PROFILE
Expo is ready to bloom
FAST FACTS Queensland Garden Expo 2021 • Three-day event • 60,000 plants on sale each day • More than seven hectares of gardening inspiration • 350-plus exhibitors and displays, including 55 nurseries • 120+ free lectures and demonstrations • 11 speaker stages
There has never been a better time to get out of the house and into the garden, and if you need inspiration, the upcoming Queensland Garden Expo is the place to be. WORDS: Gail Forrer.
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aise your green thumb if a sprouting seed excites you. Chances are there will be enough colourful digits to fill the Maroochy botanic gardens. You see, since COVID, this hobby has gone gangbusters. Last year the nursery industry enjoyed one of its best years on record. During 2020, the Nursery Industry Statistics 2019-20 survey of Australian production nurseries revealed a record 2.2 billion plants were produced and sold in Australia. Queensland Garden Expo event manager Marion Beazley says the surge corresponds with COVID restrictions. She
says with people housebound, there was a huge curiosity in growing food. “Before long people were ready to get their hands dirty for a complete home garden makeover,” she says. “And people are now wanting to invest time in creating their own backyard oasis.” Queensland Garden Expo chairman and Blue Sky Nursery marketing manager Simon Smith also attributed the garden boom to anxiety over fresh food
availability. He says fruit trees and vegetable seedlings in particular became very hard to source. The annual 36th Queensland Garden Expo is set to descend on the Nambour Showgrounds from July 9 to 11. The speaker program is the biggest in Australia and will feature ABC’s Gardening Australia gurus Sophie Thomson, Costa Georgiadis and Jerry Coleby-Williams as well as event favourites Adam Woodhams, Dr Kevin
Redd and Phil Dudman. Other speakers and topics include Claire Bickle on keeping chickens; bee specialist Dr Tim Heard; fruit fly expert Professor Richard Drew and Peter Young on growing fruit trees. Kids can also enjoy a range of interactive sessions such as kids craft, seed planting and, of course, the popular free kids playground. Ms Beazley says while it is disappointing the 2020 Expo had to be cancelled due to the pandemic, the resulting increase in people gardening provides an exciting opportunity for this year’s event to attract new visitors. “We’re confident the three-day Queensland Garden Expo will provide ample opportunity to nurture this newfound love for gardening.”
Family Fun Day Saturday 17 July 10am-2pm
Join Kabi Kabi and Jinibara First Nations People for a unique and fun filled day of cultural learning; games, dancing, and craft activities for children of all ages. PLUS, check out the brand new First Nations virtual reality experience. Food available to purchase or bring your own picnic.
1998 Old Gympie Road, Glass House Mountains heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au
210011R 06/21.
For further details call 5420 8600
07 5420 8600
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