Gardening Australia star shares knowledge

GUEST speaker at the Creswick Garden Club’s Learning Day, Jane Edmanson OBE shared so much more than her love and knowledge of gardening.

A generous person, the respected and well-known presenter of ABC’s Gardening Australia delighted the audience with behind the scenes stories of childhood, working at the ABC and her passion for gardening.

Ms Edmanson congratulated the Creswick Garden Club on its initiative as she had heard of the Learning Day from other Gardening Australia presenters, so was delighted to be invited.

Over 240 keen gardeners from across Victoria came to listen and learn from the garden guru and to ask many questions ranging from composting, plant identification and care of the environment.

Her enduring message was the need to create and maintain a sustainable environment and to instil an interest in and love of gardening amongst young people.

Ms Edmanson spoke of how her love of gardening has taken her from teaching through to her present role as presenter on one of Australia’s favourite TV programs.

“I love gardens and gardening and this has had a huge impact on my life. I am truly grateful to Kevin Heinz from Sow What who believed in me and encouraged me into taking over from him,” she said.

“I have been with Gardening Australia since its inception and I just love the stories behind the gardens, the people and, of course, the other presenters on the show. I know how lucky I am. But I also understand that we live in a fragile environment and we have to take care of our great rivers like the Murray and the Darling Basin. They are so important to our history.”

Jane is passionate about helping children become excited and inquisitive about gardening, vegetables and plants. Where they come from, how they grow, how good soil will sustain the earth and that nature will always respond to help.

President of the Creswick Garden Club Phyllis Wright said that for the assembled gardeners it had been a day of immense fun with fantastic stories and wonderful information.

“We are so grateful that Jane was able to join us to. It’s been a huge success and we will be starting to organise next year’s very soon,” she said.