Many have been conferred as ‘Fellows’ of the Institute, the most accomplished horticulturists and committed of our members. Fellows remain current during their continued or retired involvement with the Institute and are the mentors to the Institute. Fellow places are limited and are considered well earned when conferred by the AIH National Council.
FAIH RH
Annette Irish is a highly respected horticulturist, locally and internationally, and shares her knowledge and experiences through workshops for disciples of gardening and also teaches and mentors her professional horticultural colleagues.
Left to right: Andrew Price FAIH RH (NSW), Chris Oliver FAIH RH (WA), Stuart Pittendrigh FAIH RH (NSW), John Mason FAIH (QLD), Chris Poulton FAIH RH (NSW), Glenice Batchelor FAIH RH (WA), Annette Irish FAIH RH, Chair of Fellows (QLD), Patrick Regnault FAIH RH (NSW), Neville Passmore FAIH RH (WA), Jonathan Garner FAIH RH (NSW)
Absent: Tom Lantry FAIH RH (NSW), Peter Thyer FAIH RH, Nicholas Rivett FAIH RH (VIC), Don Burke OAM FAIH RH (NSW), Rick Bryson FAIH RH (ACT), Vicki Still FAIH RH (ACT), Paul Plant FAIH RH (QLD), Arno King FAIH RH (QLD) ), Paul Scholtens FAIH RH (ACT), Alan Chenoweth FAIH (NSW), Harry Crane FAIH RH (QLD)
2014 & 1993 - FAIH
2013 - FAIH
2011 - FAIH
2022 - FAIH RH
2019 - FAIH RH
2019 - FAIH RH
2018 - FAIH RH
2018 - FAIH RH
2016 - FAIH RH
2015 - FAIH RH
2013 - FAIH RH
2013 - FAIH RH
2012 - Snr FAIH RH
2011 - FAIH RH
2011 - FAIH RH
2010 - FAIH RH
2010 - FAIH RH
2010 - FAIH
2010 - FAIH RH
2010 - FAIH RH
2005 - FAIH
2004 - FAIH RH
2003 - FAIH RH
2002 - FAIH
2000 - FAIH RH
2000 - FAIH RH
1995 - FAIH
Annette Irish is a highly respected horticulturist, locally and internationally, and shares her knowledge and experiences through workshops for disciples of gardening and also teaches and mentors her professional horticultural colleagues.
She is well known for her involvement in promoting tropical horticulture in Queensland and Asia, having spent 12 years from 2005 to 2017 working with the Singapore government to upgrade and enhance their horticulturist’s and landscape consultant’s skills and knowledge.
On behalf of the Singapore government Annette and her team researched, wrote, edited and published a technical tome of 3,000 pages on Horticultural sciences and practices for the Singapore Parks Board Certified Practising Horticulturist program. Her company was also contracted to research, develop and assist in the implementation of the Workskills Qualification Framework for the Landscape/Horticulture industries of Singapore, a 18 month project covering the nursery, turf, parks, gardens, landscape, arboriculture, interior landscape and floristry sectors. A monumental project given the diversity of cultures, social norms and language barriers within the Singapore workforce.
Annette has presented at major conferences such as the International Society of Horticultural Scientists in Lisbon in 2010, various Singapore based horticultural conferences, Australian industry professional conferences and at popular national gardening events within Australia. Providing basic knowledge supported by sound science on the management and maintenance of plant and soil health are the key features of Annette’s presentations and demonstrations – challenging long held horticultural practices and making it all so much clearer to the gardeners. By supporting healthy environments for the health of the plant, soil and the fauna, both above and below the ground, brings diversity of species and creatures into urban life… our lives! She has a dedicated following that support her views on poor practices and unnecessary chemical use, sharing knowledge on her FB group – Annette Irish shares plant health for gardeners.
Along with designing gardens and incorporating provision of habitats for local fauna her expertise has not been limited to temperate and tropical regions. Travelling extensively throughout the eastern states of Australia having worked with a number of dry communities in Alpurrurulam (20°58′S 137°55′E), also known as Lake Nash, a small town in the Northern Territory, Australia, 17km from the NT–Queensland borde Annette’s real passion is growing rare and unusual sub-tropical, dry sub-tropical and tropical plants trialling them in the tough growing conditions, relying on tank water only at her own personal 2 acre botanic gardens in the slopes of the D’Aguilar ranges of northern Brisbane.
Nurtured by her parents, who were keen gardeners, she developed her love for plants, gardens, urban food production and building healthy soils. Together they built beautiful gardens near to the shores of Botany Bay and then Bundeena in coastal NSW, learning how to turn grey seaside sands into rich organic growing media – not an easy task.
Annette’s education and industry experience has included seed technology, agricultural seed crops, amenity horticulture, plant, soil and earth sciences including geology. Annette has been a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Horticulture since 2000 and a Registered Horticulturist RH08 since 2011.
Along with a number of representative roles including past president of the Australian Institute of Horticulture and Director of the Board of the Friends of Brisbane Botanic Gardens Annette has enjoyed being MC at various types of events and enjoys the rapport with the audience.
2021 is earmarked for Annette to publish her on-line Field guide – Plant Health Symptoms and their causal agents – a fully cross-referenced database of hundreds of plant health symptoms and their causal agents. A work of love, accumulating all her gathered examples and acquired knowledge over 40 years working with plants and soil.
Thanking you for the time to read my bio, Annette Irish – Horticulturist