Gardening Australia’s only original cast member is saying goodbye after 38 years of gardening on television.
Legendary Gardening Australia presenter Jane Edmanson has announced her retirement after 38 years at ABC.
Edmanson is the only original cast member of the show which started in 1990.
In tonight’s episode she tells host Costa Georgiadis about her decision to resign.
“It’s time. I’m retiring, even though I don’t like that word, I’m retiring Gardening Australia, I have done it for so many years and it makes me feel very proud and humbled,” she says.
“It has been a pleasure for me to present what I do on the program for years, but it is time and I will move on and do other things within the horticultural world, and I will still see you and all the lovely faces on television. It will be just wonderful. But the time is right.”
“I want everyone at home to realize that you’ve been making garden TV for 38 years and you’re the only remaining presenter in the team who’s been there since the first episode. It really feels like the end of an era,” says Costa.
“It could be, the Paleozoic is coming to an end!” Edmanson answers. ‘It was so wonderful, but I just know it’s good.
“I look around at what’s happening in horticulture at the moment, and there are so many good things happening with young people coming up and students learning all about horticulture and becoming gardeners themselves, and that’s the most important thing.
“If I can end with one last thing: keep digging. Keep putting plants in the ground. It doesn’t matter, just keep doing it and you will get so much satisfaction, because it has been a beautiful, beautiful calling for me for so long, but also for everyone, just like amateur gardeners, to enjoy their garden.”
This evening Gardening Australia is a tribute to Edmanson and her decades of presenting gardening on TV. It includes a stroll through her favorite part of Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, a visit to an expansive garden designed by the famous Edna Walling, meeting an enterprising group of asylum seekers and a surprise party with cast and crew.
Edmanson says her love of gardening came from her parents.
“I think my father and mother were obviously so influential. My father was the horticulturist, the citrus grower, my mother was a very fine gardener and she could just show those kinds of elements. When I started in the nursery all those years ago, 45 years ago, picking out little plants, I had to persuade the person I was working for because most people didn’t have female gardeners in their nurseries. So, a bit of a trendsetter.”
“That is certainly true. You have set a wonderful benchmark for generations. Thank you, and we will miss you,” Costa added.
“I’m going to miss everyone too, but I’ll keep watching,” Jane replies.
“My eagle eye will be looking at your hair, your beard and your costumes. I will still be looking at you, don’t worry. But it was a joy for me because of the team at Gardening Australia. People just look at us, but they don’t realize there’s so much behind it. The sound people, the cameraman, the producers, all the gardeners behind it. It’s such a team effort. It’s fantastic. So, you know, hats off to them too. I will miss them.”
Gardening Australia 7.30pm Friday on ABC.
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