The Front Garden

Helix Australia co-founder Adrian Parsons joins Adam Hompas to explain how waxflower varieties are selected for gardens and the cut flower trade. The conversation gives designers, landscapers, and maintenance teams practical ways to assess plant habit, flowering time, and pruning needs before choosing a variety. 

In this episode…
Will that waxflower stay compact along a garden edge, or will it need regular pruning to hold its shape? The answer starts with the variety and what it was selected to do. 

Adam Hompas talks with Adrian Parsons, co-founder of Helix Australia, about how waxflower makes its way from breeding trials into gardens, nurseries, and the cut flower trade. Drawing on his background in horticulture and cut flower trading, Adrian explains why growers look for long stems, vigour, and high yields, while landscape selections favour a compact habit and lower maintenance.

For designers, installers, and maintenance teams, that distinction matters when choosing plants for a low hedge, a border, or a pot on a deck. Adrian explains why some older varieties can become leggy and woody without regular pruning, and why Helix Australia looks for varieties that stay naturally compact. He also discusses how early, mid-season, and late-flowering selections can extend the waxflower season.

The conversation follows the plant into the nursery supply chain, too. Adrian explains why Helix Australia trials hybrids across different growing regions, how licensed growers produce its varieties, and how the royalty is accounted for on a nursery plant label.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Which traits Helix Australia looks for in cut flower and landscape varieties.
• Why naturally compact waxflowers suit borders, low hedges, and pots.
• How regular pruning helps some older varieties stay dense and bushy.
• Why flowering time matters when selecting and trialling new varieties.
• How nursery plant labels account for royalties on Helix Australia varieties.

About Helix Australia

Helix Australia develops and licenses waxflower varieties for the cut flower and landscape nursery markets. It works with Kings Park in Perth to trial new hybrids and licenses growers in Australia and overseas.

• Website: www.helixaustralia.com.au
• Facebook: helixaustralia
• Instagram: @helix_australia
• LinkedIn: Helix Australia and Adrian Parsons

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The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

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In this episode…

Discover how Garden DesignFest gives landscape professionals fresh design ideas, opportunities to showcase their work, and a way to support local communities through open gardens.

What can you learn about landscape design by stepping into a finished garden and asking the person behind it why they made those choices?

Garden DesignFest organisers and Rotary members Phil Mortimer and Malcolm Baird join Adam Hompas to explore how opening private gardens creates opportunities for learning, industry promotion, and community fundraising. Run by the Rotary Clubs of Kew and Brighton North, the event gives visitors access to professionally designed gardens and the people who helped shape them.

The conversation looks beyond the planting to the decisions that bring a garden together: materials, layout, outdoor rooms, and the relationship between the landscape and the home. Phil and Malcolm explain why established gardens are important to the event, what makes a property suitable to open, and how designers can use the experience to help the public understand their work.

For landscapers, designers, horticulturists, and students, it’s a reminder that professional learning can happen outside the classroom. Adam shares how an open garden visit helped spark his own landscaping career, while Malcolm discusses opportunities for students to connect their studies with real projects. 

With Landscaping Victoria partnering with Garden DesignFest in 2026, the episode also explores how showcasing industry expertise can support local causes.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Visiting established gardens can deepen your understanding of design decisions.
• Why garden size matters less than the interest created within it.
• How conversations with designers connect ideas with practical outcomes.
• What access, safety, and location mean when selecting an open garden.
• How students can use garden visits to support their learning.
• How showcasing professional landscaping can raise funds for community programs.

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👁️‍🗨️ About Garden DesignFest

Garden DesignFest is an open garden fundraising event run by the Rotary Clubs of Kew and Brighton North. Established in 2004, it showcases professionally designed private gardens while raising funds for charitable causes.

•  Website: gardendesignfest.com.au
• Tickets: gardendesignfest.com.au/tickets/
• Facebook: Garden DesignFest
• Instagram: @gardendesign_fest

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au

Daniel Eastman shares how he’s developing his landscaping team, balancing quoting and administration, and maintaining quality as he learns to step back from site.

In this episode…

How do you make room for quoting, planning, and administration when the easiest option is to stay on site and get the job done yourself? 

Daniel Eastman, owner of Evergrow Landscapes in East Gippsland, is working through that challenge. With his first apprentice now qualified and keen to take on more responsibility, Daniel is learning to give him greater ownership of site work while staying available to support. He talks with host Adam Hompas about the balance between maintaining standards, developing someone else’s confidence, and finding time for the work that keeps projects moving.

That transition rests on lessons Daniel gathered through his career to date. Advice from experienced landscapers helped him build quotes around his own costs from the outset. An early project with difficult progress payments reinforced the importance of written payment terms and clear records. Today, those foundations sit alongside honest client communication and careful planning for regional material deliveries.

Daniel is open about what remains a work in progress, including letting go of tasks his team can handle and reducing the need to quote after the kids are in bed. For apprentices, qualified landscapers, supervisors, and business owners, the conversation offers a useful look at how responsibility grows — and how mentoring and industry connections can help along the way.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why understanding your own costs provides a stronger starting point for quoting.
• What a difficult project taught Daniel about documenting payment terms and variations.
• How regional material lead times and freight affect project planning.
• Why responding openly to client concerns helps maintain trust.
• How Daniel is supporting a newly qualified team member to take greater responsibility.
• How mentoring and industry connections support ongoing learning.

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About Evergrow Landscapes
Evergrow Landscapes operates in East Gippsland, providing landscape design and construction, including retaining walls, decks, pool paving and lawns. Owner Daniel Eastman brings experience gained through his apprenticeship and site supervision work with Ian Barker.

• Website: evergrowlandscapes.com.au
• Facebook: Evergrow Landscapes
• Instagram: @evergrow_landscapes

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au

In this episode…

Have a sculptural feature in mind, but aren’t sure how it will work on site? Bringing a fabricator into the conversation early can help shape the design and resolve practical questions before construction begins.

Host Adam Hompas speaks with Timothea Jewell and Chris Vassallo of Lump Sculpture Studio. What began with water features made in a garage has grown into a studio creating outdoor sculptures, decorative screens, planters, and public art. Their work has kept them closely connected to the landscaping industry, from show gardens to projects designed with landscape architects and contractors. 

Timothea and Chris explain the different ways a project can arrive at their studio: as a detailed specification, a rough sketch, or a request for an existing piece. They discuss how conversations about levels, weight, fixing, engineering, and installation help turn an idea into something that works in its setting. A large public commission in Papua New Guinea shows how those decisions extend to transport and assembly.

The conversation also looks at the demands of public spaces, where sightlines, climbability, reflections, and maintenance can affect a design. For anyone designing, specifying, or building landscapes, it’s a useful reminder that creative work gets stronger when the people making and installing it can contribute early.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• When to involve a fabricator in a landscape design.
• How a rough sketch can develop into a workable feature.
• Why levels, weight, and fixing methods matter before installation.
• What transport and assembly can add to a large sculpture brief.
• Which public space considerations may affect a sculptural feature.
• How new fabrication tools have expanded Lump Sculpture Studio’s work.

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👁️‍🗨️ About Lump Sculpture Studio

Lump Sculpture Studio was founded by Timothea Jewell and Chris Vassallo in 2000. The studio designs and fabricates outdoor sculptures, decorative screens, planters, water features, and public art, working with landscape designers, architects, and contractors.

• Website: www.lump.com.au
• Facebook: Lump Sculpture Studio
• Instagram: @lumpsculpture
• LinkedIn: Chris Vassallo

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au

In this episode…

Do you know which parts of your landscape projects are making money, and where your margins may be slipping?

John Corban, otherwise known as the Landscapers Coach, joins Adam Hompas to explore how landscaping businesses can build greater confidence through clearer numbers, practical systems, and consistent accountability. Drawing on his experience working with landscaping, design, pool-building, and horticultural businesses, John explains why profitability begins with understanding the true cost of delivering each job. 

The conversation breaks down a practical approach to quoting, including labour, materials, equipment, and subcontractors. John also discusses the importance of tracking actual job performance against the original quote, reviewing completed projects, and using those lessons to improve future pricing.

Beyond the numbers, Adam and John consider the systems that support a stronger operation, from choosing project management software your team will use to planning marketing before enquiries slow down. They also discuss how to qualify prospective clients, establish realistic budget expectations, and offer alternative project scopes without immediately discounting professional fees.

For landscaping professionals navigating uncertain conditions, growing a team, or building confidence in the business and management side of your work, this episode offers practical ideas you can apply at any stage.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Understanding your profit and loss statement can improve your quoting decisions.
• How tracking labour, materials, equipment, and subcontractors reveals where project margins change.
• What to consider when choosing project management software for your workflow.
• Why marketing should be planned consistently rather than started when enquiries slow.
• How early client qualification can save time and reduce unsuitable site visits.
• Why offering two project scopes can be more effective than discounting your price.

👁️‍🗨️ About John Corban

• Website: www.landscaperscoach.com.au
• Facebook: landscaperscoach
• Instagram: @landscaperscoach
• LinkedIn: landscapers-coach

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au

In this episode…

What does it take to create landscapes that perform well beyond handover—and build a team capable of supporting them?

Paddy Milne, owner of Ballarat-based The Scape Artist, joins host Adam Hompas to discuss the value of connecting landscape design, construction and ongoing maintenance. Drawing on 13 years in business and experience across each stage of a project, Paddy explains why long-term garden success begins well before work starts on site.

Working in Ballarat brings distinct challenges, from heavy clay and long, wet winters to severe frosts and hot, dry summers. Paddy shares how his team responds by carefully preparing the ground, installing subsurface drainage, and selecting plants suited to the site. He also explores the potential of combining Australian natives with Mediterranean plants to create diverse, climate-responsive planting schemes. 

The conversation moves beyond the landscape itself to the systems and people behind it. Paddy discusses thorough construction documentation, transparent client communication, the decision to hire machinery and experienced operators as needed, and why growing too quickly prompted him to take a more measured approach to team development.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why maintenance should be considered during the design and construction stages.
• How local climate, frost, and soil conditions influence plant selection in regional Victoria.
• Why improving existing clay can be more effective than replacing it entirely.
• How subsurface drainage supports plant and garden performance through wet winters.
• Why detailed documentation can improve quoting, construction, and client communication.
• What Paddy learned from growing his team too quickly and scaling back to move forward steadily.

 
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👁️‍🗨️ About Paddy Milne

Paddy Milne is the owner of The Scape Artist, a Ballarat-based business with in-house design, construction, and garden maintenance teams. Its work includes residential landscapes in Ballarat and on larger regional properties.

• Website: www.thescapeartist.com.au
• Articles: www.thescapeartist.com.au/blog
• Facebook: The Scape Artist
• Instagram: @the_scape_artist

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au

Pia Lefevre shares how thoughtful site analysis, clear plans, and functional design can create more sustainable gardens while building confidence with clients and contractors.

In this episode…

What makes a garden sustainable in practice—not just in principle? 

Pia Lefevre, Owner of Joyscapes, joins Adam Hompas to explore how careful site analysis, functional planning, and clear communication can shape gardens that work better and last longer. Drawing on her horticulture, sustainability, and nursery experience, Pia shares why she prefers to understand the full site before offering design advice, and how seemingly small decisions can have a big impact on longevity. 

The conversation also looks at the handover between the designer and landscaper. Pia explains why she puts a high level of detail into her plans, while still allowing contractors to assess site conditions and apply their construction expertise. It’s a practical discussion about where good documentation, collaboration, and continued learning meet.

Pia also reflects on the realities of building a design practice: comparing software before committing to a platform, making pricing and process clear for clients, learning through industry connections, and developing a portfolio that attracts the kind of work she wants to do. Her experience creating a student show garden adds another lesson—that volunteering and hands-on exposure can be among the best ways to understand what a project really demands.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why functionality and longevity are important parts of sustainable garden design.
• How detailed site analysis can help reduce poor design and planting decisions.
• Why clear plans can make the designer-to-contractor handover more effective.
• What to consider when choosing landscape design software.
• How transparent pricing and process information can help set client expectations.
• Why nursery experience, volunteering, and industry relationships can accelerate learning.

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👁️‍🗨️ About Pia Lefevre

Pia Lefevre is the Owner of Joyscapes. Her landscape design approach combines sustainability, horticulture, function, and a love of joyful, colourful gardens, supported by experience in wholesale nursery work and a background in product photography.

• Website: joyscapes.com.au
• Instagram: @pias.joyscapes
• Pinterest: joyscapes
• LinkedIn: Pia Lefevre

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au

Mitch Lyons explains how thoughtful planning, professional photography, and strong client relationships can help landscape projects look their best and work harder in marketing and awards.

In this episode…

Great landscape photography starts well before the camera comes out. The condition of the garden, time of day, seasonal timing, and site preparation can determine whether the finished images truly reflect the work.

Adam Hompas speaks with Mitch Lyons, owner of Lyons Photography, about his path from commercial and real estate photography into landscapes, gardens, and pools. Mitch explains why landscape work is often best captured late in the day, how he balances wide views with mid-range and detail shots, and why maintenance before the shoot is one of the most important steps a landscaping team can take.

The conversation also explores how professional photography supports award entries, websites, Instagram, and wider marketing. Mitch shares how fast turnaround, strong client relationships, and a commitment to making every shoot his best have helped build repeat work and word-of-mouth referrals. 

He also discusses drone photography, skilled retouching, the pressure of photographing multiple show gardens within a narrow dusk window at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, and the growing influence of AI.

For landscapers, designers, maintenance professionals, and suppliers, the practical message is clear: great work needs to be documented thoughtfully. Planning shoots ahead—rather than waiting until an award deadline or the middle of winter—gives a project a better chance to show its design, craftsmanship, and detail.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why site maintenance before a shoot can make a major difference to the finished images.
• How late-afternoon, golden-hour, and dusk conditions help capture landscapes and outdoor lighting.
• Why a strong image set should include wide, mid-range, detail, and aerial perspectives.
• How project photography can support award entries, websites, social media, and referrals.
• Where retouching can improve an image without misrepresenting the completed work.
• Why planning around the project and season is better than leaving photography until a deadline.

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👁️‍🗨️ About Mitch Lyons

• Website: www.lyonsphotography.com.au
• Instagram: @mitchlyonsphotography
• LinkedIn: Mitch Lyons

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au

In this episode…

What does it really take to build a landscaping business from the ground up? 

In this episode of The Front Garden, host Adam Hompas sits down with Shem Quilliam from Cedarscapes to unpack a career that has taken him from landscape apprentice to subcontractor, building foreman, project coordinator and, ultimately, business owner.

Shem shares some of the lessons he learnt in the early days of running a business, particularly around pricing work accurately and accounting for everything that happens beyond the physical installation. From site preparation and access to material handling, labour, unexpected ground conditions and delays, he explains why experience on the tools is only one part of getting a quote right. 

The conversation also explores Shem's approach to planning larger projects, including working backwards through the construction sequence and bringing in external expertise, such as quantity surveyors, to provide a second set of eyes over complex tenders.

A recurring theme throughout the episode is communication. Shem and Adam discuss the importance of keeping clients informed, explaining the reasoning behind decisions, following up after quotes and working collaboratively with builders, suppliers and other trades to keep projects moving.

Shem also reflects on knowing when a project or client may not be the right fit, the value of building strong industry relationships, and how his experience across landscaping, construction and project management continues to shape the direction of Cedarscapes.

To finish, Shem shares his involvement in planning work with Rapid Housing and Rotary, supporting projects that provide relocatable housing options for communities impacted by natural disasters.

It’s an honest conversation about learning through experience, asking for help when you need it, backing your knowledge and building a business one project, relationship and lesson at a time.

Key Takeaways

Price the whole job, not just the task.
Good quoting means considering site preparation, access, labour, material handling, equipment, delays and the unexpected—not simply how long the physical installation should take.

Work backwards when planning a project.
Starting with the finished landscape and working back through each stage can help identify the sequence of works, labour requirements and costs before the job begins.

Outside expertise can be money well spent.
For larger tenders, engaging a quantity surveyor can provide another perspective on pricing, identify items that may have been missed and help improve future quoting systems.

Know the conditions you’re working with.
Ground conditions, access and site constraints can dramatically affect the time and cost of a project. Local knowledge and early conversations with clients can help manage expectations.

Communication builds confidence.
Keeping clients, builders and trades informed—and explaining the reasoning behind decisions—can prevent confusion, strengthen relationships and make projects run more smoothly.

Not every job needs to be your job.
Sometimes the best business decision is to propose an alternative, refer the work to someone better suited or recognise when a project simply isn’t the right fit.

Relationships create opportunities.
For Shem, much of Cedarscapes' work has grown through word of mouth and strong relationships with clients, builders and industry contacts.

Your experience can take you beyond the traditional landscaping path.
Shem's background across landscaping, construction and project management has opened the door to broader opportunities, including community-focused housing projects.

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👁️‍🗨️ About Shem Quilliam and Cedarscapes

• Website: cedarscapes.com.au
• Facebook: Cedarscapes Landscape & Construction
• Instagram: @cedarscapesconstruction
• LinkedIn: Shem Quilliam

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au

In this episode…

Adam Hompas sits down with Corey Shalevski from RYCOR Landscapes for a candid chat about business growth, team culture, systems, and the realities of building a landscape business with momentum.

Corey shares the RYCOR story, from growing up on a Yarra Valley property with his brother and business partner Ryan, to combining Ryan’s hands-on landscaping experience with Corey’s background in account management, business development and systems.

Together, they’ve grown RYCOR Landscapes into a 19-person team, with a strong focus on quality workmanship, clear communication, digital systems, and hiring people who genuinely align with the business.

The conversation explores the transition from pen-and-paper processes to digital job management, the importance of knowing your numbers, the value of investing in the right people, and why strong internal culture becomes even more important as a business grows.

Corey also opens up about one of the biggest learning curves in business: switching off.

From leaving the laptop at the office to making time for family, sport and life outside work, this episode is a practical reminder that sustainable growth is not just about more projects, more staff or bigger numbers.

It is also about building a business that supports the people inside it.

Key Takeaways

Growth needs structure.
RYCOR’s growth has been supported by clearer systems, defined roles, and a move toward digital processes across quoting, project management, communication, and back-costing.

The right team changes everything.
Corey talks about the importance of hiring “A players” and building a team of people who see landscaping as a career, not just a job.

Quality comes from culture, not just oversight.
As the team has grown, Ryan and Corey cannot be everywhere at once, so maintaining quality comes down to hiring people who share the same standards, values and attention to detail.

Communication is a business asset.
RYCOR prides itself on clear communication with clients, staff and suppliers, but Corey also shares how growth can stretch those standards if the right support is not in place.

Know your numbers before you grow.
From hiring qualified tradespeople to expanding the office team, Corey reflects on how understanding the numbers helps business owners make better, more confident decisions.

Industry connection matters.
Adam and Corey discuss the value of networking with other business owners, especially when navigating shared challenges such as price increases, workload pressure, and business uncertainty.

Switching off is part of sustainable leadership.
Corey speaks openly about learning to set boundaries, spending time with family, getting back into soccer, and finding ways to step away from the constant demands of running a business.

Flexibility helps retain good people.
RYCOR’s approach to work-life balance extends to the team, with flexibility around family, sport and personal commitments helping create a more supportive workplace.

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👁️‍🗨️ About RYCOR Landscapes

• Website: www.RYCOR.com.au
• Facebook: RYCOR Landscapes
• Instagram: @RYCORlandscapes
• Pinterest: RYCOR Landscapes
• YouTube: RYCOR Landscapes
• LinkedIn: RYCOR Landscapes and Corey Shalevski

Got a suggestion for an episode of The Front Garden? Send us a text message!

The Front Garden podcast is proudly presented by Landscaping Victoria, and is brought to you by ShapeScaper, the Australian made modular steel garden edging and planter system, trusted by landscape professionals nation wide. 

Find your nearest stockist at shapescaper.com.au