Are We Greening the Future While Letting Our Gardens Die?

Across Queensland, a quiet crisis is unfolding. Cherished public gardens, once living legacies of horticultural excellence are being stripped of their purpose. Curated collections are being replaced with generic plantings. Long-term gardeners are sidelined. These spaces, rich in story and identity, are now managed for short-term events, not long-term vision.

Simultaneously, a wave of “green city” initiatives has councils scrambling to meet carbon targets by planting more trees. Yet, they do so without horticultural oversight. Often compromising plant health, suitability, and survival.

In this compelling and timely talk, Robert Wilson, one of Queensland’s leading horticulturists, challenges the growing disconnect between policy and horticultural practice. He explores the role of different types of public gardens around the world and highlights what happens when we treat living plant collections as decoration rather than legacy.

Robert asks why our gardens are being governed without gardeners. He questions why we continue to demand legacy while ignoring the very people who create it. He challenges us to consider what kind of future we’re truly cultivating if we continue to neglect the landscapes we already have.

This is a call to action for councils, communities, and decision-makers: if we want gardens that matter, we must invest in the people and purpose that sustain them.