Botanical Magazine

Ryman Healthcare at

THE MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW

29 MARCH - 2 APRIL 2023

We’re growers too

We’ve been creating vibrant retirement villages for over 35 years. Our beautiful gardens are just one of the many things visitors love about our villages.

It’s something to do with the energy of the people and the beautifully landscaped environment. Gardens that overflow with annuals and perennials are punctuated with shrubs and trees, both evergreen and deciduous. These are picturesque spaces where residents and visitors relax, have a laugh, and enjoy each other’s company.

An immersive growing experience

Partnering with the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show (MIFGS) presented by Scotts Osmocote was a natural fit. We love gardens, they love gardens and you love gardens.

We are back again this year after a successful debut last year and we couldn’t be more excited! Every visit to the Ryman stall is an interactive one. We have created experiences that are a treat for the senses. Attendees can taste, smell, and see their way around our interactive space at the exquisite heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens.

RYMAN HEALTHCARE BALCONY GARDEN COMPETITION

Buckle up, competition entrants take this new show feature to great heights.

DOWNSIZE YOUR GARDEN

We explore how getting our hands dirty benefits the body and mind.

PRESERVE YOUR GARDEN

Top tips for preserving the color and texture of your flowers.

FRIENDSHIPS BLOSSOM AGAIN

Sisters reunited after 70 years at Ryman Healthcare Retirement Village.

GROWING CONNECTIONS

How to Cultivate Friendships in the Village.

REFRESHING DRINKS RECIPES

Join Ryman at stand D11 for a delicious Tea Drop experience.

BENEFITS OF GARDENING

Matt Leacy explains how gardens can impact your health.

INDOOR JUNGLES

Your indoor plants are keeping a rather large secret...

THE RYMAN GUIDE Explore the

PARTNERSHIP

Sponsoring the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show (MIFGS) is the perfect fit for Ryman. We’re excited to be part of an event that celebrates people who live their lives with passion. Those who push further to create better.

RYMAN HEALTHCARE BALCONY GARDEN COMPETITION

Entrants from throughout Australia have designed balcony gardens that are best described as botanical wonderlands. You'll find all the inspiration you need to greenscape your balcony at home. If you love plants but lack space, you’ll find plenty of creative solutions on show at the Ryman Healthcare Balcony Garden Competition.

The lush balcony garden, 'Eco Apartment Living', designed by Sara Correia at Tempest Landscapes to promote wellbeing and sustainability, was announced as the winner last year. (pictured above)

WHAT'S ON AT THE SHOW?

We’ve collaborated with creators, thinkers, and trailblazers to deliver a range of experiential spaces for you to explore.

WELLNESS WITH TEA DROP

Take a quiet moment to sip our refreshing range of iced tea in partnership with the Tea Drop team. Discover what it takes to make tea from leaf, petal or berry… to cup.

THE AMBIANCE OF TWILIGHT

Stay late on Friday evening for Gardens by Twilight. Browse the professionally designed Show Gardens and attend presentations and workshops with industry leaders.

LEARN WITH MATT LEACY

Attend a free workshop with Aussie landscaping legend Matt Leacy. Matt will be taking the main stage daily to hold practical presentations designed to help you grow, grow, grow.

Royal Exhibition Building & Carlton Gardens

Ryman Healthcare - Stand D11 29 MARCH - 2 APRIL

RYMAN HEALTHCARE BALCONY GARDEN COMPETITION

SAMPLE SPECIALLY-BREWED ICED TEA FROM TEA DROP

FREE ONE-ON-ONE WORKSHOPS WITH MATT LEACY

Everyday at 11:00am 11:45am 2:45pm

Scan the QR code or visit rymanhealthcare.com.au/melbflowershow to book your slot so you don't miss out

MIFGS MAINSTAGE PRESENTATION BY MATT LEACY

The BIG Potential of Small Outdoor Spaces

Everyday at 2pm

AN ELEVATED COMPETITION

Immerse yourself in our new show feature, the Ryman Healthcare Balcony Garden Competition. Here, talented landscapers and gardeners went head-to-head designing big little gardens packed with innovation.

MATT LEACY

We're thrilled to be partnering with Matt Leacy again for this year's show as he shares his gardening wisdom across workshops and main stage presentations. The Ryman community has had the privilege to hear Matt's expert tips and tricks over our 3-year partnership and now is your opportunity to learn from the best.

TOP TIPS FOR Downsizing your garden

Easy-care lifestyle, more time for the outdoors.

It's one of life's little ironies that, when you retire and finally have time to spend gardening, you might not have the same desire to maintain a big garden anymore.

Many retirees are loath to abandon gardening altogether, but are happy to find ways to indulge their green thumbs on a more manageable scale.

Look for a garden that's small enough to be a delight, not a chore. You might find that a courtyard or patio is all you need to feel connected to nature. With some clever planting it's amazing how much food a balcony can produce, while also providing a pleasant space for relaxing.

For ease of care, use raised beds, planters and pots whenever possible – they're easier to access without bending or kneeling.

Outsource heavy landscaping jobs, such as trimming shrubs and mowing lawns.

Moving into a retirement village gives you the time and freedom to garden as much or as little as you like, and provides peace of mind that there'll be someone there to help out if your health or circumstances change.

When you're choosing a retirement village, let the village management know that you're interested in retaining a garden and ask them to clarify their policy around independent gardening.

Whether you’re after home décor, in need of cake decorations, want to dry a sentimental bouquet, or dry flowers for a craft project, drying flowers (plus petals and greenery) is easy and fun.

It’s important to note that not all flowers dry well. Some tightly bunched petal formations will rot before they dry leaving you with a bad smell to deal with. Flowers and greenery that hold a lot of moisture in their stems also don’t

PRESERVE YOUR GARDEN Prepare Air

Hang flowersyour

One of the most popular methods is to air dry flowers, greenery, and seed pods by hanging.

This works best with bunches of large flowers, like roses and sunflowers, or smaller long-lasting flowers like lavender. Although more time-consuming, this traditional method lets nature do the heavy lifting. All you need is patience and a well-ventilated dark space.

Hang Dry

Tie the stems together with string or twine and hang them in a loose bunch or individually from a rail, nails, or hooks.

Keep the flowers away from sunlight from the moment they’re cut to retain as much colour as possible during the drying process.

The faster a flower dries, the better the colour will keep and good air circulation is key to helping flowers dry quickly. Keeping dust and light off the flowers will also help with drying your flowers as well as possible while maintaining vibrant colours. Leave them undisturbed for two or three weeks to dry. Unscented hairspray can then be sprayed over the flowers to help preserve the colour and form for longer.

Naturally drying flowers is an easy way to preserve a beautiful bunch of flowers. Perhaps beautiful blooms from your garden or a bouquet you received as a gift.

Seeds of friendship blossom again

More than 70 years since they last lived under the same roof, sisters Pam Crozier and Jean Blake are finally together again. The sisters, who are 94 and 95, were reunited last year when they moved into serviced apartments just metres away from one another at Weary Dunlop Retirement Village.

Sitting in Jean’s light-filled apartment with a photo of their late mother Winifred smiling down on them, Pam and Jean couldn’t be happier. “I think mum would be delighted, she’d be thrilled that we’ve come together,” Pam said. “I lived in East Gippsland for more than 40 years and Jean was in Heidelberg. We’ve always been close even though we lived apart, but now we’re even closer.”

Much has changed since Pam and Jean last lived together with their parents in the London suburb of Edgware. “Our dad was in the London Fire Brigade, and we spent the first years of our lives living in the Kentish Town Fire Station,” Pam said. “They had a fireman’s pole in those days,

and we’d watch the men slide down the pole and get in the fire engine.” The sisters have vivid memories of nights spent with their parents and cat sheltering in their backyard bunker as doodlebugs flew overhead during World War II. In 1966, Jean and her family emigrated to Australia as ‘10 Pound Poms’ and in 1968 Pam and her late husband followed on a cargo ship.

For the past 40 years the sisters spoke regularly on the phone and visited one another for birthdays and Christmas. But when Pam’s partner passed away in 2020, she felt a pull to be closer to her beloved older sister and family. During a visit to Melbourne Pam joined Jean and her niece on a tour of Weary Dunlop.

“We saw two serviced apartments that were very close to one another and were too good to refuse,” Pam said. “We’re beyond being independent now, so serviced apartments where we have our main meal provided and a little extra support from lovely staff is absolutely ideal.” And being able to support one another in their older age has done both Pam and Jean a world of good.

“I’ve always had my sister to guide me, but now the young one checks on the oldie,” Pam laughed. Jean was quick to sum up the pair’s nearly century-long bond. “Whatever we’re doing, if we’re together, we’re happy,”

Flourishing

Be friendly

Being friendly and approachable is the first step towards making friends. Smile, say hello, and start conversations with your neighbours.

Participate in village activities

Our Engage activities program creates social opportunities and fun activities for you to take part in. From musical entertainment and a variety of outings to arts and crafts, the village workshop and our weekly Happy Hour, there’s something for everyone.

Host gatherings

Organise a potluck dinner or a game night and invite your neighbours. This is a great way to get to know each other better and build new friendships.

Join local groups

Join a local club or group that interests you. This could be a gardening club, a book club, or a sports team. You'll meet like-minded people who share your hobbies.

Be patient

Building new friendships takes time, so don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen overnight. Keep putting yourself out there and eventually, you'll find people you connect with.

AT THE SHOW? Enjoy a fresh brew

We're serving up iced tea at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.

We’ve collaborated with tea specialists Tea Drop to bring you iced teas that are freshly brewed and refreshingly cold. Tea Drop’s team of passionate artisans scour the world to create memorable blends and will be on hand in the Ryman area at stand 38 to answer all your questions.

Learn more about Tea Drop by visitng teadrop.com.au enjoy 15% off your online order by using discount code “RYMAN15” at checkout.

If your interest is brewing, here are a handful of tea recipes to try at home.

Sweet Lemon Iced Tea

A refreshing burst of lemon, mint, and black tea. This sweet lemon infusion delivers minty freshness and zesty lemon flavours with a healthy dose of vitamin C. Serves 8 – great for storing in the fridge

INGREDIENTS

8 cups boiling water

1/2 cup low GI sugar

5 black tea bags

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 lemon, thinly sliced Ice cubes and fresh mint leaves, to serve

METHOD

1. Combine the boiling water and sugar. Stir until dissolved.

2. Add the tea bags, then swirl. Set aside for 15 minutes to steep. Squeeze the tea bags into the water to extract the remaining flavour, then discard.

3. Add the lemon juice, stir, and set aside for 1 hour to cool.

4. Add the lemon slices and refrigerate for 5 hours.

5. Pour the iced tea over a glass filled with ice cubes and add a few fresh mint leaves. Enjoy!

*See page 5 for full addressdetails.

Creamy Thai Iced Tea

A must-try for you milky tea lovers.

Serves 2

Cucumber Mint Green Tea

Find a new morning favourite.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cucumber

8 cups green tea, cooled after brewing

Juice of 2 large limes, freshly

1/4 cup mint leaves, finely chopped and muddled

Cucumber slices and sprigs of mint, to garnish

METHOD

1. Peel, seed, and puree the cucumber. Place the cucumber puree in a large bowl or jug.

2. Add the green tea, lime juice, and mint leaves.

3. Cover and let chill overnight.

4. Add ice to each glass and garnish with sliced cucumber. Pour in the mixture and push a mint sprig into the ice to finish.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp loose-leaf black tea (alternative, caffeine-free rooibos tea)

2 cardamom pods

1 star anise

Tamarind powder, to taste

1/8 vanilla bean

1/2 cinnamon stick

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 cup boiling water

1 tbsp cream of coconut

1 tbsp sugar (alternative, honey)

2 tsp coconut milk

Ice cubes, to serve

METHOD

1. Add the tea, cardamom, star anise, tamarind powder, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, and almond extract to the boiling water. Let it steep for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid.

2. Add the cream of coconut and sugar or honey to the liquid. Stir until completely dissolved.

3. Let the tea cool then pour it between two glasses filled with ice cubes. Leave 2-3 cms free at the top.

4. Split the coconut milk between the two glasses, filling the remaining space.

Peachy Ginger Iced Tea

Our take on last year's most popular tea.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 green tea bags (alternative, caffeine-free rooibos tea)

1 peach, pitted and sliced

4 ginger slices, peeled

3 cups hot water

2 mason jars, to store and serve Grated ginger, to serve

METHOD

1. Split the tea bags, peach, ginger, and hot water between the jars.

2. Let steep for 15 minutes then remove the tea bags.

3. Refrigerate the jars for 4 hours then strain the liquid.

4. Sprinkle with grated ginger to serve.

Visit us at stand D11 during the show for an interactive tea experience.*

HOW

Design expert and horticulturalist Matt Leacy, founder and creative director of the award winning Landart shares some of the ways spending time outdoors in the garden can positively impact health.

landart.com.au

GARDENING CAN POSITIVELY Impact your health

good for health.”

Studies have also found that gardening helps promote sleep and feelings of relaxation. “I know I always crash after a big day in the garden. I think it’s the combination of sun, a sense of accomplishment and sheer physical exhaustion.

As people age sleep is very often broken, so gardening can be a very healthy natural antidote to night-time restlessness,” said Matt.

“Gardening can also help with memory retention in dementia patients. Having watched my father

and aunt suffer from Alzheimer’s this positive benefit of spending time in the garden holds great personal interest to me. There are studies overseas that are showing a direct correlation between the benefits of gardening on dementia patients. As little as 20 minutes a day has been shown to increase brain nerve growth associated with improving memory.

I’m also a big advocate of growing your own leafy green vegetables for brain health. There’s no doubt that getting dirty and eating clean are good for you,” added Matt.

With anxiety and mental health issues on the rise gardening has also been proven to reduce stress levels and provide a mood boost. It will also help reduce blood pressure.

Gardening with friends, neighbours, family or even strangers can also offer a sense of connection and wellbeing.

From a nutrition point of view edible gardens also give control over what goes onto and into vegetables and fruit. “If you have the space, I’m a huge advocate of growing your own foods. With costs continuing to rise, growing your own vegetables and herbs is also a way of saving money and ensuring in times of food shortages – like recently when supermarkets were charging $10 plus for a lettuce when there was a shortage – you can always access fresh, seasonal produce for healthy eating,” said Matt.

Vitamin D has been proven to help strengthen bones and immunity, as well as helping to lower the risk of cancer, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.

GROW YOUR own leafy friends

Indoor plants soak up all the love and attention you have to give. And in return, they’ll grow quietly as you kick off your shoes, grab a cool drink, and tell them about your day. The ultimate live-in friend, here are a few favourites to get you started.

Spider plant

Monsera

Snake plant

Philodendron

Xanadu

Dragon tree Peace

deliciosa

Moth orchid

OVERGROWN INDOOR PLANTS

Your

favourite ‘indoor’ plant may be a jungle giant in disguise.

Many indoor plants hail from tropical regions where they grow outdoors. And some reach lofty heights. The ever-popular fiddle leaf fig taps out at three metres when grown indoors but can reach 15 metres outdoors in its natural habitat. Olive trees look stunning potted indoors and can tolerate small pots but reach 10 metres in the wild. Rubber trees are common ‘fill a corner’ plants at home. They grow slowly and their stunning large leaves give the plant a bold but soft presence. Outdoors they grow 10 metres high and 3 metres wide, but as with most

indoor plants, they don’t reach their full potential indoors.

While plants are smaller when grown indoors, not everyone has three-metrehigh ceilings! If you find your indoor plants are growing too big, it might be time to propagate.

Propagation is the act of growing new plants from parts of an existing source plant. Propagation uses roots, new shoots, or established stems. Different methods suit different plants. Get started with this fiddle leaf fig propagation guide.

HOW TO PROPAGATE YOUR FIDDLE LEAF FIG

Cut

It’s possible to use a single leaf, but for a higher likelihood of success take a cutting at a node with 3 nodes above the cut line. A node is a slight thickening of the trunk between the leaves, often identified by crispy brown leaf casings or rings.

Grow

Check your cutting weekly for root growth. This can take 6+ weeks. And don’t give up! Some plants simply grow roots faster than others.

Kick-start

To boost your chances of success, dip the end of your cutting in rooting hormone before placing it in a jar of fresh water in indirect bright light.

Pot

Once you have several long roots it’s time to pot your cutting. Choose a small pot to avoid overwhelming the new roots and a nutritious, free-draining potting mix.

Pot size is not the only factor when it comes to the growth potential of indoor plants. In their natural habitat, plants have unbound roots, their ideal quantity of bright sunlight, and live in free-draining soil. When we bring them indoors, their small pots are packed with soil, we provide a few drainage holes but keep them moist for longer, and the light is dimmer.

WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF A FULL LIFE?

At Ryman, we believe the measure of a full life is one that gets richer with age. A life where you can appreciate the little things. Rediscover lost passions and plunge headfirst into new ones. Surround yourself with new people, old friends and close family. Live with opportunities and experiences at your doorstep.

That’s why we’re creating communities that challenge the expectations of ageing, while bringing joy and meaning to every moment.

rymanhealthcare.com.au

EBBIE & PREMILA Ryman Residents