AIH Conference 2026
5 September 2026
Adelaide Wine Centre, South Australia
Adelaide 2026 Events
Plants, People, Planet – AIH conference PLUS Awards Dinner, AGM and Horticultural Tour
The Australian Institute of Horticulture Inc. Biennial Conference and Awards returns in 2026 with a powerful and timely theme: Plants, People, Planet. Grounded in our commitment to supporting planetary health, this year’s event explores the vital connection between thriving landscapes and human wellbeing. As the importance of time spent in nature becomes increasingly recognised, the role of horticulture has never been more essential—for our health today and for generations to come.
Bringing together industry leaders, practitioners and innovators, the conference will showcase a diverse program of speakers who will expand on this theme across a range of topics. From arboriculture management and the protection of endemic species, to product diversity, sustainable destination design, advancements in horticultural therapy, and the future of urban green infrastructure, each session is designed to inform, inspire and connect.
Complementing the conference program, attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a garden tour, attend the AGM, and contribute to the Strategic Plan Review. The Award dinner on Saturday night
At the heart of everything, we commit to sustainable, innovative and connected horticulture.
The 2026 Biennial Conference and Awards Weekend begins on Friday, 4 September with a garden tour and AGM Day.
On Saturday, 5 September, the Conference will be held at the National Wine Centre from 8:00am to 5:00pm, followed by the highly anticipated AIH Awards Dinner from 6:30pm to 10:30pm—an evening to celebrate excellence across our profession.
Plus, discover a plethora of green industry events happening in Adelaide from 2nd to 5th September. Definitely a landmark occasion for Australian horticulture not to be missed.
Conference Programme
Saturday
Registration
7:45 am to 8:15 am
Introduction & Welcome to Country
8:15 am to 8:40 am
Introduction
By AIH President then handover to the MC (Clarence Slockee or Costa Georgiadis)
Welcome to Country
Kuma Kaaru / Luke Wilson
Session 1
Growing in Adelaide – Showcase Local Environments
8:40 – 10:00 am
Matt Coulter
Senior Horticultural Curator Nursery Operations, Botanic Gardens & State Herbarium of SA
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden: One of Australia’s Great Cool Climate Gardens
Set within the cool, moist climate of the Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty Botanic Garden provides an ideal environment for an exceptional diversity of plant collections. This presentation explores how the garden’s unique conditions support both biological and ecological plantings, including the immersive Fern Gully and Woodland Garden.
Matt Coulter will showcase the garden’s distinctive geographical plantings, from the Himalayas to New Zealand, South Africa, and the Americas, demonstrating how climate and design come together to create one of Australia’s great cool climate botanic gardens.
Matt Coulter is Senior Horticulture Curator of Nursery Operations for the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, with 40 years’ experience across nursery production, propagation, conservation, and horticultural research.
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Jeff Lugg
Royal Zoological Society of South Australia Inc
The Life of a Zoo Horticulturist
Explore the unique role horticulture plays within a modern zoo environment. The presentation highlights how plant selection, landscape design, and habitat creation support animal welfare, conservation messaging, and visitor experience. It also provides insight into the daily work of maintaining complex living landscapes that must be safe for animals, sustainable for long-term management, and immersive for zoo guests.
Jeff Lugg is the General Manager of Operations at Adelaide Zoo, where he has worked for 36 years. With qualifications in horticulture and arboriculture. Jeff has led major habitat and landscape developments across the zoo.
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Morning Tea 10:00 – 10:30 am
Session 2
Urban Greening Infrastructure (UGI) Advancement & Environmental Management
10:30 am- 12:55 pm
Dr Tonia Cochran OAM
Founder, Curator and Collections Manager of Inala Jurassic Garden, Tasmania
Inala Jurassic Garden’s ‘Noah’s Ark’ Project: protecting ancient plant taxa
The Inala Jurassic Garden houses an in-situ collection of over 750 species of plants from 50 families with ancient Gondwanan connections. Many of these are threatened in the wild from anthropogenic effects and climate change. Tonia will speak about the projects in which the Inala Jurassic Garden is involved and the importance of ex-situ collections as insurance against extinction of these species in the wild.
Tonia Cochran is Founder and Curator of Inala Jurassic Garden in Tasmania and Managing Director of Inala Nature Tours. A conservation leader and former marine biologist, she collaborates globally on plant conservation and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her environmental contributions.
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Jason Summers
Remarkable Trees
Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI)– Growing Cities From the Ground Up
Explore the vital role trees play in creating healthier, more liveable urban environments. From species selection and planting considerations to long-term care and management, this presentation highlights practical approaches to building greener, more resilient cities.
Jason Summers is a tree specialist with over 23 years of experience in local government parks management. He has led large-scale urban forest and conservation programs, and now, as Director of Remarkable Trees, he grows and supplies advanced trees, and provides expert consultancy and tree establishment services.
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Michael Casey
Evergreen Infrastructure, Director and Green Infrastructure Consultant
Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI)-From Environmental Amenity to Economic Asset – Reframing nature as performance infrastructure within modern cities
Urban green infrastructure is often framed as an environmental or aesthetic feature within city developments. Yet when designed and managed effectively, systems such as green roofs, living walls and biodiverse landscapes can perform as valuable infrastructure supporting environmental resilience and economic performance. This presentation explores how urban greening contributes to cooling cities, improving building performance, attracting tenants and strengthening urban environments while delivering long-term value for businesses, property owners and communities.
Michael Casey is Director of Evergreen Infrastructure and a recognised leader in urban green infrastructure and urban horticulture. He co-founded the National Urban Green Infrastructure Roundtable, served as a technical panellist for the World Green City Awards and was a Past President of Australian Institute of Horticulture.
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Lunch 12:55 – 1:45 pm
Session 3
International Sustainability Advancement and Culture
1:45 pm – 5:00pm
Joel Kennedy
Technical Accounts, Flex MSE
Sam Dalton
Product Analyst, Arborgreen
Mary-Claire King
Partnerships Manager, Arborgreen
Flex MSE: Engineering Performance Meets Urban Biodiversity
What if you didn’t have to choose between structural integrity and environmental outcomes? The Flex MSE system is redefining earth stabilisation — delivering measurable gains for biodiversity, greener infrastructure, and community wellbeing without compromising engineering performance.
Join the Arborgreen team and technical experts from Flex MSE International to discover how this innovative approach is transforming the way practitioners think about retaining walls, slope stability, and living landscapes in urban environments.
TBA
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Gary Chua
Senior Director of Research & Horticulture at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Anton van der Schans
Principal Horticulturist at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Gardens by the Bay: A Horticultural Destination Designed with Sustainability
Gardens by the Bay is a horticultural destination where plants, immersive experiences and sustainability are thoughtfully integrated. This presentation highlights the signature attractions and dynamic programming that made the Gardens a global icon since 2012 and outlines how sustainable designs and systems underpin these experiences. Through this session, conference participants are invited to experience the Gardens both as a world-class horticultural showcase and as a living example of sustainability in practice.
Gary Chua is Senior Director of Research & Horticulture at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore. A NUS Botany graduate with nearly 30 years’ experience, he currently oversees plant production to support iconic floral and orchid displays.
Anton van der Schans is Principal Horticulturist at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore. He studied Landscape Architecture and spent nearly 20 years in Tropical North Queensland specialising in vegetation survey and planting design. Anton joined Gardens by the Bay in 2007 and played a key role in plant selection and themed garden design, helping to bring a world of plants to Singapore.
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Anna Baker Cresswell
Horticultural Therapy, UK
UK and Europe’s Horticulture Charities Advancement – and her work in the Ukraine.
An update on Green Social Prescribing, professional accreditation of Horticultural Therapists, the NHS and Horticultural Therapy in the UK and Ukraine. Anna will also speak about the King’s charities and their recognition of the value of horticultural therapy in supporting community health and wellbeing.
Anna’s horticultural therapy journey began in 2007 when she established a charity in memory of her mother, centred on delivering horticultural therapy for veterans in walled garden settings. In 2012, she founded HighGround to further explore the benefits of horticultural therapy as a rehabilitation intervention for injured service personnel at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre. Anna is a proud Trustee of Gardening4Health and continues to advocate for the role of nature-based therapies in health and wellbeing. Based in Northumberland, she enjoys gardening and travelling—particularly when the two can be combined.
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Jeff Barry
CHOJO Feature Trees
Bonsai: A Quiet Rebellion in an Era of Noise
Bonsai is not the art of making trees small but the practice of learning attention and patience. Through years of working with trees I have come to see it as a reflection of life shaped slowly through care and observation. Influenced by nature and experiences across cultures bonsai connects science art and culture while teaching humility responsibility and a deep respect for time.
Jeff Barry is an Australian bonsai artist, educator and founder of Chojo Bonsai Nursery. Active in the field since 2001, he teaches, curates exhibitions and collaborates internationally. He was the inaugural Artist in Residence at the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection of Australia.
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