Gardening Australia

Australian lifestyle television program

Gardening Australia

Genre| Lifestyle
Presented by| Peter Cundall (1990–2008)
Stephen Ryan (2009–2011)
Costa Georgiadis (2012–present)
Country of origin| Australia
Original language| English
No. of series| 34
Production
Running time| 30 minutes (1990–2017)
60 minutes (2018–present)
Production company| ABC
Original release
Network| ABC
Release| 16 February 1990 (1990-02-16) –
present

Gardening Australia is an Australian lifestyle television program which suggests and promotes organic and environmentally friendly ways of gardening. It is created by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and airs on ABC TV, as of 2021[update] in an hour-long weekly show each Friday evening.

A monthly magazine, Gardening Australia, was spawned by the show.

## History

[edit]

The series has its origins in 1969 as It's Growing, with five minute segments broadcast ahead of the Sunday night news on ABT2 in Hobart. It was hosted by Peter Cundall, an experienced gardener with a passion for growing plants using organic methods. He had hosted a gardening talkback segment on ABC radio in Hobart since 1967. It was renamed Landscape in 1972 and extended to 15 minutes per episode[citation needed].

The format was adapted into Gardening Australia in 1990, broadcast nationally with the format expanded to 30 minutes per episode. It was still hosted by Cundall with other gardening experts from around Australia. Stephen Ryan succeeded Cundall in 2009.[1] After three years as host, Ryan's contract was not renewed by ABC. Costa Georgiadis was announced as the new host in December 2011 for the 2012 series.[2]

Its 1500th episode aired on 15 November 2024.[3]

## Presenters

[edit]

In addition to the host, each episode contains segments which are recorded across Australia with local presenters.

### Current presenters

[edit]

As of 2023[update] the presenters are:[4]

* Josh Byrne (WA)
* Jerry Coleby-Williams (QLD)
* Jane Edmanson (VIC)
* Millie Ross (VIC)
* Sophie Thomson (SA)
* Clarence Slockee (NSW)
* Tammy Huynh (NSW)
* Hannah Moloney (TAS)

### Past presenters

[edit]

Presenter  | Years Active  | State

|
|

Peter Cundall | 1990–2009  | TAS
Colin Campbell | 1990–2011  | QLD
John Patrick  | 2002–2017  | VIC
Angus Stewart  | 2004–2016[5] | NSW
Meredith Kirton  | 2006–2009  | NSW
Stephen Ryan | 2009–2011  | VIC
Leonie Norrington  | 2003–2010  | NT
Mary Moody  | c. 2000  | NSW
Melissa King  | c. 2005  | NSW
Tino Carnevale  | 2007–2022[6] | TAS

### Guest presenters

[edit]

Guest Presenter  | Year  | State

|
|

Indira Naidoo | 2017  | NSW
Carolyn Blackman  | 2017  | VIC
Paul West | 2018  | VIC

## Segments

[edit]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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|

Cundall had a segment called Pete's Mailbag where viewers could ask questions or send in photographs or letters about their own gardens.

The show has several segments, which include all forms of gardening, from sculptural and artistic gardens to vegetable growing and xeriscaping. Most segments are filmed on location.

The program has an Ask It/Solve It section where people can submit their garden questions/problems to be answered by the presenters.

The 6 Bed Rotation Vegetable Crop (formerly 'Pete's Patch') at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is still in the show, now called 'The Vegie Patch' with Tino Carnevale presenting.[7]

The Vegie Guide is a new feature which suggests a range of vegetables that can be planted each month, in the broad climate zones around Australia.

## Spinoffs

[edit]

### Gardening Australia Junior

[edit]

In 2023, the ABC announced a brand new Gardening Australia spinoff series titled Gardening Australia Junior, a gardening series for kids that would air on Friday nights at 7:05 pm and feature 20 episodes. Costa Georgiadis hosts the program and is featured alongside Gardening Australia presenters Clarence Slockee, Hannah Moloney and Tammy Huynh.[8][9]

## Magazine

[edit]

Gardening Australia is a monthly magazine published by the ABC and marketed by ABC Commercial, featuring articles by presenters on the show.[10][11]

## Awards

[edit]

Gardening Australia won the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Audience Choice Award for Favourite Entertainment Show in 2021,[12] and the AACTA Best Lifestyle Program in 2022[13] and 2024.[14]

Year  | Award  | Category  | Result | Ref.

|
|
|
|

2025  | TV Week Logies | Best Lifestyle Program  | Nominated  | [15]

## See also

[edit]

* Australia portal
* Gardening portal
* Television portal

* List of longest-running Australian television series
* List of programs broadcast by ABC (Australian TV network)
* List of Australian television series

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Knox, David (23 January 2009). "Stephen digs into Gardening Australia". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
2. ^ "Costa to host Gardening Australia". ABC. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
3. ^ www.abc.net.au/gardening/how-to/1500th-episode-/104608248
4. ^ "About Us". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
5. ^ "About Angus | Gardening With Angus". gardeningwithangus.com.au. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
6. ^ "Farewell Tino! – Gardening Australia". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
7. ^ Justin Russell (8 November 2012). "A visit to Pete's Patch, Hobart". organicgardener.com.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
8. ^ "Gardening Australia Junior". Gardening Australia. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
9. ^ "Costa gets grubby for Gardening Australia Junior | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
10. ^ "Gardening Australia". MyMagazines. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
11. ^ "Home page". ABC Commercial. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
12. ^ "2021 AACTA Awards Winners Announced". AACTA. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
13. ^ "Winners Announced for the 2022 AACTA Awards". AACTA. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
14. ^ "AACTA Awards Winners & Nominees". Retrieved 5 January 2024.
15. ^ Knox, David (16 June 2025). "2025 Logie Awards: nominees". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 16 June 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Gardening Australia at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

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