We speak for the trees

Thank you to all those who attended and contributed at the sold-out We Speak for the Trees events in Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth, plus Hobart where Clive was a guest speaker for the Australian Garden History Society.

It was such a pleasure to connect with Diggers members and discuss important topics such as gardening in a changing climate, tree selection and the challenges of droughts and floods across the country. We all live and garden in different climates and environments, but it’s clear that Diggers gardeners share a common purpose, that of sustainable and climate-positive gardening. It was wonderful to explore what we gardeners can do to help bring carbon back to earth.

Across the country, we heard from some of Australia’s best garden thinkers about tree selection in their home regions. We thought it would be worthwhile sharing their valuable insights, so we’ve listed the five favourite garden trees of each expert.

The experts’ favourite trees

Bryn Hutchinson, NSW – horticulturalist and trials manager, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.

Queensland Kauri Pine  Agathis robusta

Quandong  Elaeocarpus eumundi

Leopard Tree  Libidibia ferrea

Peppermint Willow  Agonis flexuosa

Wild Plum  Harpephyllum caffrum

 

Jill Woodlands, SA – manager at Diggers, nature program curator at Nature Festival.

Queensland Bottle Tree  Brachychiton rupestris

Persian Silk Tree  Albizia julibrissin

Ginkgo  Ginkgo biloba

Pistachio  Pistacia chinensis

Bur Oak  Quercus macrocarpa

 

Sabrina Hahn, WA – master gardener, horticultural professional, award-winning radio presenter, podcaster and writer.

Snotty Gobble or Geebung  Persoonia longifolia

Broad Leaved Paperbark  Melaleuca viridiflora

Bell Fruited Mallee  Eucalyptus preissiana

Eastern Redbud  Cercis canadensis ‘Oklahoma’

Royal Poinciana Delonix regia

 

Ian Tolley OAM, SA – one of the world’s leading experts in citrus with over 60 years of experience in production horticulture.

Golden Rain Tree  Koelreuteria paniculata

Ginkgo  Ginkgo biloba

Swamp Cyprus  Taxodium distichum

Queensland Bottle Tree  Brachychiton rupestris

Queensland Kauri Pine  Agathis robusta

 

Phil Dudman, QLD – horticulturalist, landscape designer, Gardening Australia contributor and ABC radio host.

Avocado  Persea americana

Mango  Mangifera indica

Illawarra Flame  Brachychiton acerifolius

Silver Trumpet  Tabebuia argentea

Cape Chestnut  Calondendrum capense

 

Tim Johnson, SA – director at TreeNet, dedicated to improving Australia’s urban forests.

River Red Gum  Eucalyptus camaldulensis

Bunya Pine  Araucaria bidwillii

English Oak  Quercus robur

Mulberry  Morus nigra

Quandong  Santalum acuminatum

 

Carma Sweet, ACT – assistant director Policy, Planning & Programs, Urban Treescapes, ACT Government.

Red Box  Eucalyptus polyanthemos

Kurrajong  Brachychiton populneus

Autumn Blaze Maple  Acer x freemanii ‘Jeffersred’

Chinese Elm  Ulmus parvifolia ‘Yarralumla Clone’

Portuguese Oak  Quercus lusitanica

 

Deryn Thorpe, WA – combines decades of gardening, sustainability and environmental knowledge to create Australia’s most popular gardening podcast All the Dirt.

Cercis Forrest Pansy  Cercis canadensis

Sea Urchin Hakea  Hakea laurina

Silver Princess  Eucalyptus ceasia

Purple Leaf Plum  Prunus nigra

Crepe Myrtle  Lagerstroemia species

 

Peter Feilen, ACT – horticulturalist, Living Collections, Australian National Botanic Gardens.

Wilga  Geijera parviflora

Ginkgo  Ginkgo biloba

Yellow Jacket or Rusty Jacket  Corymbia pelata

Katsura  Cercidiphyllum japonicum

Tibetan Cherry  Prunus serrula

 

Darren Seinor, WA – TV presenter on The Garden Gurus, My Garden Your Garden and Greenfingers, regular garden spots on WA radio and owner of Garden Solutions.

Crepe Myrtle  Lagerstroemia indica

Ivory Curl Tree  Buckinghamia celsissima

Queensland Firewheel  Stenocarpus sinuatus

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’

Illyarrie  Eucalyptus erythrocorys

African Tree Wisteria  Bolusanthus speciosus

 

If you would like to offset your 160-tree planting mission (as detailed in our We Speak for the Trees book) by contributing to The Diggers Foundation, please make a tax-deductible donation via the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) to be contributed to our first community charity partner, Bunjilwarra’s planting project.

For more information on all of The Diggers Foundation activities and projects, visit diggers.com.au/foundation