Speakers
Meet the five wonderful speakers bringing their gardening expertise to the Brisbane Garden Expo 2026!
Our five speakers represent the diverse and vibrant world of horticulture and gardening in Brisbane, bringing together expertise in horticulture, landscape design, permaculture, vertical gardening, plant businesses, education, writing and creative practice.
Our speakers will be based at two locations, the Green Room and the Butterfly Shelter. Given below are the two schedules.
Green Room
SPEAKER NAME | SESSION TIME | TOPIC |
|---|---|---|
Arno King | 10.00 am – 11.00 am | Have Fun Featuring Potted Plants in the House and Garden |
Paul Plant | 11.15 am – 12.15 pm | Best Plants for Small Gardens and Apartments |
Kat Pearson | 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm | Growing Ornamental Edibles |
Butterfly Shelter
SPEAKER NAME | SESSION TIME | TOPIC |
|---|---|---|
Shane Sadkowsky | 10.00 am – 11.00 am | Grow a Garden that Grows You |
Romaine Undery | 11.15 am – 12.15 pm | Butterfly Attracting Plants Children’s Planting Activity |
Speaker Bios
Arno King
Brisbane-based landscape architect and horticultural consultant Arno King is a familiar and trusted voice across Australian media.
Highly regarded for his regular radio appearances, keynote presentations at major garden shows and conferences, and insightful feature articles in leading magazines, Arno brings a wealth of expertise to the industry. His career is built on decades of hands-on consulting, and cultivating his own garden.
Driven by a deep passion for biodiversity and sustainable design, Arno excels at translating complex botanical concepts into practical, everyday advice.
He is thrilled to share his extensive plant knowledge, design secrets, and infectious enthusiasm with attendees at the Brisbane Garden Expo 2026, inspiring both novice gardeners and seasoned green thumbs to transform their own outdoor spaces.
Arno’s topic: Have Fun Featuring Potted Plants in the House and Garden
Join Arno to learn how to locate potted plants for maximum impact and how to select the best plants and style pots for your garden space!
Romaine Undery
Butterfly Expert Romaine Undery is a passionate gardener, educator, visual artist and co-owner of Ramesa Nursery near Kingaroy, Queensland, which she operates with her husband Peter.
Known for her engaging presentations and love of the natural world, Romaine has spent many years helping gardeners create beautiful, wildlife-friendly landscapes.
Her fascination with butterflies combines conservation, gardening, photography, art and education. Through her nursery, workshops, writing and public talks, she encourages people to grow butterfly-attracting plants and create habitats that support these important pollinators. Romaine’s butterfly photography and artwork reflect her deep appreciation for their beauty, diversity and role in healthy ecosystems.
A regular presenter at gardening events and community groups, Romaine recently shared The Magic of Butterflies at the Esk Garden Fair and is delighted to bring her knowledge and enthusiasm to the Brisbane Garden Expo 2026. Her presentations inspire gardeners of all ages to discover the wonder of butterflies and the joy of gardening with nature.
Romaine’s topics:
- Butterfly Attracting Plants
- Children’s Planting Activity
Join Romaine as she shares her insights about butterflies and the beautiful plants that enable caterpillars to continue their life cycle, plus more!
Paul Plant
Presenter Paul Plant is a qualified Horticulturist and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Horticulture. Paul was born in QLD, educated locally and got his degree in Horticulture at Gatton (Uni of Qld).
He has worked in retail and production nurseries, landscaping, interior plantscaping, construction sites, communications, research and education.
He was founding editor of the ‘subTropical Gardening’ magazine, and has been on 4BC and ABC radio but is now currently doing radio with 4AK and West Bremer Radio. As a previous resident of Brisbane, he understands the local conditions and how best to achieve garden goals!
Paul’s Topic: Best Plants for Small Gardens and Apartments
Join Paul and learn how to select the best plants to suit Brisbane’s conditions and your small spaces!
Shane Sadkowsky
Vertical Gardening Specialist, Shane Sadkowsky, has a background in Environmental Studies and over 10 years’ experience in Permaculture and Vertical Gardening.
Shane’s mission is to help people reconnect with nature by growing the plants they love and creating gardens that support wellbeing, abundance and connection.
Shane’s Topic: Grow a Garden that Grows You
Join Shane in this interactive session, discover your spirit plant, learn 7 horticultural fundamentals and more!
Kat Pearson
Kat Pearson is a Brisbane-based horticulturist, writer and speaker at garden clubs and gardening shows including the Queensland Garden Show and Botanical Bazaar on the Gold Coast.
She loves gardening, growing her own food and plants in general. She has been in her current Wynnum West garden for over 7 years and has created a lush, flower filled and edible haven that welcomes birds and bugs. She loves helping and inspiring others to make a garden of their own that brings them joy!
Kat’s Topic: Growing Ornamental Edibles
Join Kat to learn how to grow an edible garden without needing a traditional veggie patch!