They’re the royalty of the gardening world and they’ll be sharing plenty of practical gems of information when they journey to the Sunshine Coast next month for the 2017 Queensland Garden Expo.
With the full expo program having been unveiled this week, organisers have confirmed horticultural experts including Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis, Sophie Thomson and Jerry Coleby-Williams as well as television presenter Michael McCoy are just some of the talented speakers taking to the stage between 7 and 9 July.
Event Manager Marion Beazley said she was thrilled to have such a diverse range of well-known gardening personalities joining what is the largest speaker program of any gardening event in the country.
“The Queensland Garden Expo has become known for delivering practical and inspiring information to attendees, and we’re confident this year will be no exception,” Ms Beazley said.
“More than 120 presentations and demonstrations will take place throughout the three-day event across eight stages, and with so many knowledgeable industry professionals on site, we’re eager to cover the full spectrum of gardening topics and answer any burning questions from attendees.”
Ms Beazley said following the launch of ABC’s hugely popular Dream Gardens program earlier this year, she was delighted to have host Mr McCoy on the speaker bill for the first time in the expo’s 33-year history.
“Michael is a garden designer, author, photographer and self-confessed ‘obsessive home gardener’ and has developed a strong following via his contributions to magazines and newspapers such as Your Garden, Gardening Australia and Gardens Illustrated in Britain,” Ms Beazley said.
“Michael will deliver a number of presentations at the expo, focusing on the best of plant-driven design around the world; using seasonality to get the most from your garden; and identifying what your garden does well, and where it could do much better.”
“We’ll also be treated to talks from a range of talented horticulturalists regarding growing healthy crops in pots, unusual plant species, creating a sensory garden, rearing chooks, and small-space gardening.”
Ms Beazley said the expo would cater to the food connoisseurs in attendance, offering demonstrations with Alison Alexander and Linda Brennan respectively on creating salads using home-grown produce and cooking with edible flowers.
“Kim McCosker, the author of the popular 4 Ingredients cookbooks, will also be delivering a masterclass on the Gourmet Garden Stage regarding slow cooking, and introducing the recently launched ‘finishing drizzles’ from Gourmet Garden, which create authentic Vietnamese, Spanish, Moroccan and Italian flavours in the home kitchen.”
Other topics for discussion include organic orchards with Jerry Coleby Williams, growing the perfect tomato with Phil ‘The Garden Guru’ Dudman, gardening in the shade with landscape architect and horticulturalist Arno King, making the most of productive plants with well-known gardening personality Noel Burdette, gardening for health and wellbeing with Sophie Thomson, and creative upcycling with Annette McFarlane to name a few.
Australian icon Don Burke – best known as the presenter of gardening and lifestyle program Burke’s Backyard – will also outline his favourite gardening tips over the weekend at both the Poinciana Stage and the Scotts Australia site.
The 2017 Queensland Garden Expo will feature more than 120 presentations and demonstrations across eight stages, with 55 nurseries expected to sell over 40,000 plants a day. It will be held on 7-9 July at Nambour Showgrounds, Coronation Avenue, Nambour.
To find out more, purchase tickets online or view the full speaker program, please visit www.qldgardenexpo.com.au.
Fast facts — Queensland Garden Expo
• Three-day event
• 38,000-plus attendees
• 360-plus exhibitors and displays including 55 nurseries
• 120-plus free lectures and demonstrations
• Eight speaker stages
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Media contact: Kristen Roder, Fresh PR & Marketing M: 0406 546 461 E: kristen@freshprm.com.au
