The Adland Team
Adland Horticultural (est. 1994) is an Australian based company dedicated to improving the quality of our environment and the enjoyment it brings.
Directors, Rod McMillan and Michèle Adler have a wealth of experience as horticultural publishers, authors, journalists, film-makers, radio & TV presenters, tour leaders and (now former) Lecturers in Horticulture at The University of Melbourne – Burnley College.
In late 2019, James Adler joined the Adland Team bringing with him an exciting and diverse set of skills. He has vast experience as the Artistic Director of the successful and independent Eagle’s Nest Theatre, Melbourne (est. 2006). He is also CEO of Hope Nights. James has a real way with people from all walks of life.
Since 2000, Michèle and Rod have led eco-cultural tours to exotic and exciting places in the world – sometimes wild, like The Galápagos Islands and Madagascar; sometimes cultural, like Mauritius and France. They are particularly interested in sharing their vast knowledge about plant–animal interactions in the environment. In 2001, they prepared the Master Landscape Development Plan for the Charles Darwin Research Station, Galápagos Islands, a blueprint for the visitor experience.
Michèle Adler & Rod McMillan (Directors) and James Adler (Event Manager).
Awards
Michèle and Rod have won a number of Awards (both individually and collectively) for their creative work. In 2002 at the Australian Horticultural Media Association (HMA) Awards, they won the Educational Laurel for their Studies in Horticulture series of Learning Guides. They also won the Gold Laurel for the ‘Best in all Media Classes’.
In 2004, Michèle won the inaugural HMA Science Laurel for her work on documenting and describing cultivars (which led her to take a sabbatical at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gardens in Wisley, Surrey, UK). In 2014, she won the HMA Image Laurel for ‘Best Published Image’.
In both 2008 & 2009, Rod was awarded the ‘Best film’ in ‘Your Place: Our Place’, at the Wellington Shire Short Film Festival. See Short Films.
Michèle’s award-winning photograph The Avenue of Baobabs, Madagascar published in Spinette, 2014.
Gold Laurel – Adland, 2002
Peach Flat Wetlands
Michèle and Rod live on a picturesque property, ‘Peach Flat’, north of Briagolong (250 km east of Melbourne) which has featured in Australia’s Open Garden Scheme. In 2004, they developed a large wetland as a central feature of the extensive park-like landscape, which integrates seamlessly with the surrounding natural sclerophyll bush (see video below). Gary Joyner is the Head Gardener.
Aerial tour of the Peach Flat wetlands in 2020 (2.33 mins).
