Native Urban Greening Series – Episode 4: Commercial mass planting of the highest quality
Optus Stadium is one of Plantrite Nursery’s proudest commercial projects. Completed in 2018, the riverside parkland consists of 38 ha. Plantrite was engaged to grow 280,000 West Australian natives over an 18 month period to help form this internationally-awarded stadium.
Video Transcript – Commercial Capability
Optus Stadium is a jewel in WA’s crown. Completed in 2018 it is one of the state’s biggest capital works projects undertaken to date. Since opening, the internationally-awarded stadium has seen millions of visitors, many of whom gather and admire the surrounds before and after the event. The riverside location features an abundance of West Australian natives, grown by Plantrite Nursery and installed by one of the states foremost commercial landscapers
The gardens around the stadium formed a large part of the overall build, and in many ways they totally complimented the amazing work the architects put in – creating this spectacular sporting and entertainment precinct.
Now, there were many species used because, in fact, there were a very diverse amount. This was done to cater for the \grow zones including wetlands, riverside gardens and of course the general landscape.
Julian from Deep Green Landscapes undertook this Commercial Landscape project.
Interview Julian Rose, Managing Director Deep Green Landscaping
Julian: This whole parkland is 38ha of landscaping here to cover this whole site in plants over an 18 month period, we had to grow 280,000 tubestock.
Trevor: That can’t be done without the right partner? Tell me about the partnership with Plantrite and why you choose the nursery very early on?
Julian: We did, we wanted to contract grow all the stock for this project. We choose to Plantrite very early on. David and his family; own a family-owned business with a small tight knit community of staff that are really professional and great to work with. The success rate with all of the plants throughout this parkland was great for us, we had very little losses and I think that goes to show the quality of the product they we’re able to produce consistently over the 18 month period.
Trevor: Quality is absolutely critical to the success rate to and the landscape. You were able to determine the kind of pots, species that were grown and ensure the quality of the plants were going to be spot on?
Julian: Definitely, Plantrite helped us grow everything in forestry tubes which was a great outcome for us. Because it’s a slightly bigger tube that has an air pruning hole at the bottom of it, we had 100mm of root growth so it was 100 – 200 mm of plant and the success rate we got with that was fantastic. The forestry tubes give us a little bit more time frame to move, if our dates moved a little bit we’re able to hold them in a tube a little bit longer. Plantrite were good with that as well if we got held up a bit, Plantrite would stop fertilising for a little while to to slow the plants down and they worked with us really well having them onboard was just fantastic for the job.
Trevor: What do you feel the value of this parkland is for the Western Australian community?
Julian: I think, Trevor, the fact that you got this massive parkland here down near the river. You’ve got great bbq facilities over here, you’ve got bike paths, a big playground up behind us and beautiful native Western Australian garden – I think it’s a fantastic asset for WA
Trevor:: The project’s success wasn’t only determined by design, it was the landscaper’s ability to collaborate well in advance of any soil preparation that guaranteed the final outcome.
Trevor: Looking at what’s been achieved here, it’s no wonder that organisations, designers, architects, councils, and landscapers love working with Plantrite Nursery to grow their vision for projects in WA.
Narration by Trevor Cochrane for Plantrite Wholesale Native Nursery.
