Horticulture

Competition opens May 23

Be the frond runner 

Ferns are the feature plant in the horticultural competition this year with junior, teenage and open classes available for entrants.   

Ferns rank among Earth's most ancient plant groups, boasting a fossil record over 300 million years old. Some estimates hint they may be even older. Despite their impressive age, many early ferns have gone extinct. The ferns we see today evolved relatively recently, with much diversity arising in the last 70 million years. Currently, ferns are the second-most diverse group of vascular plants, surpassed only by flowering plants. This diversity provides gardeners with numerous options for ornamental cultivation, ranging from towering tree ferns to low-spreading varieties.

There are more than 300 horticultural classes open for entry including floral art, floristry, scarecrow, bonsai, Australian native and best feature garden.  

Many competitions have junior or novice classes and there’s a best kitchen garden competition for kindergartens and primary schools.  

There really is a class available for every green thumb to try their luck.  

Please note: Due to restrictions regarding fruit fly, any entries composed of fruit and vegetables will not be able to be taken home and will be responsibly disposed of.