Garden experts on hand to give advice

A major highlight of the expo program over the years has been the range of guest speakers who can talk everything gardening while also offering tips and advice.

Tino Carnevale from Tasmania is this year’s gardening expert and will have many demonstrations and talks through the weekend on the main stage in Baw Baw Pavilion.

He will be giving his audience lots of gardening hints. Take a seat at the main stage area, and put your feet up for a while and listen to Tino, the Garden Guru for this year.

Tino will be on stage at 11am and 1.30pm on Saturday and 11am and 1.15pm on Sunday.

Born and bred in Tasmania, Tino’s lifelong interest in plants and gardening stems from growing up on his family’s small vineyard and olive grove in Southern Tasmania.

He studied landscape design at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and has an Associate Horticulture.

As well as being a presenter on Gardening Australia, Tino writes for newspapers, magazines and gardening websites and is frequently heard on ABC radio giving gardening advice

He has worked with the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens developing the Patch and helping to ensure it continues to provide fresh produce to Second bite, a charity organization that collects and redistributes food to those that need it.

He spent four years working as part of The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, teaching students at Moonah Primary School and continues to teach gardening skills to both adults and children through local garden clubs and school appearances.

He is involved in working with many community groups such as Veterans Affairs, refugee groups and disability services. Tino is a patron of the Tasmanian Weed Society, an organization that raises Diploma in awareness of environmental weeds and their impact.

He is active in community programs and events and gives regular talks to gardening groups around Australia.

He is the recipient of the 2011 Anita Boucher Young Achievers Award presented by the Horticultural Media Association.

Guest speakers Other guest speakers on the main stage this year include Andrew Oldfield speaking on feeding your garden.

Garry Van Ekeren will tell you all about bamboo.

Quynh O`Sullivan from Allambee Flower Farm will give you some great tips on flower arranging.

Robyn Harris is an expert on African violets.

Jacinta Meyers will speak all about herbs.

Darryl Hoogeboom knows lots about water plants.

Malcolm Warrington from Oasis Wholesale Nursery will present a talk on seedlings.

This is a very experienced group of gardening experts who will provide tips on just about all areas of your garden.