Tonight’s episode of Gardening Australia delivers a heartfelt tribute to long-serving presenter Jane Edmanson, marking an extraordinary 38 years on the ABC as the program revisits her most memorable moments and celebrates her unrivalled contribution to home gardening.
A founding presenter of Gardening Australia since its debut in 1990, Jane Edmanson has become one of the nation’s most trusted horticultural voices, bringing generations of viewers practical, accessible guidance shaped by a lifetime immersed in plants, soil and environmental care.
In tonight’s broadcast, Jane is joined by Costa Georgiadis for a stroll through a new display of dry-climate natives, before visiting an Edna Walling-designed property, reflecting her long-standing admiration for iconic Australian garden design. The episode also looks back across her decades on air, revisiting standout garden tours, viewer favourites and moments that helped define the identity of the program.
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Born and raised on a citrus and grape farm in Buronga, near Mildura, Jane’s early exposure to irrigation, soil management and the challenges of the environment laid the foundation for a career dedicated to sustainable gardening. After moving to Melbourne, she studied at Lauriston Girls’ School, completed arts and teaching qualifications at Monash University, and later earned horticulture and landscape technology certificates at Burnley College, part of the University of Melbourne.
Before viewers knew her on television, Jane spent more than a decade working with the Victorian Schools Nursery, rising to become Deputy Director. She also developed a deep understanding of retail horticulture as a partner in the Bell Street Garden Centre in Preston, where she refined her expertise in home-garden design, practical plant selection and propagation.
Her broadcasting career began in the late 1980s when she stepped into television on the ABC’s Sow What, taking over from Kevin Heinze. When Gardening Australia launched, she became one of the founding presenters — and uniquely, the only one who has remained with the series for its entire run. Over the years she has also contributed to other television segments and appeared as a gardening expert on commercial programs, further cementing her national profile.
Alongside television, Jane built a loyal following on radio, spending nearly three decades hosting weekend gardening talkback on stations including 3AK, 3MP and 3AW. Listeners regularly sought her guidance on everything from plant diseases to home-garden design, drawn to her trademark philosophy that gardening should never intimidate and that plants are “resilient and forgiving if given basic care.”
Her influence extends well beyond the screen and airwaves. Jane is the author or co-author of a long list of gardening books — including From the Ground Up, Ideas from Private Gardens, The Australian Garden, Jane Edmanson’s Favourite Plants, Cheap and Easy Propagation and Jane Edmanson’s Working Manual for Gardeners — all aimed at providing simple, step-by-step advice for everyday gardeners. She is also a regular contributor to Gardening Australia magazine.
Jane has led garden tours across Australia, Europe, China, New Zealand, the United States and Canada, bringing groups through notable landscapes while offering on-the-spot horticultural insights. She is a familiar face at major events including the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, where her approachable teaching style attracts both newcomers and seasoned gardeners.
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Her community and public roles include serving as Patron of the Royal Horticultural Society of Victoria and honorary ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Victoria, where she helped establish a special rose collection to support awareness and fundraising. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2004, honorary life membership of the Horticultural Media Association of Victoria in 2013, and multiple industry honours in 2016, including Hall of Fame, Gold Laurel and Golden Wattle awards.
Away from broadcasting, Jane enjoys bushwalking, music, art, reading and time spent in nature — interests that reinforce her belief in gardens as places of wellbeing, reflection and resilience.
Tonight’s episode offers viewers a rare opportunity to look back across her remarkable journey, celebrating the legacy of a presenter whose guidance has shaped Australian gardening for nearly four decades. As part of the broadcast, Jane also shares a special message with Gardening Australia audiences, making what the ABC describes as a “big announcement”.
Gardening Australia – Friday 28 November 2025 at 7:30pm on ABC and ABC iview
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