Angus Stewart ‘History of Australian Plant Breeding’

The breeding of Australian plants is still in its infancy, with work really only beginning in earnest in the 1950’s and 1960’s by a few passionate horticulturalists and dedicated plant breeders. Since then, its success and scope has steadily increased to the point where there is now a wonderful array of cultivars available around the world. Indeed, significant breeding work has been undertaken at the ANBG on waratahs, resulting in several important cultivars that remain popular in horticulture today.  Angus will share a little of his journey in breeding Australia’s iconic kangaroo paws.

Angus Stewart is a professional horticulturalist who has spent a lifetime working with and breeding Australian native plants to make them more 'gardener-friendly'. As well as authoring six highly successful gardening books, including his most recent publication The Australian Native Garden, Angus contributes regularly for a host of other publications and online gardening sites.  Angus is an Honorary Research Associate at the Australian Botanic Garden Mt Annan where he is domesticating Australian natives from the wild. Recognising that Australian wildflowers are a highly desirable and iconic commodity in Australia and overseas, much of Angus’s work at Mt Annan is focused on preserving our rarer wildflowers through cultivation.