TREE AND SHRUB GROWERS OF VICTORIA

‘Resilience’. How appropriate! This garden was designed for the postponed show in 2020, where ‘resilience’ was becoming one of the buzz words of the day (long before ‘pivot’ and ‘agile’ were a thing!). We already knew resilience was important, but did we ever realise just how much!

MIFGS 2022 RELOAD!

If 2019, 2020, and 2021 have taught us anything, it’s that resilience is absolutely critical. Who could’ve predicted the tumultuous and world changing events we have all been through? In Australia, it started with massive bushfires that rolled into a global pandemic, cancelled events, world record lockdowns, school closures, curfews, remote learning, business closures, border closures, isolation, quarantine, working from home, vaccinations, riots, more lockdowns, and even a bloody earthquake! How could any of us survive this without a level of resilience that we probably didn’t even realise we had?

So just what does resilience actually mean? And why is it so important for us? Firstly, let’s look at what it isn’t. Resilience isn’t never getting sick, or tired, or down, or sad, or overwhelmed, or just plain exhausted. Everyone experiences all these things, and even more so over the last two years. It’s a part of being human. We aren’t bulletproof.

Resilient people experience and feel all these things too, BUT they have the ability to bounce back quicker. To refocus easier. To get over setbacks quickly, keep moving forward and striving for their best. And as a result, are happier and healthier more often.

That sounds great. If resilience was sold in a store we would all be buying it! Of course, it isn’t, and it’s something we need to work on. There are many ways to improve resilience, and the good news is that plants and gardens can play a vital role.

Humans have an intrinsic link to the natural world. Studies have shown that people who are exposed to plants and greenlife on a daily basis have much lower levels of stress, and higher levels of general health and wellbeing. People feel more relaxed, have improved mindfulness and typically better physical fitness. The combination of all this helps people to be more resilient.

In an urban environment, sometimes having exposure to enough nature can be a challenge. But it doesn’t have to be. Residential gardens and trees, parks, streetscapes, street trees, shopping centres all have a part to play. The more green the better for individuals and the whole community. The recent lockdowns showed again just how important green spaces are, with people flocking to their local parks for some enjoyment,

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DESIGNED & CONSTRUCTED BY

WATER FEATURE, POTS AND FURNITURE SUPPLIED BY PRODUCT SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS

GARDEN LIGHTING SUPPLIED BY INSTANT TURF SUPPLIED BY STEEL EDGING SUPPLIED BY

u exercise and recreation. Residential gardens became one of the most critical parts of the home, and gave people the much needed respite from the world and the reconnection to nature that helped lower stress in a very stressful time. The green helped people be more resilient during all the uncertainty. Let’s never forget how important our local parks and home gardens were during this time.

The ‘Resilience’ Show Garden at MIFGS 2022, is a physical demonstration of how an urban garden can be attractive, inviting, easy to maintain, and good for our resilience, which in turn improves our health and wellbeing. We hope it inspires everyone to surround themselves with nature, and recognise how every garden has a part to play for the improved resilience of our families and the whole community.

In a holistic approach, it also shows how we can improve the resilience of our actual gardens. When multiple plant species are used that complement each other and are suitable to the conditions, gardens become more resilient to pest and disease attack, and can even become more drought tolerant and resilient to climate change. The ‘Resilience’ garden demonstrates a diverse range of plant species that are located in appropriate cultural conditions to maximise their own resilience and benefits.

Finally, the ‘Resilience’ garden also pays tribute to the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show on its 25th Anniversary. To survive, thrive and inspire for 25 years (not to mention survive a global pandemic!) is amazing resilience! The Tree & Shrub Gowers Vic have been proud to be involved in every single one of the shows by constructing show gardens ourselves each year, and also in the provision of hundreds of thousands of plants from our members for numerous show gardens, boutique, emergent and achievable gardens over the years. Now that’s Resilience!

ALL PLANTS IN THIS EXHIBIT PROUDLY GROWN AND SUPPLIED BY THE FOLLOWING TREE & SHRUB GROWERS MEMBERS

Resilience is proudly brought to you by Mirvac

PLANT LIST

SHRUBS

o Buxus sempervirens

‘Topiary’ o Buxus sempervirens

‘Topiary Ball’ o Citrus ‘Lemonicious’ o Escallonia ‘Pink Elle’ o Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’ o Euphorbia ‘Silver Swan‘ o Helleborus ‘Shooting Star’ o Hydrangea ‘Magical

Revolution’ o Leucadendron ‘Deacon

Red’ o Leucadendron ‘Ebony’ o Leucadendron ‘Jack Harre’ o Leucadendron ‘Purple

Haze’ o Leucadendron ‘Red Gem’ o Leucadendron

‘Strawberries and Cream’ o Leucodendron ‘Misty

Sunrise’ o Loropetalum ‘Bobz White’ o Loropetalum ‘Purple

Prince’ o Nandina ‘Lemon Lime’ o Nandina ‘Obsession’ o Nerium grandifloum o Prunus lusitanica o Raphiolepsis fergusonii

‘Little Bliss’ o Syzygium ‘Forest Flame’ o Syzygium ‘Green Machine’ o Syzygium ‘Plum Magic’ o Teucrium ‘Silver Box’ o Viburnum tinus

TREES

o Magnolia ‘Sweet N Neat’ o Prumnopitys ladei o Waterhousia floribunda

‘Whisper’

PINES

o Pinus ‘Kyoto Nishiki’ o Pinus wallichiana

‘Moidart’

TROPICALS AND PALMS NATIVE SHRUBS

o Alocasia ‘Bambino’ o Alocasia macrorrhiza o Alocasia ‘Stingray’ o Alocasia wentii o Alocasia ‘Zebrina’ o Cycas revoluta o Ficus elatica ‘Ruby’ o Ligularia reniformis o Monstera deliciosa o Sanseveria trifasciata o Acacia ‘Limelight’ o Casuarina ‘Cousin It’ o Correa alba o Eremophila ‘Nivea’ o Grevillea rhyolitica o Rhagodia ‘Silver Border’ o Serruria ‘Lemon Honey’ o Westringia ‘Wynyabbi

Gem’

FLOWERING GRASSES AND STRAPPY PERENNIALS

FOLIAGE o Anemone ‘Dainty Swan’ o Arthropodium cirrhatum o Impatiens ‘Beacon’ o Carex ‘Feather Falls’ o Limonium perezzi ‘Blue’ o Cordyline ‘Pocahontas’ o Salvia ‘Love and Wishes’ o Dianella ‘Cherry Red’ o Salvia ‘Mirage Soft Pink’ o Dianella ‘Goddess’ o Salvia ‘Mystic Spires’ o Lomandra ‘Lime Tuff’ o Salvia ‘So Cool Violet’ o Lomandra ‘Tanika’ o Phormium ‘Sweet Mist’