Celebrity gardener Jamie Durie, his partner Ameka Jane and their children Beau, 3, and Nash, 2, will be in Albury on 8 and 9 March as special guests of 2025 Gardenesque. Photo: Supplied.
Jamie Durie loves the fact that the first thing his two young children say to him when they wake up is: “Dad, let’s go see the carrots.”
“I tell the kids all the time to go out on the lawn and take their shoes off … it’s our way of grounding ourselves to the earth’s energy,” says the celebrity gardener and television host.
Durie, a passionate environmentalist and award-winning landscape designer, will return as the special guest of Albury’s premier flower and garden festival, Gardenesque 2025, on 8 and 9 March.
He’s clearly looking forward to sharing his expertise with the array of visitors – from “passionate gardeners to backyard bandits” – who will pour into Albury’s picturesque botanic gardens for the annual event.
“For me, it’s a wonderful mix of agricultural, domestic and neighbourhood community gardening,” Durie says.
He’ll be joined by his partner Ameka Jane and their children, daughter Beau, 3, and son Nash, 2.
“We love it; Ameka’s best mate lives in Albury and the kids are at an age where they’ll be dancing ’round the festival in fairy wings,” Durie laughs.
It will be Jamie Durie’s second appearance at Albury’s premier flower and garden festival, where he hopes to foster ”green confidence” in the next generation of gardeners. Photo: Peter Charlesworth.
The family has been in the spotlight recently as the stars of their own reality reno show, Growing Home with Jamie Durie, on Channel 7.
During the four-episode series (a fifth will air in coming weeks), Durie chronicles the often-daunting three-year process of building his eco-friendly dream home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
“It’s the show I always dreamed of making,” he says, adding a second series will document the journey of other Aussies building their best version of sustainable homes.
Durie’s mission was to build a house that did not compromise and was kind to the planet, showcasing options for off-the-grid living “rather than banging people’s heads with environmental preaching”.
It’s this enthusiasm and commitment to empowering future generations to live more sustainably that the seven-time Logie winner will bring to Albury next month.
Durie is keen to highlight the importance of growing food and converting our backyards into “edible food bowls”.
He is adamant we must give our kids more reason to get out in the garden or nature – and away from electronic devices!
“Over the Christmas break, we were staying on a farm and I didn’t pick up Instagram for a month,” Durie says. “It was really nice to be unglued for a while.”
In the post-COVID world where many people have suffered with poor physical and mental health, Durie insists gardening is a wonderful antidote to many of our modern ills.
“Did you know gardening is the biggest pastime in the world – it’s actually recognised as a sport?” he says.
“It provides you with exercise, wellbeing and connection to nature. It feeds our bodies, souls and minds.
“When I get stressed, I shut down my computer and head out to the garden for a few hours; Ameka knows (and she’ll tell you) I come back a different bloke.”
Albury’s Gardenesque offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in exhibitions, stalls and hands-on workshops that can help optimise your garden and outdoor spaces.
Every corner of the enchanting Albury Botanic Gardens will burst with vibrant exhibitors, entertainment and engaging workshops at 2025 Gardenesque on 8-9 March. Photo: Peter Charlesworth.
With tips and tricks on sustainability, agriculture, flora and fauna, landscaping and innovative home improvements, experts and enthusiasts will be on hand to provide help and inspiration.
Nurturing “green confidence” is at the top of Durie’s to-do list in Albury – from growing vegetables and falling in love with native flora and fauna to finding “more ways to babysit the bees”.
His inside tip on the best bulletproof veggies to start off with? Well, that would be pumpkins and melons, followed by shallots, silverbeet and radish.
Once you get them down pat, you’ll be empowered to branch out to other options, is his confident assurance.
It is for a perhaps unexpected reason that Albury holds a fond place in this horticulturist’s heart.
“Weirdly, back in the day, we played Albury-Wodonga,” reveals Durie, who in a former life starred as a stripper in all-male revue troupe Manpower Australia.
Indeed, he adds, there are wonderful parallels between the stagecraft and razzle-dazzle of his dance days and the creativity of garden design.
“It’s the same thing in many ways – I create drama and excitement with live, growing things rather than stage props,” Durie says.
But he concedes he could never have imagined the career, success and fame that would follow when he hung up the risque costumes and dance moves at the age of 26 and started studying horticulture.
“I had no idea the simple learning of plants would turn into what I get to do today.”
Gardenesque is at Albury’s Botanic Gardens on Saturday, 8 March (10 am – 4 pm) and Sunday, 9 March (10 am – 3 pm) and includes food, wine, music and roving entertainment as well as kids’ activities. Tickets can be purchased on the Gardenesque 2025 website.
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