in the future will be the ones that adapt quickly to what people want. And today people want to live in the city because it offers opportunities but they also want openspaces, parks and a clean environment.”

Mr Rayner from the Melbourne School of Land and Environment said the aim of the Burnley Green Roofs Project was to illustrate what is possible, from non-irrigated succulent beds to deeper, productive vegetable gardens.

“Green roofs are functional and beautiful spaces that can be built new or retrofitted to existing buildings. Planning and design are key components to successful green roofs and the Burnley Green Roofs are an example of this,” he said.

“We wanted to display a range of plants that can be successfully grown, but many need a certain depth of growing medium. Given we can’t use a heavy soil on a roof we developed lightweight growing media, together with foam building blocks to create raised beds.

“We also wanted to maximise the plants and vegetation on the roof while maintaining access, so there are shallow planted areas beneath grated metal walkways.”

The design team from HASSELL helped provide inventive design solutions to assemble the roofs.

“AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS SUPPLYING PELARGONIUM CUTTINGS TO AUSTRALIAN GROWERS, OASIS YOUNG PLANTS HANDS OVER THE REINS TO BALL AUSTRALIA.”

S

ince the early 1990’s, the propagation division (now trading as Oasis Young Plants) of Oasis Horticulture has been supplying pelargonium cuttings bred by US horticultural company Ball FloraPlant to Australian growers.

The partnership between Oasis and Ball was responsible for introducing some of the first vegetative pelargonium hybrids to the Australian marketplace, which at the time, was based completely on seed raised pelargonium. The various types of pelargonium required careful marketing, and brands such as Designer™ (zonal), Showcase™ (zonal), Colorcade® (ivy) and Galleria® (interspecific) were used to differentiate between the various types.

From July 01, 2013, Ball Australia will commence the production and sales of pelargonium cuttings bred by parent company Ball FloraPlant. The two pelargonium or geranium series offered are Fantasia and Precision. Fantasia is Ball’s #1 zonal series with dark leaves that accent the bold colours and offer excellent uniformity. Best suited in 13cm+ pots and hanging baskets. Precision Ivy Geranium’s are medium compact in habit and hold their shape from greenhouse to garden.

Precision varieties are specially selected for early flowering, uniformity and resistance to Oedema. Precision is well suited for 11cm+ pots and large baskets.

Many elements of the roof were pre-fabricated and test assembled off-site, then transported and reassembled on the rooftop – this represents an innovation in design, research and construction process, said Mr Stephen Tan from HASSELL.

For cutting availability and cultural information contact your Ball Australia sales representative.

Ongoing research and the design lessons from the Burnley Green Roofs will now be used to provide technical knowledge for architects, landscape designers and public policy makers to install green roofs in Australian cities.

Ball Australia Tony Collins T: 03 9798 5355 M: 0402 155 356

For Further Information: Oasis Young Plants Matthew de Ville T: 02 4382 6642 M: 0437 592 868 gs APR13

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VICTORIAN SCHOOLS GARDEN AWARDS

GET A MEDAL-WINNING LAUNCH

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elbourne turned on the fine weather for the launch of the Victorian Schools Garden Awards (VSGA) at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. The awards were officially launched by The Hon. Martin Dixon, Minister for Education, who described the program as an ‘evergreen which has encouraged generations of children to develop a greater understanding of the environment.’

The Minister mingled with students from St Joseph’s Primary School in Malvern at the VSGA garden display at the opening of the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.

In 2013, the Victorian Schools Garden Awards (VSGA) committee wanted to engage tertiary student involvement in the inspiration and creativity behind Victorian schools’ gardens, and to promote these gardens and the VSGA program to the wider community.

The three-stage installation, designed and constructed by Sustainable Landscape Design students from Swinburne, received a silver medal in the Outdoor Display category. The design sought to show the progression away from former sterile classroom situations to the incorporation of creative, inspiring total school environments.

The garden was well received by visitors to the show, creating a unique talking point for the Awards. The Swinburne students had the opportunity to speak directly with the public about their concept, design and construction of the garden Now in its 36th year, the Victorian Schools Garden Awards celebrate the joy of gardens and gardening amongst school-aged children. Run annually across both metropolitan and regional Victoria, the Awards recognise the importance and value of school gardens and outdoor spaces in progressive modern education.

The Victorian Schools Garden Awards are coordinated by Nursery & Garden Industry Victoria (NGIV). The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) is a major sponsor of the Awards.

The Victorian Schools Garden Awards are open to all State government, Catholic and Independent schools across Victoria.

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Welcome

NGIV welcomes new member:

F

irstly, congratulations to the Victorian Nursery and Garden industry, the Victorian Flower Industry and IMG for putting on a fabulous Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. It was an absolute privilege and fantastic learning experience to be involved behind the scenes of such an event. With around 105,000 visitors across the five-day show (despite horrendous weather on the Thursday) the event remains on a solid foundation from which to build. The Flower and Garden Show Board is committed to growing the show even further to promote the benefits of gardening and strengthen the positioning of gardening as a central part of our modern culture and lifestyle.

The show gardens and exhibits were outstanding and highlighted the depth of talent we have in our sector, and it is obvious that MIFGS remains a marvellous medium to showcase our products and services.

MIFGS would not be possible without to contributions of the countless individuals who volunteer their time and efforts to pull it all together. However I would like to make special mention of a few key people. Firstly, I congratulate Steve Day and Terry Meehan for their efforts with the Tree and Shrub Growers exhibit ‘Haute-Culture’, which bagged them a Gold medal in the Outdoor Exhibit category. I would also like to acknowledge Mathew Lane, Ross Uebergang, Mike Callaway and the students from Swinburne who help to design and construct an amazing display garden for the launch of the Victorian Schools Garden Awards.

Last, but definitely not least, I would like to recognise the efforts of our very own Alan Hollensen, who once again did a marvellous job in coordinating the Debco Avenue of Achievable Gardens.

JMK Nursery Daniel and Louise Koelewyn went into partnership with Daniel’s parents Mark and Jolande in early 2012, and have been busy since making changes to this long established business. The site has been extended, and is being extended again, the growing areas have been completely reorganised and the stock list rationalised as well. The result has been a rapid growth in trade and the spreading of their reputation as growers of quality plants.

In an effort to expand their customer base, they sought to join NGIV and take a stand at Trade Day. They have also built a strong customer base by word of mouth referrals, which has helped to establish a following as far as South Australia and Canberra. They also have the necessary accreditations for selling nursery stock into Tasmania.

JMK is also strong in the ‘cash and carry’ markets and this represents a significant part of their trade – and their growth too, although new customers form the backbone of this. Louise is the sales manager while Daniel concentrates on growing. This division of labour works well and it was Louise who fronted buyers at their first Trade Day in March.

The future is looking bright for these young people; a couple of very capable operators who have already established a fine reputation in an industry where reputation still counts for a lot.

NGIV’s focus now rapidly changes to finalising the details for the upcoming joint NGIV/IPPS state conference coming up in May. Over 120 delegates have now registered, and the program is loaded with a mix of technical and business content and is a must attend event for industry practitioners. Whether you come for the full conference, or just a day, make it a priority in your diary. Please note that places are limited for some of the social functions, so book early to avoid disappointment.

On other matters, we recently joined forces with other industry sectors to make a submission to the State Government’s “Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Discussion paper”. Central to our case was the core premise that, in order to provide healthy liveable urban areas, residents must have direct access to green-life for benefits ranging from energy savings to direct health benefits.

I look forward to seeing you at the conference,

Kind regards,

Euan Laird Chief Executive Officer NGIV

Louise Koelewyn and Henry Nolder at March Trade Day.

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WHAT’S COMING UP Friday 5th April 2013: 2013 NGIV and Landscaping Victoria Golf Day Classic at Settlers Run Golf & Country Club Tuesday 9th April 2013: Trade Day Market at Caribbean Gardens.

Trading hours strictly: 7.00am – 11.30am.

Inquiries: (03) 9576 0599.

Tuesday 16th April 2013: Tree & Shrub Growers Meeting at Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre Wednesday 17th April 2013: NextGen tour at Triffid Park, Somerville Thursday 16th May – Sunday 19th May 2013: NGIV/IPPS Joint Conference at Sebel at Albert Park

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GROWING STRAIGHT & TALL

TRAINING PLANTS &

GROWING TREES

Bamboo support for trees & shrubs

Colour match trainers with pots

Clip rings with bamboo

Hardwood stakes for crops

esse nt eye ial prote ction

Tree collars

Cane caps

Easi - tie & rubber tie bands

Contact GCP in your state on 1300 695 098 or fax 1300 713 217 Visit us online at www.gardencityplastics.com Branches in Vic | NSW | Qld | SA | WA Distributors in Tas | NZ

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