The Landscaping Podcast

This episode was sponsored by askWillow, an AI job quoting tool created by landscapers specifically for landscapers. - Join free: community.askwillow.ai/communities/groups/the-landscapers-corner/home - Try Ask Willow free for 14 days: app.askwillow.ai - Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/askwillow - Follow on YouTube: youtube.com/@askWillow The personality test I mention in this episode can be fou...

This episode was sponsored by askWillow, an AI job quoting tool created by landscapers specifically for landscapers. - Join free: community.askwillow.ai/communities/groups/the-landscapers-corner/home - Try Ask Willow free for 14 days: app.askwillow.ai - Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/askwillow - Follow on YouTube: youtube.com/@askWillow In this episode I speak with Matt Whitehouse from Whiteho...

In this episode I speak with Xavier and Yasmin Schaff, a husband and wife from Victoria where Xavier is a co-owner of Alchemy Landscaping and Yasmin is the creator of askWillow, an AI quoting app made purely for landscapers. It was great getting to talk to Xavier about his business and I found there were a lot of similarities between the way he's gone about things compared to me, and then hea...

In this episode I speak with Craig Turner from Echuca Shepparton Plant Farm. Craig owns the nurseries with his wife Kate, as well as their landscape design business and tree farm, so they're quite busy! I loved chatting to Craig and hearing how he started out, as well as hearing about how all of his various businesses have started. You can follow Craig on Instagram @echucasheppartonplantfarm...

In this episode I speak with Debbie Laporte from Orterra Design, a Landscape Architecture company based in Brisbane who has now branched out into a whole home service with Orterra Home. Debbie now offers Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture all under the one roof, so I wanted to find out the story behind where it all began. You can follow Debbie on Instagram @orterradesign and...

In this episode I speak with Jason Martino from Etch Landscape Design, a landscape design business based in NSW who works predominantly around the South Coast and Southern Highlands. I loved hearing Jason's origin story about how he started in landscape design straight out of school and also did additional study in landscape construction to get a better understanding of the industry as a whol...

In this episode I speak with Julian Ford from Epic Gardener.  Julian works with his partner in the business where they rescue and transplant advanced feature trees from their Brisbane base, including Grass Trees, Dragon Trees, Palms and Olives, amongst others. I loved hearing how, even though he's only been in the industry a short time, Julian has an obvious passion for the industry and for t...

In this episode I speak with Johnny Zambelis from Zambelis Concrete Artistry. Johnnny is a concreter who does bespoke architectural concrete around Victoria and also runs workshops teaching people to do the same, one of which I'll be attending in November. I loved hearing how organic it was for Johnny's business to develop, doing a job for one friend, then another, then a friend of a fri...

In this episode I speak with BJ Wallace from Into the Green Podcast, who also is the founder of the Lawn and Land Equip Expo, and green industry expo he started a couple of years ago after the passing of his daughter Ella, to thank the industry for the support his family received after Ella's passing. I wanted to speak to BJ not only about the expo, which is coming up on the Gold Coast on the...

In this episode I answer questions sent in during the week, as well as talk about the upcoming Queensland Garden Show which I'll be attending with The Landscaping School. You can now sign up to The Landscaping School! It's live and ready for you to increase your landscaping skills. Head to TheLandscapingSchool.com where you'll find 6 separate courses, as well as a free course in pon...

In this episode I speak with Ben Cottle from Cottle Landscapes, a landscape construction company based in WA. Ben started out doing his apprenticeship at Exquisite Gardens in Melbourne and stayed there for 12-13 years before moving to WA during Covid and starting Cottle Landscapes. I found it fascinating talking to him about his experiences in both states, particularly around soils, plant sourcing...

In this episode I speak with Natasha Morgan who's a gardener, landscape architect, architect, author educator and more and due to the vast range of roles she does, trades under her name, Natasha Morgan.  It's quite possibly my favourite episode to date, I could've spoken with her for hours! We talk about her upcoming book which sounds like a must have to add to your library. There&a...

In this episode I speak with Kylan Yoxall from Yoxall Landscape Architecture. Kylan is a landscape architect based in Perth and previously worked for Tristan Pierce, who was our guest in episode 15 back in August 2021. Kylan talks about his journey into the industry including a stint working in the Netherlands. You can follow Kylan on Instagram @yoxall_landscape_architecture You can now sign up to...

In this episode I speak with Jethro Plunkett from Loci Landscapes, a design, construction and maintenance company based in southern Tasmania. Jethro started Loci, originally called Van Diemen's Landscapes, before a serious motorcycle accident forced him to reassess the direction of the business direction. Then out of the blue he received a call from Tim Fogarty who'd moved to Tasmania fr...

In this episode I speak with Sam Brown from Pure Green Landscapes, a design/build/maintain company based in North Fremantle in WA.  Sam is an impressive person to talk to and in just 5 years, has built a team of 18, at just 27 years of age. He originally started as just maintenance and has since added construction and design and I'll be excited to watch his journey continue. You can follow Sa...

In this episode I speak with Brent Russell from HyQual Landscapes, based in Melbourne. I loved hearing Brent's story about how he started as well as how he runs his business. He talked about starting his first business before closing it down and going back to being an employee before then starting HyQual. He also talks about his Silver medal winning Balcony Garden at this year's Melbourn...

In this episode I speak with Shannon Decker from Now & Zen Landscapes, a landscape design and construction company based in the Blue Mountains of NSW.  Shannon is also the president of The Landscape Association and a great story teller, so it was great to hear how early he started in the industry, then about his time away from it briefly, and the lessons he's learnt in his 30+ year journe...

In this episode I speak with Paul O'Hara from Centred Landscapes, a landscaped design and construction company based on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. I met Paul in the lead up to MIFGS 2026 where he was doing a Boutique Garden, so we discuss what that was like as well as his journey to where he is today, which included some time working in the UK. You can follow Paul on Instagram @cen...

In this episode I speak with Siobhan Keating from SK Gardens. Siobhan is a landscape designer based in New Zealand and has an amazing story about how she started in the industry and what she's up to next. Siobhan was originally a Detective with the NZ Police before seeing a Landscape Design Diploma ad in a magazine while she was on holidays in the UK. Fast forward a bit and she's moved t...

In this episode I speak with Connie Cao from Connie and Luna. Connie is a horticultural media star and does presenting and writing for the ABC, SBS, Organic Gardener Magazine, The Design Files and is also the author of her own book, Your Asian Veggie Patch where she shows 40-50 different Asian veggies, herbs and fruits that you can grow in small spaces as well as 40-50 recipes to use them in cooki...

In this episode I speak with Eloyse Edwards from Alderson Plant Supply. Alderson Plant supply is a plant broking business which starts trading on the same day this episode is released! Eloyse is taking over past guest Jodie O'Toole's business, Bay Design Gardens. She has a couple of great stories about where her love for plants started and also talks about her time at her past two employ...

In this episode the tables are turned and Peter Donegan interviews me about our recent garden at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show which won a Gold Medal as well as the Mark Bence Construction award for Best Construction. You can listen to the episode (Episode 82) with Martin Semken where he discusses the story of Mark Bence here for apple podcasts and here for spotify You can now...

This episode is a chat I had on the Welcome Garden at this years Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show with Dan Foreman. You can now sign up to The Landscaping School! It's live and ready for you to increase your landscaping skills. Head to TheLandscapingSchool.com where you'll find 6 separate courses, as well as a free course in pondless waterfall construction. You can also bun...

This episode is a chat I had on the Welcome Garden at this years Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show with Pia Lefevre, Matt York and Jamie Durie. You can now sign up to The Landscaping School! It's live and ready for you to increase your landscaping skills. Head to TheLandscapingSchool.com where you'll find 6 separate courses, as well as a free course in pondless waterfall con...

This episode is a chat I had on the Welcome Garden at this years Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show with Breana Graham, Iftikhar Ahmed and Paul Pritchard You can now sign up to The Landscaping School! It's live and ready for you to increase your landscaping skills. Head to TheLandscapingSchool.com where you'll find 6 separate courses, as well as a free course in pondless wate...