Podcasts about botanic gardens

It's Day 3 of IAAPA Expo Europe, and this episode of Skip the Queue brings you insights from industry leaders. Hear from Andreas Andersen (Liseberg), Peter van der Schans (IAAPA EMEA), Laura Read (Marwell Zoo), Aaron Wilson (ProSlide), and Robbi Jones (Katapult) on resilience, creativity, and the future of attractions.Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden, with co host Andy Povey and roving reporter Claire Furnival.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Show references:  https://www.liseberg.se/en/https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-veilstrup-andersen/Andreas Veilstrup Andersen is the CEO and President of the Liseberg Group, Sweden – operating one of Scandinavia's most visited amusement parks. Andreas has a legal and financial background and has been working in the amusement park industry since 2000.  First in several capacities at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark, later as Vice President of European operations at IAAPA EMEA in Brussels, Belgium. Andreas was the 2018 Chairman of IAAPA. He currently holds board positions at Farup Sommerland and Alsik Hotel in Denmark, as well as Momentum Leisure and Leo's Lekland, Europe's largest chain of FEC's. Andreas is heading up IAAPA's sustainability initiatives, and occasionally blogs on https://reflections.liseberg.se/.Plus, live from the Day 3 of the IAAPA Expo Europe show floor, we catch up with:Aaron Wilson - Vice President, Business Development Europe & Latin America, Proslide Technologyhttps://www.proslide.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronlouiswilson/Robbie Jones - Insights Director, Katapaulthttps://www.katapult.co.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrrobbiejones/Peter van der Schans - Executive Director & Vice President, IAAPA EMEAhttps://iaapa.org/expos-and-events/expo-europehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-van-der-schans-87715717/Laura Read - Chief Executive, Marwell Zoohttps://www.marwell.org.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-read-she-her-98110726/ Transcriptions:  Paul Marden: Welcome to Skip the Queue, the podcast about the world's best attractions and the amazing people that work in them. I'm your host, Paul Marden, and together with my co-host, Andy Povey, and roving reporter Claire Furnival, we're here at day 3 of IAAPA Expo Europe. On today's show, Andy talks to Andreas Andersen, CEO and President of iseberg Group, about resilience. I meet Peter van der Schans from IAAPA EMEA, and we catch up with Laura Read from Marwell Zoo. First, let's go over to Andy.Andy Povey: So I'm joined now by Andreas Andersen, who's the chief exec of Liseberg, Scandinavia's most visited amusement park. Andreas, welcome to Barcelona. It's very good to see you here. Can you tell the listeners at home a little bit about Liseberg and what you do there?Andreas Andersen:  Sure. So I'm heading up one of the classic regional city-based parks in Northern Europe. So you have Liseberg, you have Tivoli in Copenhagen, you have Kornalund in Stockholm, and Linnanmaki in Helsinki. And we're part of this tradition of parks that have a very strong community base and a long history. Liseberg is 102 years old and three years old. And also parks that represent cultural heritage as well as reflect the cities we're located in. Lovely, lovely regional park in downtown Gothenburg. And if you haven't been, you should come visit.Andy Povey: Absolutely. I must admit, I haven't made it there myself yet. It's on the bucket list. So our theme for today's recording is about recovery and resilience. And recently, in your blog address, you wrote that you feel like for the past four years, you've been in constant crisis mode. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?Andreas Andersen: Well, I think a lot of executives or just people working in this industry can recognise that the last four or five years have been very turbulent, very, very, very volatile.Andreas Andersen: It all started with the pandemic in March 2020, we were at Lisa closed down for 17 months, so we didn't have any any business at all for for 17 months. Then we reopened in the middle of '21, very very hard— you know, with a lot of restrictions and an organisation that had not been you know operating anything for a long time and we also had to let go a lot of people. Then in '22, I think everybody experienced this giant rush, you know, that everybody wanted to get back into the park. So we couldn't really keep up with demand. And that was stressful in a different way. In '23, the market in the Nordics really suffered for some reason. It was a wit, summer and inflation, and interest rates.Andreas Andersen: And everything that went with, you could say, sort of the beginning of an economic downturn. And then, in 2024, our biggest investment, our biggest project expansion in the last 100 years, a large new indoor water park burned down. So it feels like these four or five years has really been this chain of crisis that we've had to get over and manage, basically.Andy Povey: Yeah, I mean, what we're hearing from people on the show floor is that the economic and political unrest that we have all over the Western world is creating some turbulence in the market. So talk to us a little bit more about the fire at Oceania. What happened?Andreas Andersen: We had been building the water park for almost three years, and we were six, seven weeks away from handover. It was some of the last works on the right installation that went wrong. It was a plastic welding that overheated, and these things happen, as you know.Andreas Andersen: Unfortunately, we lost a colleague in the fire and that was basically, you could say, that overshadowed, I would say, everything, especially in the first weeks. Andreas Andersen: That was devastating to all of us and obviously, especially his family. But soon after, we also had to make some decisions. You know, did we want to rebuild? How did we want to rebuild? At what pace? How would we finance? etc. etc. So you also very quickly move into the next phase of a crisis management and that is recovery. And we've been in that phase ever since. Andy Povey: Interesting. It's a devastating situation. I mean, your concern obviously has to be for the team and the people involved— not just those affected directly, but everybody on the floor who feels an emotional impact from this situation. So what tips would you give, as a leader, going through a situation like that, to anyone else listening who may be facing their own challenges?Andreas Andersen:  Well, I think I learned a lot during those weeks and months. And I think I learned that in a crisis, especially of this magnitude, everything becomes very naked. Everything becomes very raw. And you cannot really play a role as a leader. You have to be yourself. You have to be authentic. And it's okay to also show emotions and be caught up in this process of figuring out what to do with the project and the team and yourself when you meet challenges of this severity. Andreas Andersen:  So I would say be yourself, but also recognise that I always say that leadership in a crisis is a little bit like your biggest asset is the confidence that people have in you. And that confidence is something you build up over years. It's a little bit like a bank account that you can then draw on when the crisis hits. But you really have to make sure that you have something on that bank account. You can't borrow confidence. It's not up for loan. So you really, you know, crisis management, from a leadership perspective, actually starts a lot earlier than the crisis. It's about, you know, building a team that works well together, that trusts you and has confidence in you. And then, when the crisis hits, you know, you can draw on that trust, draw on that confidence. So I think that's two of the learnings that I had during this process.Andy Povey: I love the idea of the bank that you can draw on. We're making deposits in our bank every day, not just as a commercial leadership level, but a personal level as well. You need to have that resilience built in yourself. A lovely analogy. And I really love the idea of authenticity. So, if we move on now to talking a little bit more about what we do in an attraction, I think authenticity plays a really big part in that. So, how important is it for you to keep innovating at Liseberg?Andreas Andersen: It's super important because we are in a regional market. I mean, if you look at how our guests are composed, you know, we have 90% Swedish people and then 10%, maybe 12% in a good year from other, especially Nordic countries. But the majority are Swedish and about 60% of our total volume is actually from the local market. And if you want to attract the local market and you want to drive revisitation, Gothenburg is a large city, but it's not a huge city. You have to keep the product fresh. You have to reinvest, reinvent, and constantly adapt. And I think that's actually... part of the, you could say, the formula for these Nordic city-based parks that we've actually had to all reinvent, you know, throughout our history. I mean, Tivoli, that was founded in 1843, it was built by this crazy entrepreneur called Geo Carstensen.Andreas Andersen: And when Tivoli opened on the 15th of August, it was late, it was over budget, and it was not quite finished. And he got a question from a journalist, you know, asking him, you know, when will Tivoli be finished? And his response was, 'Never.' Tivoli will never be finished. And I think, you know, it's almost 200 years ago that he said this, but I think it encompasses sort of the real DNA of our industry that we have to constantly evolve with our guests and reinvent ourselves. And I think, again, that the city, the Nordic city-based parks have really been quite good at that.Andy Povey: Obviously, I mean, Liseberg with 100 years, Tivoli with almost 200 years. There's something good there. You're doing something right. So more recently, you've taken a position with, I'm going to pronounce this awfully, Leo's Lekland. Compare and contrast Liseberg to Europe's largest chain of family entertainment centres?Andreas Andersen:  I mean, there are a lot of similarities and also a lot of differences. I think what is interesting for me, you know, working with Leos is that it's, in many ways, the model is the same. I mean, you pay an entrance fee, you spend a few hours with your family, you may eat a lunch or buy an ice cream or a plush animal. So in many ways, it's the same. But I think, when we're talking about these attractions that are really designed for shorter visits, there is a convenience perspective to them that it's slightly different than, you know, visiting an amusement park or a theme park for a full day. I remember once I had a conversation with one of our competitors in this market, not FECs as such, but, you know, these shorter visits, you know, two, three-hour visit attractions, very often midway attractionsAndreas Andersen: And he said, 'What we sell is actually not.' necessarily an experience, it is two hours spent and I think that's a little bit of a different perspective on an attraction that you actually also go to, Leo's Lekland, to have your kids, you know, be really really tired when they get home, you know, in today's world, where everything is a lot of a lot of stuff is digital and and the kids sit there with their with the tablets and their phones and or their game consoles or they're online with their friends. I think play has a huge and important role to play in the development of motoric and social skills for kids. I think physical play will be something we're going to discuss a lot in the decades to come, because I think we lost a couple of generations the last 20 years. And I think that's a super dangerous thing. So getting back to your question, a lot of similarities, but there are also some differences and I've learned a lot by working with them.Andy Povey: Fantastic. The talk about play really resonates. We lost a year, maybe 18 months through COVID. I have 11-year-old twin girls. I love the idea that me taking them to our local FEC on a Saturday morning so I could recover from a hangover while they went and played was a really positive, good parent thing to do. So thank you for that. We're at the show. What are you looking forward to seeing when you get out on the show floor, when we eventually let you go out on the show floor?Andreas Andersen:  Oh! I very rarely have a plan. I like to just stroll around. Actually, I see it a little bit like visiting an amusement park. You shop for experiences and you see what happens. I think one of the great things about these expos is the fact that, and that's probably what I look most forward to, is that you meet your industry colleagues.Andreas Andersen:  A company like ours, Liseberg, we do not exist; we do not operate within a chain structure. We do not have a corporate mother that knows a lot about what we do. We do not have other parks that we can benchmark with. So these shows is also a little bit a way for us to get out of the bubble and meet other people that work with the same thing as we do. So it's actually not as much the expo floor or the events or the educational program as it is meeting the people. I enjoy.Andy Povey: Andreas, it's been great talking to you. Thank you very much for your time and have a fantastic show.Andreas Andersen:  And I wish you the very same. Thank you.Paul Marden: Now let's head over to the show floor. So we are here on the ProSlide stand, and I'm here with Aaron. Aaron, introduce yourself. Tell us a little bit about ProSlide.Aaron  Wilson: Hi, nice to meet you. Thanks for coming in. I'm Aaron Wilson, Senior Vice President, Business Development, EMEA, with ProSlide. I've been with ProSlide for nine years. We're focused really on the design and innovation of rides. That's where we really form the nucleus of who ProSlide is.Paul Marden: Okay, so what are you launching here at this year's IAAPA?Aaron  Wilson:  Yeah, so let's walk over here to our model table. Where we have a large model of our newest feature, which is the Hive. We actually opened up two rides this year, one at Chimelong in China, the most attended water park in the world. Paul Marden: Wow. Aaron  Wilson:  And that's with a five-person family raft, everyone seated facing each other.Paul Marden: That's amazing. So you're going through this on a five-person ring kind of thing?Aaron  Wilson:  Exactly, a five-person tube. So it's a tight radius helix curve. So as you enter, you're entering into a completely open, basically cathedral space. But as you're dropping and turning very quickly, you're staying really stuck along the outside of the wall, feeling those centrifugal forces. And you have a 360-degree global view. So you're able to look forward, backwards, upwards, down. See everywhere where you came from and where you're headed.Paul Marden: It's amazing, isn't it? Because you've got transparent sides on it. So you can see outside as well.Aaron  Wilson:  Absolutely. And there's a ton of theming potential here. In the middle is a support structure. And so we're working on theming there in the middle, if we can. Special effects around the outside. In this case, it's transparent. Exactly.Paul Marden: You've got some amazing models on the table here. This is one of those rides that you can't really bring to IAAPA and experience in real life because we'd all have to be in our swimmers.Aaron  Wilson:  Unfortunately, yes.Paul Marden: But some amazing, amazing models. What's innovative about this? What's this bringing to the market, which is unusual?Aaron  Wilson:  So you have that 360-degree helix turn. We've completely opened it up. So normally in a turn, you can only see a few meters in front of you. In this case, it's a feature that's completely open as you're making that turn. And so you can see everywhere, right? Up and down, forwards, backwards. And that's really part of the differentiation. But obviously the biggest sensation is actually that experience you feel as you have those centrifugal forces around the outside. With a five-person boat, you're looking at about 800 pounds, and you're whipping around the outside, gaining tons of speed throughout. So it's really exciting. The additional interesting thing about this element is we're also doing a two-person tube and a small compact footprint.Aaron  Wilson:  So it's very adaptable for indoor parks or even outdoor parks that don't have a ton of space. That compact footprint gives a lot of flexibility in the design.Paul Marden: So you've got this in China at the moment, you say?Aaron  Wilson:  Yep, and one in the US. And there are a lot more to come in the next one to two years already programmed and open. So we're really excited about this for the water parks.Paul Marden: That's amazing. So we've been asking everybody to get their crystal ball out and tell us trends for 2026. Where do you think the market is going? What do you think that we can expect to see this time next year at IAAPA? Aaron  Wilson:  Water coasters. Water coasters are the big thing. Paul Marden: What on earth is a water coaster? Aaron  Wilson:  Yeah, well, let's head over here to another model table. We have a couple of examples here. So I would say, like in the last couple of years, specifically speaking about Europe, we've seen an amazing response to our water coaster technology using water propulsion. We call it the rocket blast.Paul Marden: Right.Aaron  Wilson:  And so what you have is a series of injectors placed along the uphill sections that actually push the boat uphill. That's amazing. And so with that technology, we're able to do a number of things. And this actually, this ride opened about a year and a half ago at Land of Legends in Turkey. This is, you know, one of the biggest things that will stand out to you here is, as you're looking around all the models, what's very common with a water park is you have—gravity-fed rides, meaning you climb a tower and use gravity to go down. Paul Marden:  This is very flat and long. Aaron  Wilson:  Exactly. This is built essentially on grade. There's no tower here. So, I mean, the first thing is accessibility. So now, as you know, there's no steps. You know, water parks are historically very difficult to meet accessibility. Paul Marden: Yeah. Do you know, I've never thought of that before. But of course, you need to climb the stairs to be able to get to the top of the tower.Aaron  Wilson:  So this case, this is called Turtle Coaster. And this is at Land of Legends. Our guests can walk or, you know, walk or wheel.Paul Marden: Yep.Aaron  Wilson:  As they want up this ramp. This is about four meters off grade. We have a little bit of a drop here. So this is a closed-circuit coaster, right? Meaning the guests are finishing and ending in the same location. Also something different from a water ride. Normally you're going up a tower and finishing in a pool. Here you're finishing and starting at the same location, much like a mechanical dry-growing coaster.Paul Marden: And this, just for listeners' benefit, this has got eight or nine turns in there. It's really, you know. It's going to be a normal coaster-type ride, isn't it?Aaron  Wilson:  This is a 420-meter-long coaster. You're looking at about a minute-and-a-half water ride, which is crazy. Most water rides are about 30 seconds, you know? So it's a really long experience. You have eight uphill last sections, along with what else is unique with our technology is we're able to incorporate these flat last sections. So much like a mechanical coaster has that launch element to it. We're able to do that with water propulsion. So right off the stop, you have this completely flat launch blast. Up, you're getting the elevation. You go around for 420 meters, a series of flying saucer features, uphill sections. Coming back into a water channel.Aaron  Wilson:  And landing in the landing pool, it picks you up on a moving station conveyor. So this conveyor is actually moving at a very slow pace. Guests are cutting off and getting back on.Paul Marden: This is not a lazy river, is it? That you're just sat around for a little while. This is going to hair around.Aaron  Wilson:  Absolutely not. And then here at Siam Park is another coaster here. We opened up in '23. Doolin. So you had two lanes.Paul Marden: Oh, wow.Aaron  Wilson:  And you're racing side by side throughout the experience.Paul Marden: That is amazing. Well, Aaron, look— it's been wonderful to meet you. Find out more about what you're doing here. Looks super, super exciting. I want to get my swimmers on and go and try some, but maybe not whilst we're here in Barcelona, but maybe one time soon.Andy Povey: So we're on the show floor again and I'm with Robbie Jones from Katapult. Robbie, please tell the listeners at home a little bit about Katapult, what you do with them.Robbie  Jones: So we design themed attractions, experiences and destinations. So that can be anything from theme parks all the way through to museums. And our— I guess our core competency is design stage, so pre-concept designs. We get involved quite a lot in theme parks that are very early stages. And my role in that is quite unique within the team of creatives and designers, in that I look towards the insights. So sometimes I work with feasibility partners to kind of pull together the economic requirements for a theme park or an attraction to exist. But more often than not, it's about the guest journey, the guest behaviour, how can we make the guest experience as best as possible by understanding information research that we might have already but also doing some primary research as well to make sure we're creating like that amazing moment for every person that walks through the door.Andy Povey: Fantastic. That sounds really, really impressive. Looking back over 2025, what are your key takeaways from this year so far?Robbie  Jones: Goodness, me. I think I'll speak with a lot of what the industry would say, which is it's been a little bit sticky in places in 2025. There's certainly been more maybes than yeses or nos in terms of projects. But I think we're starting to see things beginning to move. Someone's put some oil in the engine somewhere, which is great. And there's some really exciting projects coming up. Obviously, as a UK-based company, seeing the likes of Universal, Poodie Foo, setting up shop. It's going to be really interesting to see how that impacts not just the UK, but the European market as well.Andy Povey: I couldn't agree more. I really, really look forward to seeing that anticipated improvement in quality of experience that we'll get across the UK. So looking forward to '26 now, what are you anticipating as being the exciting things we're talking about in 12 months' time?Robbie  Jones: Gosh, I mean, I think there will be an element of a quiet time, I think, especially with the new build theme parks, whether that's in the UK or, of course, in the Middle East. I think there'll be an element of quiet that we need to get used to in terms of waiting to see what the next big thing is or the next IP that's going to be in those rides. But I certainly see a lot more positive vibes coming out of the industry. I think we'll see more exciting local experiences, maybe not just big global ones. And yeah, just on the horizon, maybe plenty more opportunity and positivity.Paul Marden: It has been my first IAAPA Expo, and I've had a whale of a time. And I am joined here by Peter van der Schans, the VP and Exec Director of IAAPA EMEA. Peter. Tell me a little bit about what the show has been like for you because I've had an amazing time.Peter van der Schans: Well, so did I. The funny thing is we've always worked so hard on these expos. It takes a hell of a lot of time and it all comes back in this one week. And once you exit that plane or train or however you arrive, you start in a bus and then it's over before you know it.Peter van der Schans: And the week is done and you fall in this big black hole. That's where we're going now. So it's been a wonderful week and it's great to see all our members and every industry leader that is visiting us. We're a small team at IAAPA. We're not a huge organisation, but we have our members supporting us. It's a team effort from both IAAPA and our members, basically. And it's only pride.Paul Marden: One of the most important parts of the show, I think, is the educational side of what you do. There's been a big educational program. Are there any big themes that you've spotted coming out of that education strand?Peter van der Schans: So the education program actually is built with our members and by our members. So, of course, we guide it and shape it. But it's actually done by our members. So it's our members saying, 'Hey, this is where I have issues with. This is the trends I see. This is where I think this is going, which makes it always accurate because we have that industry knowledge by our members.' So in that sense, what we saw this year, there's a lot of focus on AI, obviously, the hot topic nowadays. Paul Marden: It's not a single interview I do where somebody hasn't dropped AI into it. So it's a hot topic.Peter van der Schans: It's a hot topic. And I'm very curious also to see where it's going because right now, if you see execution, the focus is much on back office. For example, Parks Reunidos for example, shared on stage, that they can now predict their next, the next day in visitor numbers with accuracy of 93% which is perfect. Things like that. But I'm curious exactly to see how it's going to evolve in the future to the front end. So what is that visitor going to see in the future? Whenever I go to a theme park, for example, will I be recognised by my name? And if I ride a ride, will the animatronic know my name, for example? Things like that. I think there's limitless possibilities.Peter van der Schans: And we're just at the verge of the beginning. And it's also so, so, so excited about that education program that we share what we know and we work together to get to that point to make it better. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. The collaboration in this sector is just amazing. And IAAPA is just the living proof of that. So many smiling faces. You know that there were competitors together on stands just chatting and enjoying. It's a really enriching experience seeing everybody work together.Peter van der Schans: It is, it is. And the funny thing is I've worked in this industry since I was 16. I started as a ride operator. I didn't know any better than when I had an issue when I became supervisor and manager that I could call the park at the other end of the country and ask, like, 'Hey, how are you dealing with this?' And they helped me. And then I worked at the cinema industry and suddenly I realised that that is not that common in all industries, to say it lightly. It was much more competitive and I didn't want to share anything and really opened my eyes in a way that I realised, like, 'hey, this is special'. And also made me realise that IAAPA plays a big part in that as well, as an organisation to bring all those people together, to provide that platform to work together.Paul Marden: Yes, the facilitators of the community, aren't you? I'm going to ask you a slightly controversial question here. Outside of show hours, what has been your favourite party or event? And you can name drop any one of them. It's absolutely fine. Nobody will be upset with you.Peter van der Schans: I must say the ballpark reception, obviously for the British people. Always good beers. The Tuesday events with the opening ceremony, where we really kick off the week. They made me dance again. I don't recommend watching that back, but that's always just a fun, fun morning where we really kick off the week with a big energy, with a nice connection to the host city as well. Peter van der Schans: It's always fun to work on that and to execute that, but also the evening event, the opening reception where we gather. Well, this year we had 1,400 industry professionals coming together and mixing, mingling in Tibidabo. Without rain, thankfully. Paul Marden: Well, yes, this is the thing. So I was watching the skies thinking this could go really badly wrong. The BBC weather forecasts were not looking good. Peter van der Schans: There's this tradition in Barcelona that you bring eggs to nuns and they make sure you'll have good weather. We did that. We brought three dozens.Paul Marden: Took a lot of eggs. There was a lot of eggs broken in the making of this party. But you did very well. We're at the end. And everybody gets to heave a big sigh of relief that the show's done. It's in the can. But there's also a touch of sadness and fondness looking forward to what comes next. So next year, what have you got coming up first? I understand there's something in the Middle East.Peter van der Schans: Yeah, absolutely. We actually last year at this expo in Amsterdam, we announced the launch of our newest expo, IAAPA Expo Middle East, which is actually the first time in IAAPA's history that we built a new expo from scratch.Peter van der Schans: Never done that before, our members and and people in the industry ask us year after year like, 'When is IAAPA coming to the Middle East?' Of course, there's a huge amount of investments going on in that region. It's crazy. And in that sense, we we simply listen to our members and decide that this is the time we need to go. And we're excited to get closer and closer to the actual launch of the event in March in 2026 in Abu Dhabi.Paul Marden: So March 2026, Abu Dhabi is our next event. But there is another event coming next year. IAAPA is coming to London, which I'm very pleased about. Tell me, is the planning all starting on Monday? Are you already a long way through planning? Plans you can share with me about what's coming up in London?Peter van der Schans: We will have an exciting program for sure, but we're not there yet with with the actual education programme. That takes a little bit more of time, but we do have the show Florencial already and that's looking to be another record-breaking show. What I think also remarkable is that we will have one third more education than we will have in our previous show. So we always had two conference rooms— we'll have three in London. So we'll have actually quite a big increase in our educational offerings as well.Paul Marden: That's amazing. I cannot wait. This has been my first IAAPA, but it won't be my last IAAPA. I think I can confidently say that. So grateful for you and the team inviting us along as Skip the Queue to be part of what you've been doing. We've had an amazing time and I cannot wait to see you again in London.Peter van der Schans: Thank you very much and happy to have you here.Paul Marden: We are here at the end of day three of IAAPA Expo Europe. We've had a wonderful time. Andy Povey: I'm broken. Paul Marden: Oh man, I'm going home a broken man. The voice is barely holding on. I am here with Laura Read from Marwell Zoo. Welcome to Skip the Queue, Laura.Laura Read: Hello. Thank you for having me.Paul Marden: Laura, what's it been like for you? What's the benefit of coming to IAAPA for you?Laura Read: So this is my first IAAPA. For me, this was all around looking at what's new for visitor attractions, what's innovative, what's coming up, and what could we potentially bring to the visitors of Marwell Zoo that might be exciting and might drive more visitors to come to us, really, ultimately. It's all about, for us, diversification, keeping the zoo product at the core of our offer, obviously, but seeing how we can augment that with other things.Paul Marden: So what can we expect? Is it going to be a 4D immersive ride experience? Water slides? Or are you looking for something that enriches the in-real-life experience for you? And it's a bit more low-tech.Laura Read: Oh, I'd love to put in like a water park. Do you know what? That's something like the coolest stalls. Like going around going, 'oh, I'd love to design a water park. That's so fun. No, no'. So for us, it's really about looking at sort of smaller, lower-level, new attractions that we can bring in, you know, we're primarily a family audience. So it's what do kids want to play on? You know, I've seen some really cool little ride-on Jeeps that we think would work really, really well because we also want to stay true to our ethos. You know, Marwell's built its reputation on our conservation work, our hands-on conservation work in the field, you know, reversing species decline and also around sustainability. So sustainability is really core to our offer.Laura Read: This is not about turning Marwell into a theme park or a water park or anything like that, because the animals are still very much the stars of the show, as is the conservation work. But it's about how we can best utilise our space to provide that density of guest experience. And I think seeing all the things here today. That's where the inspiration comes in.Paul Marden: I think it's really interesting, isn't it? Because when you take your kids to the zoo, you need some space. You need a palate cleanser between the animals, don't you? To give the kids time to burn off some energy, to do something a little bit different. And then they come back re-energised and you're hiding the vegetables. You're teaching them about the conservation efforts and all the really important stuff that you do, but hidden around lots of things that keep them happy and engaged in what's going on.Laura Read: Exactly. The problem with zoos is the animals— they don't care that they're the exhibits.Laura Read: And, you know, we are a primarily outdoor attraction. Extremes of heat, rainy days, animals disappear. We know that. We know that the perennial problem is: I didn't see any animals because we have really, really high animal welfare levels and standards. And if those animals want to go off show and take themselves off to bed or away from the public view, they all can and should and do. So we need something that can keep kids particularly engaged and entertained, hopefully getting across a bit of education and messaging as well at the same time. That's a massive tick in the box. But, you know, it fills in the gaps when those animals just aren't playing ball.Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. Andy, what's been the highlight of day three for you, mate?Andy Povey: So I think it's actually talking to Laura.Paul Marden: Such a charmer.Andy Povey: Let me finish. Let me justify. It's really picking up the fact that this isn't just a theme park show. Yeah. There are elements for everything you could possibly do any day out any attraction, even in any shopping centre or any place you go to where there's large crowds of people— so it's all of that kind of stuff. I think is it's refreshing to see it through someone else's eyes, through our conversations.Laura Read: I was going to say, 'I have to say,'  Before I was chief exec at Marwell, I ran a really large, shopping centre like retail, leisure, events, and destination. And I'm amazed that this is not on more commercial real estate people's radar. I look to see if there's anyone from a previous company here, then there isn't on the attendees list. And I'm like, 'Wow,' this is all the stuff that we should have been thinking about five years ago, ten years ago, when we were realising that diversification from a retail point of view is so important because of online shopping. So that's really interesting what you say. It's not just the theme parks.Andy Povey: No, absolutely not. It's all about the day out. And ultimately, that's all. We're all here to do is we work in a fun industry, and fun doesn't have to just be an amusement park.Paul Marden: Yeah, I found it really interesting. Seeing the things that I've seen has stretched my definition of what a visitor attraction actually is, because it is more than just a theme park. As you wander around and you see the different exhibitors, I was expecting to see... The ride designers and some of the really cool tech that I've seen. But there was other stuff that I've seen that I just hadn't expected.Andy Povey: No, I mean, I was chatting yesterday to a guy who supplies park benches and litter bins.  You see them everywhere. Paul Marden: I say the park bench thing. I remember when I was working at the Botanic Gardens in Wales as it was being built, the importance of the park bench and sitting on them. And they were beautiful park benches, but they were also super comfy. The importance of a park bench, like a good toilet, can't be underestimated.Laura Read: You can always tell someone who works in visitor attraction operations, when they go to any other visitor attraction, they take pictures of the bins. I think that is an absolute giveaway. When I go places with my family and the kids are there, taking pictures of animals or taking pictures of each other or whatever they're doing. And I'm there. Oh, I'm just gonna take a picture of that sign. You know, like.Andy Povey: I have another confession to make. I had a conversation with my wife who took the kids to an attraction a couple of weeks ago. And I was most distressed that she hadn't taken a picture of the till for me.Paul Marden: Oh, you would know what the part number and everything about that till, wouldn't you? Such a retail geek.Paul Marden: Laura, thank you so much for joining us on Skip the Queue. It has been delightful. I feel that there might be a full episode coming on, talking about the zoo, if you'll have me.Laura Read: Yes, absolutely. Bring it on. Paul Marden: Oh, wonderful. Thank you so much.Andy Povey: Andy, take me to the airport.Paul Marden: If you enjoyed this episode, please like and comment in your podcast app. It really helps more people to find us. Show notes and links to all our guests this week are available on our website, skipthequeue.fm. It's been a massive team effort to take Skip the Queue to IAAPA. A huge thank you to Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle, Steve Folland and Wenalyn Dionaldo, Claire Furnival and Andy Povey, as well as Erica Washington-Perry and her team at IAAPA Global Communications.Paul Marden: Next week, we're wrapping up our IAAPA theme, talking to Choni Fernandez, Chief Sustainability Officer at PortAventura Entertainment, and Jakob Wahl, President and CEO of IAAPA. See you then.  The 2025 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsTake the Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time this year, which could lower credit card and loan rates. Senior personal finance correspondent Sharon Epperson stops by to share strategies to pay down debt, maximize your mortgage and shrink loans. Also, an inside look at London's Royal Botanic Gardens, home to the world's largest collection of Earth's flora. And, Karamo Brown opens up about what fans can expect from the final season of the Netflix series Queer Eye and the start of the fourth season of his self-titled talk show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today... The Montrose Botanic Gardens is celebrating its 30th anniversary this Saturday with a free, family-friendly sunflower-themed party featuring music, activities, and a look ahead to new community projects like the renovation of its children’s garden. And later... A Montrose man is facing charges after a bar altercation that police say turned violent and targeted a person’s gender identity.Support the show: https://www.montrosepress.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ireland's biggest sculpture event, Sculpture in Context, is currently taking place at the Botanic Gardens in north Dublin, with all the pieces located outdoors. But how different is outdoor sculpture to indoor work? Joining me now is artist Roisin de Buitlear, who is exhibiting at the event…

Ireland's biggest sculpture event, Sculpture in Context, is currently taking place at the Botanic Gardens in north Dublin, with all the pieces located outdoors. But how different is outdoor sculpture to indoor work? Joining me now is artist Roisin de Buitlear, who is exhibiting at the event…

Discount link for upcoming webinar Layer by Layer on Monday September 29 at 6 pm CDT.LUKE DAHLBERG BIOWith over twenty years of experience in propagating midwestern native plants, Luke Dahlberg turned his passionate backyard hobby into a career. Luke earned his degree majoring in Ornamental Horticulture and a minor in Business from the University of Wisconsin - Platteville. After working in the commercial nursery trade for several years, Luke landed his current position as Conservation Seed Program Manager at Citizens for Conservation, an organization that he started volunteering at in 2004 and became part of the organization's staff in 2018 where he continues CFC's mission of restoring and educating others about the ecosystems of the Chicago area. Collaborating with Lake County Forest Preserves, Luke was able to use their greenhouse to propagate rare native plants and learn from germination trials the best practices to use to reintroduce them into the wild in preserved plant communities. Luke loves to share what he has learned in plant propagation with others through his Instagram page, and had had opportunities to speak at the Wild Things Conference in Chicago, teach native plant propagation classes at The Morton Arboretum, and speak at a TEDx event and posts on the Grassland Restoration Network blog. In his spare time, Luke enjoys photographing birds and wildflowers and spending time with friends and his family.You can learn more from Luke by visiting his Instagram page @seedtech_luke and Citizens for Conservation at citizensforconservation.org.THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!

When most people think of conservation, they picture vast open spaces—but protecting plant life is just as vital. In this episode, Haley talks with Becky Hufft, Associate Director of Climate Resilience at Denver Botanic Gardens, about how urban ecology connects to rare plant conservation, ecosystem restoration, and even wildfire recovery. From surprising pollinator projects on golf courses to seed banks that help rehabilitate land, discover how city-based conservation efforts ripple across Colorado's landscapes.Topics[0:00] Introduction to Becky Hufft & her role at DBG[4:09] Urban projects & partnerships in Denver[8:08] Rare plant conservation and long-term monitoring[16:53] Creek restoration & beaver habitat success story[19:56] Surprising pollinator project on a golf course[22:03] Sharing research & collaborating with other groups[28:37] Positive shifts in urban landscaping trends[36:20] Exciting upcoming projects at Denver Botanic Gardens[39:30] Closing thoughtsLinksVisit the Denver Botanic GardensNeed professional help finding, buying or selling a legacy ranch, contact us: Mirr Ranch Group 901 Acoma Street Denver, CO 80204 Phone: (303) 623-4545 https://www.MirrRanchGroup.com/

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens are about to host their biannual art show and Amanda has plenty to contribute as artist and mentor

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Olivia Wall, Director of Marketing and Communications with Memphis Botanic Garden, along with Jamison Totten, Director of Live at the Garden and Radians Amphitheater, who both highlight Memphis Botanic Garden and its Live at the Garden concert series, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.During the interview, Olivia describes the garden as an oasis in the city with 30 specialty gardens, a children's area, and diverse programming for all ages. Jamison shares how the Live at the Garden series has become the garden's biggest revenue contributor, supporting educational programs and maintenance. The series has evolved from its original location to a permanent stage, significantly impacting the garden's operations and community outreach.Olivia and Jamison explain the logistics of Live at the Garden, highlighting the table renewal system with a 400-person waitlist and 312 tables, accommodating about 2,700 people. They talk about the planning process for the series and then how long it takes to set up for each show, taking about 4 days to complete, while takedown is much quicker at half a day. They discuss some of the changes for this year, like the decision to open gates at 5:30 PM instead of 6:00 PM to help manage the lines and improve attendee experience, especially on Saturdays, which has proven effective.Jamison discusses the process of creating the lineup for Live at the Garden. He explains that they start with a wish list but have to balance it with budget constraints as a nonprofit versus the cost of talent, then artist availability, production requirements, and other factors. Olivia emphasizes the importance of the overall experience, including the community atmosphere and the beautiful setting, which helps attract a who's who group of attendees who enjoy attending as much for the people around them as the entertainment.Olivia and Jamison discuss the upcoming concert lineup at the venue, highlighting performances by Parker McCollum on July 18, Darius Rucker on August 23, ZZ Top on September 6, and Steve Miller Band on September 19. She expresses excitement about the local band Joy Bomb opening for Third Eye Blind recently and mentions special guests for some of the shows. Jamison talks about the relationship with Darius Rucker, and confirms this will be his third time performing at the venue as a solo artist, praising his and his crew's friendliness and professionalism and highlighting his popularity with the Live at the Garden audience.Jamison and Olivia then each share a memorable moment from Live at the Garden concerts at Memphis Botanic Garden. Jamison recalls Lionel Richie's graciousness towards his nephew, while Olivia mentions Earth, Wind & Fire's performance and the overall positive experiences with musicians. They encourage people to visit the Memphis Botanic Garden website (membg.org) for concert information, memberships, and daily visits.Visit https://membg.org to learn more about Memphis Botanic Garden and Live at the Garden.

This episode is brought to you by Better Beer. FTK will be at Tarpeian Lawn, Botanic Gardens post Sydney Marathon at approx 10:30am. Could this be our longest episode ever? (Possibly but we've been too busy this week to check). Also FTK apologises for the delayed release of this episode. I know he hasn't been contacted in quite some time but Jordy Williamsz is still accepting any complaints. TRAINING WEEKS
 Jude steps in to replace Tess for this week's episode. Both Jack and Jude recap their race and pacing jobs respectively while leaving plenty of time for non-running-related discussions, as the trio constantly find themselves in fits of laughter.  JESS STENSON INTERVIEW Brett & Riley hear what Jess Stenson has been up to recently in their chat. They talk about the huge international stars she'll be lining up against while also discussing about the "race within a race" among the Aussie elite contingent. GIVE SOME KUDOS 
 Jack shoots his kudos to Linden Hall after her amazing performance, Joel sends his towards Cronulla hosts Kevin, Jaimie and their dog Steve while Jude moves the attention away from human beings and highlights the effort put into the course for Australian Cross Country Championships in Ballarat. TWHSOITWTWATSA
 No athlete is safe this week as we close out the episode with Jack questionining a certain Australian athlete's testing of "the solo table theory". Jude is unsure of the winner of a Victorian Cross Country Championship race and Joel isn't sure why Brett had to highlight his calf muscles in a recent story upload. SIGN UP TO OUR PATREON TODAY: www.patreon.com/forthekudos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forthekudos Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forthekudos TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@forthekudos Jack: https://www.instagram.com/jackrayner7 Joel: https://www.instagram.com/joeltobinblack Jude: https://www.instagram.com/judeethomas Jess: https://www.instagram.com/jess_tren Bang On Projects: https://www.instagram.com/bangonprojects_  

You've seen them growing outside and you may have even tasted them, but how much do you actually know about mushrooms? It turns out, not even scientists have fully unlocked the secrets of these these fascinating fungi.

You've seen them growing outside and you may have even tasted them, but how much do you actually know about mushrooms? It turns out, not even scientists have fully unlocked the secrets of these these fascinating fungi.

You've seen them growing outside and you may have even tasted them, but how much do you actually know about mushrooms? It turns out, not even scientists have fully unlocked the secrets of these these fascinating fungi.

20250815-Adrian Benepe (Brooklyn Botanic Garden) & Gabrielle Gatto (Green-Wood Cemetery) by That KEVIN Show

In the 5 AM hour, Larry O’Connor and Bethany Mandel discussed: NY POST: DC Crime Is Out of Control — A Federal Takeover Could Be the Only Solution NY TIMES: Trump Announces Additional $100 Billion Apple Investment in U.S. FOX 5 DC: DC's 'Corpse Flower' Blooms for the First Time in Years Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Thursday, August 7, 2025 / 5 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discount link for upcoming webinar Matrix Planting Made Easy on Monday August 4 at 6 pm CDT.KELLY HOLDBROOKS BIOWith decades of experience in Western North Carolina's vast horticulture, Kelly Holdbrooks demonstrates her passion for fostering human connection with nature in everything she does. For more than a decade as executive director of Southern Highlands Reserve, a nonprofit native plant garden and research center on Toxaway Mountain, Kelly has built a network of conservationists and advocates for preserving the unique ecosystem of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Kelly's research in experiential methods and the humanism of nature earned her a master's degree in landscape architecture, with honors, from the College of Environment and Design at the University of Georgia. She also earned bachelor's degrees in international studies and political science from Rhodes College and was a three-sport NCAA athlete. She is a founding member of the Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (SASRI), a public-private partnership working to restore the second most endangered ecosystem in the United States, the high elevation spruce-fir forests of the Southern Blue Ridge. She is a member of the Red Spruce Technical Advisory Board (RSTAB), headed by The Nature Conservancy, to make recommendations to the U.S. Forest Service for their regional planning efforts. She also participates in the quarterly All Lands Meeting held by the U.S. Forest Service to develop a long-term collaborative plan for natural resource conservation across Region 8. Kelly enjoys hiking, gardening, yoga, and playing in nature with her family. She is proud to call Western North Carolina her home.You can learn more about Kelly and Southern Highlands Reserve by visiting their website and Instagram @southern_highlands_reserve.THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing!ecologyflowerhome and gardengardeninggardennative plantgarden designersciencenaturenative plantswildflowersgarden designwildflowerhorticulturelandscape installflowersplantplants

Hosts Fran Chismar and Tom Knezick connect with Todd Bittner (Director of Natural Areas, Cornell Botanic Gardens) to talk about Native Lawns. Topics include the history of Native Lawn 1.0 and its advantages, New York Times coverage, surprise performers and workhorses in native lawn settings, what comes next, and of course, favorite native plants.  Music by Egocentric Plastic Men, Outro music by Dave Bennett. Find More Info on Native Lawns Here. Have a question or a comment?  Call (215) 346-6189. Follow Native Plants Healthy Planet – Website / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube Follow Fran Chismar Here. Buy a T-shirt, spread the message, and do some good. Visit Old store Here. Visit New store Here!

The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden in Port Augusta was officially opened in 1996 but its story actually began much earlier. Visionary John Zwar shares its story.

Joel Styzens is a composer and multi-instrumentalist whose career as a drummer was transformed due to sudden hearing damage. He talked to me about dealing with the physical and psychological effets of hyper acusis and tinnitus, the beauty of hammered dulcimer, and you'll hear clips from his first 2 albums Relax Your Ears and Resonance. He's a music educator who loves to help students to make discoveries on their own and we spoke about Joel's passion for all kinds of artistic expression, and his positive recent experience at the Ragdale Artist residency. Joel's personal story is so inspiring, and his music is so beautiful; please check out his albums .You can also watch this on YouTube and the Transcript is also linked to my websiteSupport this series! It's a joy to bring these inspiring episodes to you every week, and I do all the many jobs of research, production and publicity. Would you like to know about upcoming guests? Newsletter sign-upPodcast merchOther episodes you'll like: Jack Hui Litster Kirsten Agresta Copely Margaret MariaFollow the podcast on social mediaPhoto of Joel: Sarah Boudreau(00:00) Intro (02:49) Joel's sudden hearing problems (09:47) meeting his wife through his music with clip of Viv (17:51) inspired from the Botanic Gardens in Chicago (20:28) video clip from Waterfall Garden featuring hammered dulcimer (20:32) clip from Burijji (24:51) David's Dulcimers (28:52) dealing with tinnitus and hyperacusis (34:39) support from family, clips of Lifeline and Memento M (38:34) Other episodes you'll like and ways to support this series (39:26) cellists Sophie Webber, Katinka Kleijn, ATLYS string quartet, Rob Clearfield (41:41) teaching multi-instrumentalist approach (53:32) Ragdale residency, exploring different forms of creative expression

The EB Podcast spoke to Dr Bosco Chan, WWF Hong Kong's head of conservation, and Dr Stephan Gale, head of flora conservation at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, about threats to Hong Kong's unique biodiversity from mega-projects. We discussed: Conservation with Dr Bosco Chan The state of Hong Kong biodiversity: reasons for concern The Northern Metropolis development – what will it mean for Hong Kong's wildlife? How can developers reduce the impact on wildlife? Do cityfolk living in Hong kong or Singapore care about species loss? Models to follow in biophilic city design Conservation with Dr Stephan Gale The climate implications of Hong Kong's mega-projects Why nature restoration matters Nature-sensitive building design The importance native plant species matter to Hong Kong and Singapore "Listen to ecologists"

Durango Transit offers free public transportation all summer,, celebrate Durango's western heritage with the True Western Roundup rodeos every Wednesday,, and don't miss Gardens on Tour at the end of the month. By Sadie Smith.  Watch this story at www.durangolocal.news/newsstories/durango-transit-offers-free-rides-all-summer  This story is sponsored by San Juan Regional Medical Center and Tafoya Barrett & Associates. Support the show

Deryn chats with Amanda Shade Manager of Living Collections at Kings Park and Botanic Garden. Amanda is responsible for the nursery, seed bank, herbarium and collections management database. She also works with Kings Park Horticulturists to select plants for the WA Botanic Garden's in-ground collections.

The next few months we'll be “in the dark” so to speak – the shortest days of the year puts us in front of the Low Emissions Burner, keeping warm while reading gardening magazines. What kinds of plants give us colour at this time? Go and visit your local Botanic Garden and take a note book with you – I often look at the stuff that Julie plants at our place. Tree Dahlia are huge plants that can grow up to 4 or 5 meters tall. They are true Dahlias, just a bit taller than your ordinary varieties. Their contrast with blue autumn and winter skies is remarkable. Easy to grow and easy to prune after flowering. They simply grow another lot of branches next autumn! Nerines are currently spectacular. Bright pink flowers delivered by a bulbous plant. Seeing we're in rather frost-free part of the Port Hills, they keep on flowering. They belong to the Amaryllidaceae (bulbs) and don't care about soil quality as long as it isn't too wet. Easy to transplant. Salvia leucantha (Mexican Bush Sage). Works well in full sun with well-drained soil and flowers up to a meter high even at this time of the year, visited by hordes of pollinators – especially Bumblebee Queens. Smoke Bush (Cotinus species) is an oldy but a goody. Many different varieties and colours, especially in the purple range (Royal Purple, “Grace” etc) but also in lime green or red. Flowers look like smoky patches, but right now smoke bush is a variable painting of artistic colours. Liquidambar leaves light up the lawn. Those autumn leaves can come in a wide variety of colours, creating patches of oranges, yellows, and purple. Leave them where they are! Birds will attempt to find food under those leaves (worms and hibernating insects) and when those leaves have slowly decayed, you can put them in the compost bin: free Nitrogen. We have a Eucalyptus tree that flowers profusely right now. No idea what species it is but the Tui and Bellbird, silver eye and bumblebees, winter moths and nectivorous flies, as well as huge Gum Emperor moths (in summer) love this tree for all its gorgeousness. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Sunday 25 May, we had a Botanic Gardens Week special where John Arnott - Horticulturist, was joined by Clare Hart - Manager, Horticulture, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne; Tex Moon - Ranger Team Leader, Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens, Parks Victoria; and Virginia Heywood - Guide, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. We also had other botanical guests calling in from around the country.Text your gardening questions to 0488 809 855, or call 9419 0155 while we're on the air.Tune in 7:30 - 9:15am Sundays on 855 on the AM dial, 3CR Digital or stream at 3cr.org.au

In which Jess and Ellie discuss their recent outing to the Botanic Gardens and how setting deliberate limits on themselves actually improved the experience.Schedule coaching and speaking www.CoachJessicaMichaels.comcontact us GiftedKidMessyAdult@gmail.com

We've probably all had the chance to take a wander through botanic gardens, but how much thought do we give to just how important they are. This week is Botanic Gardens Week and this year the message is that 'botanic gardens are the zoos for plants'. Emma Simpkins from Auckland Botanic Gardens spoke to Jesse.

Italian street artist Greg Goya joins John Williams to talk about when he decided to become an artist, the type of art he makes, why he calls his work ‘fast art,’ how people can interact with his work, why love is the most important aspect of his art, and his interactive art installations at the […]

Italian street artist Greg Goya joins John Williams to talk about when he decided to become an artist, the type of art he makes, why he calls his work ‘fast art,’ how people can interact with his work, why love is the most important aspect of his art, and his interactive art installations at the […]

This second week of May, we welcome gardener and plantswoman Holly Shimizu. Her four decades of work in some of America's notable public gardens have tracked and traced some of the most impactful changes in public garden standards, expectations, and accountability in that same time frame. From her visionary leadership roles at the National Herb Garden, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and the US Botanic Garden to her current board position at the American Horticultural Society, Holly's garden life is a beautiful public-garden journey that benefits us all. Enjoy! Cultivating Place now has a donate button! We thank you so much for listening over the years and we hope you'll support Cultivating Place. We can't thank you enough for making it possible for this young program to grow even more of these types of conversations. The show is available as a podcast on SoundCloud and iTunes. To read more and for many more photos, please visit www.cultivatingplace.com.

Johnny Mac shares a collection of heartwarming and fascinating news stories. From a synchronized marriage proposal inspired by a Modest Mouse concert to the auctioning of ancient pine saplings in Sydney's Botanic Gardens, there's plenty of good news to enjoy. Additionally, listeners will hear about a bronze statue of the Greek goddess Diana found at the Titanic wreck site, a scientific analysis of Van Gogh's ‘Starry Night,' and a London rescue shelter's efforts to find homes for older and less photogenic dogs through a special photo shoot. 00:28 A Double Proposal Surprise01:22 Ancient Pine Trees Auctioned in Sydney02:38 Titanic Relic Discovered03:18 Van Gogh's Starry Night and Turbulence04:02 Rescue Shelter's Dog Photo Shoot Unlock an ad-free podcast experience with Caloroga Shark Media! Get all our shows on any player you love, hassle free! For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app which seays UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus. No plug-ins needed!  You also get 20+ other shows on the network ad-free!   

Why are my potatoes so floury? How do you banish lace bugs for good? And what mysterious plant has the panel stumped?Kathy Clugston and a team of gardening experts explore the various locations of Belfast Botanic Garden. All while digging into the GQT postbag to answer your gardening conundrums.On hand with their wisdom and wit are ethnobotanist James Wong, garden designer Neil Porteous, and Kirsty Wilson, Head of Gardens at Balmoral. Guiding them through the garden's hidden corners and floral highlights is Garden Supervisor Colin Agnew.Producer: Bethany Hocken Assistant Producer: Dulcie Whadcock Executive Producer: Carly MaileA Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4

Welcome to The Reading Lounge! This month Cynthia and Sarah discuss Hum by Helen Phillips. A work of speculative fiction that leaves a long-lasting impact. In the novel, we follow one woman as she makes a variety of choices tobring her family closer together while living in a not-to-distant future world of AI. We had much to say about this novel and we think you will, too. Here are the others books mentioned : Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn IveyThe Lost Bookshop by Evie WoodsThe Story Collector by Evie WoodsThe Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan KamaliThe Covenant of Water by Abraham VergheseDon't Forget to Write by Sara Goodman ConfinoThis month's cocktail and mocktail is called BotanicalGarden. Read the book and it will all make sense!Botanic Garden – original recipe50 ml Pineapple Tequila20 ml Lime juice20 ml Basil syrup25 ml Pineapple juiceBasil leavesTop with proseccoMix first five ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain intoa cocktail glass. Top with prosecco and gently stir. Garnish with a basil leaf.Our Mocktail Botanic GardenSame ingredients minus the tequila and adding club soda.Mix lime juice, pineapple juice and basic syrup in shakerwith ice. Pour into glass and top with club soda and mix. Garnish with basil.Enjoy!

Joe Richardson a Horticulturalist at Kings Park and Botanic Gardens talks with Deryn about his favourite and most practical small Eucalyptus for the home garden.

To make the beauty and grandeur of nature accessible to everyone, Bartram's Garden teamed up with a local audio describer and visually impaired accessibility consultant to produce audio descriptions of three gardens on their grounds. Join White Canes Connect contributor Simon Bonenfant, as he speaks with audio describer Beth Feldman Brant, along with Accessibility Coach Charmaine Parrish, about everything you need to know as part of this exciting initiative! Recorded audio descriptions include a Know Before you Go, detailing an introduction and orientation to the Welcome Center, Ann Bartram Carr Garden, the Historic Bartram House, and the Common Flower Garden. You can access the recordings here. https://www.bartramsgarden.org/audio-descriptions/ The audio descriptions will be debuted at the upcoming Bartram's Garden Spring Fest on Saturday, April 19. The fest runs from 10:00 to 2:00 PM, with the audio description portion from 12:30 to 1:30. Here is a description of what to expect.  “As part of Bartram's Garden's SpringFest event, join Beth Feldman Brandt and Charmaine Parrish for a guided walking tour featuring their new audio descriptions of select areas of the Garden, including the Ann Bartram Carr Garden, the Historic Bartram House, and the Common Flower Garden.  After we tour together using the recorded descriptions, you are invited to share refreshments and community, and to give feedback on the experience.  Friends and family are also welcome!  Note that while this tour is designed for safe navigation by people with visual impairments, exploring other areas of the Gardens is best done with a sighted companion. Registration is encouraged but not required. Register at https://www.bartramsgarden.org/event/audio-description-tour/.  Light refreshments will be served. In the event of inclement weather, this tour will be rescheduled for Saturday, May 10 at 10 AM. These audio descriptions were provided by Beth Feldman Brandt and Charmaine Parrish as part of the Sowing Excellence Awards, a collaboration of the IDEA Center for Public Gardens and the U.S. Botanic Garden. We are also grateful for the expertise of  Sarah Pharaon as well as staff members Mandy Katz and Emily Constantino in supporting the creation of these audio descriptions.” Those wishing to utilize the service should prepare to bring their mobile device and, if preferred, headphones for the best listening experience. After the 19th, anyone is welcome to come to the specified gardens and listen to the audio descriptions whenever the gardens are open! You can learn more about the project by reading the following article.  https://www.bartramsgarden.org/new-tools-for-garden-visitors-with-low-vision-created-by-local-accessibility-advocate-and-philly-poet/  To contact Bartram's Garden, give them a call at: (215) 729-5281 or send them an email at: info@bartramsgarden.org To contact Beth, go to https://www.brandtwords.com/aboutcontact.html. To contact Charmaine, send her an email at Hi@ABLEphilly.com.    Interested in receiving the most up-to-date information about monthly audio described offerings? Send an email to adlearningnetwork@gmail.com to be added to their monthly newsletter! Have you attended an audio-described event before or have comments about this upcoming event? We want to hear from you! Give us a call at: 267-338-4495 or send us an email at: whitecanesconnect@gmail.com Like what you hear from White Canes Connect? Please support the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania at https://www.nfbofpa.org/give/.

Learn about AVISTA - AROSE’s Virtual and In-person STEM Training and Awareness Program, which will visit over 200 high schools across Australia face-to-face as well as digitally through STEM challenges to help students learn more about STEM career pathways into the Australian defence industries. We speak with Holly Kershaw, STEM Program Manager at AROSE to learn more. Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education About AVISTA Supported by the Department of Defence’s School Pathways Program, AVISTA is an initiative of AROSE that will deliver a range of exciting learning experiences to students, their teachers and families throughout 2025, to help develop Australia’s STEM talent pipeline by providing direct insights into defence industry career pathways.The program will be delivered in partnership with Fizzics Education, Gilmour Space Technologies, Gunggandji Aerospace, IlluminateFNQ, Joseph Banks Secondary College, Nova Systems, and the University of Western Australia Defence and Security Institute. Learn morehttps://avista.org.au/ About AROSE Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE) is a leading, industry-led, not-for-profit organisation that stands at the forefront of knowledge and technology transfer between Australia’s traditional industry sectors and the burgeoning international space sector.AROSE brings together leading expertise and cutting-edge science and technology, for collaborations that: Drive industry-led projects for solutions and applications on Earth and in space. Build and advocate national capability and develop future skills and workforce opportunities. Secure Australia’s role in the international space sector. Learn morehttps://www.arose.org.au/ About Holly Kershaw Holly Kershaw is a leader in science engagement, specialising in strategic planning, operational management, and large-scale outreach initiatives. She has managed some of Australia's most prominent science engagement programs, leading teams at the Botanic Gardens of Sydney, the University of Sydney, and Fizzics Education. Passionate about innovative public engagement, she produced The Science Tent at Splendour in the Grass and TEDxParramatta, and co-created Climating, a sustainability-focused speed-dating panel event, most recently featured at SXSW Sydney in 2025.Learn morehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hollykershaw/ Hosted by Ben Newsome from Fizzics Education With interviews with leading science educators and STEM thought leaders, this science education podcast is about highlighting different ways of teaching kids within and beyond the classroom. It's not just about educational practice & pedagogy, it's about inspiring new ideas & challenging conventions of how students can learn about their world! https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/ Know an educator who'd love this STEM podcast episode? Share it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's blooming at the Botanic Gardens?Weather: "Sheila" by WorrystoneThe voice of Leonard Burton is James UrbaniakOriginal episode art by Jessica HayworthRead episode transcriptsUNLICENSED Season 2 is here! Only on AudiblePre-order the Welcome to Night Vale Roleplaying Game today!Sign up for the Night Vale newsletter for good news and recommendations.Patreon is how we exist! If you can, please help us keep making this show.Music: DisparitionLogo: Rob WilsonWritten by Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor & Brie WilliamsNarrated by Cecil BaldwinFollow us on BlueSky, Facebook, and Instagram.Check out our books, live shows, store, membership program, and official recap show at welcometonightvale.comA production of Night Vale Presents.

What's blooming at the Botanic Gardens? Weather: "Sheila" by Worrystone The voice of Leonard Burton is James Urbaniak Original episode art by Jessica Hayworth Read episode transcripts UNLICENSED Season 2 is here! Only on AudiblePre-order the Welcome to Night Vale Roleplaying Game today! Sign up for the Night Vale newsletter for good news and recommendations. Patreon is how we exist! If you can, please help us keep making this show. Music: Disparition Logo: Rob Wilson Written by Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor & Brie Williams Narrated by Cecil Baldwin Follow us on BlueSky, Facebook, and Instagram. Check out our books, live shows, store, membership program, and official recap show at welcometonightvale.com A production of Night Vale Presents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It turns out there are a variety of activities involving kangaroos in Colorado! The ice castles are starting to melt, so you only have a week left to check them out. The Botanic Gardens in Denver are buzzing with fantastic concerts this summer!The fun continues on our social media pages!Jeremy, Katy & Josh Facebook: CLICK HERE Jeremy, Katy & Josh Instagram: CLICK HERE

MaryLynn Mack talked about her vision for new exhibits and initiatives at the garden. And she had pretty amazing things to say about her move to Memphis.

On this special episode of the California Now Podcast, host Soterios Johnson speaks with eight L.A. insiders about both the city's incredible offerings and its resilience in response to the recent wildfires. Plus, hear special shoutouts from some of L.A.'s notable residents. First, Evan Lovett, the creator of the L.A. in a Minute podcast, brings to life the fascinating history of Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Lovett also shares a handful of unique landmarks and historic L.A. neighborhoods that both visitors and locals alike will find interesting. Next up, Johnson chats with Zach Brooks, General Manager of Smorgasburg Los Angeles, who shares how L.A.'s vibrant dining scene has banded together to support wildfire recovery efforts, while giving a sneak peek at the exciting new vendors at Smorgasburg and an upcoming firefighter benefit event. Then, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, the powerhouse chefs behind Border Grill and Socalo, talk about their work helping feed wildfire victims with World Central Kitchen and share their picks for dining out in Santa Monica. In the next segment, Only the Lonely storeowners Krisha Garvey and Bernard Denney discuss how their Palisades Strong/Altadena Strong collection is making a difference. The duo guides Johnson through some of the best spots to visit in L.A.'s Sawtelle neighborhood, from noodle shops to bars and clothing stores. Following that, Tim Philips, superintendent of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, talks about the Arboretum's history, grounds, and its vital role in wildfire relief. He also reveals what's in bloom this season and namedrops upcoming events. Finally, Kara Bartelt, general manager of The Hoxton Downtown LA, offers a glimpse into how her team supported guests impacted by the wildfires. Bartelt plays tour guide for Johnson, sharing some of Downtown L.A.'s top things to do.

How to capture the sound of something humans can't hear? How to make a song about a mushroom? That was the challenge put to Scottish musician, Hannah Read, in the wake of her father's death. Hannah, who lives in California, fell into an earthy world of mycelium in 2020, and her album, The Fungi Sessions, captures a growing fascination with fungi in through beautiful folk music.We were fortunate enough to catch Hannah while she was in her Edinburgh hometown before she went on a UK Tour. At the city's Botanic Gardens, she told us about falling in love with music on the Isle of Eigg, her relationship with the landscape and what she's learned from the earth - as well as treating us to an al fresco performance. To find our more information, tour dates and join Hannah's mailing list, head to Hannahread.com. Sign up to her Bandcamp to listen to and buy her music. All of Hannah's music is streamable on all platforms. She's on Instagram @hanread and Facebook: /hannahreadmusic.Use code WWGSPRING at ⁠Crocus.co.uk⁠'s checkout to save 20% on full priced plants. The code is valid until 11.59pm on May 30th, 2025, It is valid when you spend a minimum of £50 on full priced plants and / or bulbs. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other codes or offers.

A quick pit stop in Lubbock, then off to Fort Worth! We hung out with prairie dogs at the Ft Worth Nature Center, celebrated our anniversary with epic views (and food!) at Crown Block, and devoured smash burgers at Crystal Springs Hideaway. Wrapped it all up with a peaceful stroll through the Botanic Garden. Now, we're rolling back to New Braunfels—because life on wheels is never boring!

In this edition of The Naked Scientists: A particle with a record-breaking energy is discovered: but where did it come from? Also, damaged hearts healed using stem cell "patches" of tissue: human clinical trials are about to kick off. And, the project using quantum mechanics to revolutionise the London Underground... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

The begonia house in Wellington's Botanic Gardens has been given a second chance. Councillor Iona Pannett spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

As Chicagoans hunker down for what feels like the coldest stretch of a long Midwest winter, local indoor gardens are providing an escape and a taste of warmer days to come. Reset checks in with the Chicago Botanic Garden's associate vice president Jodi Zombolo and their orchid flori-culturist Johanna Hutchins for what's on the docket for February. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute. Chicago-based Levy has been contracted to revamp the food offerings at The Chicago Botanic Garden. The hospitality group will revamp the menu at Garden View Cafe first before moving on to other menus. The company has been tasked with creating menus […]

This is the 4PM All Local for Friday, January 24, 2025.

00:00 Introduction to the Garden Question Podcast00:25 Meet Dr. Todd Beasley00:33 The Vision for the Botanic Garden00:42 Community Engagement and Environmental Stewardship00:53 Todd Beasley's Career and Contributions02:49 The Role and Importance of Botanical Gardens05:42 Engaging the Community and Generating Revenue08:29 The History of the Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern11:25 Design and Plant Selection in the Garden15:00 Trends and Future Directions in Gardening21:32 The Importance of Children's Gardens29:35 The Multifaceted Role of a Garden Director37:12 Designing in the Landscape: A Creative Expression37:50 Pollinator Garden: Collaborative Design Approach38:28 Winter Landscape Tactics: Do's and Don'ts41:30 The Importance of Proper Landscaping Practices48:57 Early Garden Memories and Influences51:53 Funny Garden Stories and Myths58:31 Diversity in Horticulture: Trends and Changes01:04:07 Future Plans for the Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern01:11:51 Supporting Your Local Botanic GardensWelcome to The Garden Question, where we explore the art and science of designing, building, and growing a smarter garden that works! Today's episode promises to inspire gardeners of every level as we dive into a fascinating story of passion, leadership, and community engagement.Our guest is Dr. Todd Beasley, the director of the Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern University. Todd shares his vision for the garden, including its mission, historical roots, and exciting plans for a new environmentally controlled facility. He dives into the challenges of engaging the community, the critical role of plant curation, and his commitment to fostering environmental stewardship.With over 25 years of experience in horticulture and education, Todd has built an impressive career connecting people to plants. From leading nationally recognized botanical gardens to consulting on major projects like the Orchid Conservatory at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden and renovations at Cape Fear Botanical Garden, Todd's expertise has made a significant impact wherever he's gone.As an educator, Todd has nurtured young minds in South Carolina, taught environmental science and horticulture, and even served as a clinical professor at the University of South Carolina's College of Education. His work with the SEED program helped bring national recognition to student gardening, including hosting prestigious symposiums for the American Horticultural Society.But Todd's passion doesn't stop there. He's also the founder of an eco-friendly garden design firm and a traveling exhibition company exploring the fascinating relationship between plants and culture.Whether you're a novice gardener or an experienced pro, you're sure to find inspiration in Todd's story. Join us as we explore how the Botanic Garden is blooming under his leadership. Don't forget to follow the podcast for more insights into smarter gardening, and be sure to visit the Botanic Garden to see Todd's vision come to life!

Established in 1863, the gardens cover 21 hectares and feature a diverse collection of plants from around the world. As well as a Rose Garden and Herb Garden, the botanic garden is home to majestic trees, including the giant sequoia. Standing beneath these giants is a humbling experience. The New Zealand Garden showcases native flora like the silver fern and Pohutukawa tree, creating lush, natural landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices