Episode 3: Gardening Australia - Still dirty at 30!

The Gardening Australia team celebrates the show's 30th birthday in one of Australia's most iconic gardens, on the Mornington Peninsula, to celebrate the colour, characters and compost that make Australian gardening great.

Do you remember what you were doing in 1990? Did you visit a newly unified Berlin? Had you heard about that new thing called ‘the Net'? Maybe you'd just got a newfangled ‘mobile' phone? Were you loving the new Midnight Oil album, Blue Sky Mining?

A lot of things were new in 1990 but none more ground breaking, quite literally, than ABC TV's new national program Gardening Australia. 2019 is Gardening Australia's 30th year and we are ready to party with a 90-minute Gardening Australia birthday special! Join the team as they gather in one of Australia's most iconic gardens, on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, to celebrate the colour, characters and compost that make Australian gardening great.

Ever wondered what's behind Costa Georgiadis' beard? Watch as we find out what led Costa to host one of Australia's most iconic shows. From his landscaping achievements to his questionable musical talents - we reveal more than you may want to see! We catch up with former host, rare-plant specialist Stephen Ryan, in his incredible Mt. Macedon garden and Tino Carnevale looks back at where it all began, with his friend and mentor, the one and only Peter ‘Kale' Cundall.

We dig-up some treasures from the Gardening Australia vault and discover the history of gardening on ABC TV before GA hit our screens. We laugh along at some of the many parodies of the show over the years and Millie Ross – with the aid of Squid the dog – takes you behind the scenes of the program, showing you how GA is made.

Jane Edmanson meets one of our most influential garden designers to discuss the Aussie backyard, what has shaped them and how they have shaped us, while Josh Byrne investigates our future, visiting a research project looking into species that will cope with a changing climate.

Sophie Thomson explores our location, the historic Heronswood gardens to look at their showcase of edible and experimental species while Clarence Slockee heads to The Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne where he tracks down the very best in Aussie plants. Add in a generous sprinkle of celebrity well wishes, cake, and a garden-inspired band and you have a show for the whole family.

Join us as we celebrate the program that has grown well beyond its roots and dug deep into the hearts, minds and gardens of Australia. In a world filled with bad news, sit back for 90 minutes of joy, nostalgia, laughter and beautiful gardens.

Practical, inspiring, fragrant, fun, delicious and still dirty at 30, this is Gardening Australia.