Catherine Stewart
Horticulture journalist and photographer
Specialising in garden design, hardscape and technical writing
I love crafting words as much as I enjoy making gardens, so it was a natural progression to move from designing to writing, with an ambition to inspire, educate and entertain readers of all kinds. A Diploma in Landscape Design and my business experience give me the skills to write about a wide range of subjects, from the beauty of one plant, through to design and more technical hardscaping stories, published in Burke's Backyard, Backyard & Garden Design Ideas, Australian House & Garden, Better Homes & Gardens, Gardening Australia, Outdoor Design & Living, Outdoor Rooms, Outdoor Entertaining, Your Garden, Handyman and Green Garden & Home.
Magazine stories I've written recently include:
- green roofs, rooftop gardens, vertical gardens
- foliage plants, hedges, avenue trees, potted plants
- waterside gardens, coastal planting, planting around pools
- paving and pavements, retaining walls, garden edging, fencing
- drainage, water harvesting, water recycling, irrigation
- landscape lighting, using metals, using paint
- outdoor home entertainment and sports
- outdoor furnishing and fabrics, BBQs, outdoor kitchens and bathrooms
- garden tools and equipment
I especially enjoy writing stories about garden design, including landscape designer profiles, predicting design trends, creating outdoor rooms, garden planning, and problem solving for difficult sites. One of my specialities is interpreting garden photographs so that readers better understand the techniques a designer has used to make a wonderful garden.
In 2007, I was awarded the Horticultural Media Association of Australia's 'Paper Laurel' for Journalism, for 'Death of the Mixed Shrubbery', published in the journal Landscape Outlook. Writing for landscape professionals allows me to investigate a broad range of topics, such as eccentric gardeners, dealing with graffiti, the resurgence of the path, and lessons to learn from Japanese garden design.
In late 2010, my first book as consultant and co-author for Readers Digest - Waterwise Gardening for Australia was published to good reviews.
I've also enjoyed: a personal appearance at Gardening Australia Expo, Sydney; radio interviews with local radio in WA and NSW; being Treasurer of the Horticultural Media Association of NSW and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Designers & Managers, as well as a Sydney committee member and selector for Australia's Open Garden Scheme.
Location: Sydney, Australia
Ph: 61 (0)2 9499 6235
Website: www.gardenwriter.com.au
