Gardening Australia

Gardening Australia
Company type	Television program
Industry	Television broadcasting
Founded	1969
Founder	Peter Cundall (host and original presenter)
Headquarters	Australia
Area served	Australia
Key people	Costa Georgiadis (host since 2012)
Products	Television program, magazine
Parent	Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Website	www.abc.net.au/gardening

Gardening Australia is a lifestyle television program from Australia that advocates for organic and eco-conscious gardening techniques. Produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, it broadcasts as a one-hour weekly episode on ABC TV every Friday evening (as of 2021).

This television series also led to the creation of a monthly publication, Gardening Australia.

History

Originating in 1969 under the title It's Growing, the show initially presented brief five-minute segments on ABT2 in Hobart. The program was hosted by gardener Peter Cundall, renowned for his organic gardening philosophy and his ABC radio gardening talkback role since 1967. In 1972, it was renamed Landscape and expanded to 15-minute episodes.

By 1990, the format transformed into Gardening Australia, broadening its reach nationwide with half-hour episodes. Cundall remained as host, joined by other Australian gardening specialists. In 2009, Stephen Ryan assumed hosting responsibilities but departed after three years when ABC chose not to renew his contract. In December 2011, Costa Georgiadis was announced as the host for the 2012 season.

The program celebrated its 1500th episode on 15 November 2024.

Presenters

Alongside the main host, each broadcast includes segments filmed throughout Australia featuring regional presenters.

Current presenters

As of 2023, the lineup includes:

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

Presenter	Years Active	State
Peter Cundall	1990–2009	TAS
Colin Campbell	1990–2011	QLD
John Patrick	2002–2017	VIC
Angus Stewart	2004–2016	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	TAS

Guest presenters

Guest Presenter	Year	State
Indira Naidoo	2017	NSW
Carolyn Blackman	2017	VIC
Paul West	2018	VIC

Segments

The program explores a wide range of gardening styles, from ornamental gardens to vegetable cultivation and drought-tolerant landscaping, with most footage shot on location.

It includes an Ask It/Solve It segment where viewers submit gardening inquiries that presenters address.

The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens' 6 Bed Rotation Vegetable Crop, previously called 'Pete's Patch,' continues as 'The Vegie Patch,' hosted by Tino Carnevale.

Additionally, the Vegie Guide offers monthly recommendations for vegetable planting tailored to Australia's various climate zones.