Gardening Across Generations - Canberra Writers Festival

Name: Gardening Across Generations - Canberra Writers Festival
Start: 2025-10-25T00:00:00+11:00
End: 2025-10-25T03:00:00+11:00
Location: Patrick White Terrace

Schedule

Sat Oct 25 2025 at 12:00 am to 03:00 am

UTC+11:00

Location

Patrick White Terrace | Canberra, CT

Gardening connects us to the land, to our food, and to one another.
This panel explores gardening across generations and families, communities and ecosystems. Anna Matilda (Everyday Permaculture: Sustainable Living for Every Space), Chloe Foster (The Rookie Gardener) and Judy Friedlander (The Bee Squad: Boosting Biodiversity in your Neighbourhood) will explore how gardening can be passed down, reimagined and shared. From beginners planting their first seedling, to building thriving pollinator-friendly biodiverse homes and balconies, to experienced growers designing with permaculture in mind.
Join this interactive session full of heart and wonder for our natural world. Moderated by ABC Canberra TV News anchor, journalist and long-time garden lover, Adrienne Francis.
ABC Canberra Saturday Breakfast with Emma Bickley and gardening guru Graham ‘Willow’ Wilson will broadcast live from 8.30am before the panel and be on hand to answer your gardening questions. Come on down!
Chloe Foster is a lifelong horticulturist and gardener. Her career began working in wholesale and retail nurseries, before moving into high-profile horticultural positions with Melbourne Zoo and Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, specialising in the cultivation of hard to grow species. Chloe loves creating engaging gardens and helping people select the ‘right plant for the right place.’ This philosophy spills over into her teaching Horticulture at Melbourne Polytechnic, where she spends her days getting students excited about plants and gardening. She co-hosts the successful 3CR Gardening Show, and loves using her knowledge to educate people through writing and broadcasting.
Judy Friedlander is a journalist, writer and environmental advocate. She has worn many hats - writing for and editing major newspapers, producing television current affairs, and working as an academic. Judy started and heads up the environmental organisation, PlantingSeeds, which runs the multi-state urban pollinator wildlife corridor, the B&B Highway. She also works with the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney. Educating and working with children, teenagers and adults with PlantingSeeds to plant, do citizen science, and build habitats inspired her book, The Bee Squad: Boosting Biodiversity in your Neighbourhood. The Bee Squad is all about the information and activities that make a difference, to help transform our cities and suburbs into havens for pollinators - and people.
Anna Matilda, often referred to as ‘Nanna’ Anna, is a permaculture educator and founder of The Urban Nanna, an educational business which specialises in teaching people about traditional skills, crafts and methods of living. ‘Nanna’ Anna is a former primary teacher with training in horticulture, psychology and fine arts. Through TV, radio, events, and print media, she shares traditional knowledge and skills with people around the world, much like grandmas used to do with their children and grandchildren. As well as reviving traditional ways of cooking, preserving, and crafting, Anna’s focus lies heavily on permaculture and sustainable living, where gardening and zero-waste principles are part of everyday life. Her new internationally released book, Everyday Permaculture, has already been a huge success, with extracts featured in Women’s Weekly, ABC Organic Gardener, Good Food Guide, and Frankie Magazine. Anna was also included in Better Homes & Gardens’ inaugural Creator Awards.
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Concession Tickets apply for children under the age of 16, full-time students, Commonwealth Health Care Card holders, Commonwealth Seniors Card Holders and Commonwealth Pensioner Concession Card holders. Please have your eligible card with you at the venue.