Like many of us, Pia’s career path ended up in the plant world, far from where it began. Though her studies and employment were in the allied area of sustainability, she soon realised that life in an office wasn’t for her.
Now she has fully embraced horticulture, both studying and working in the sector.
And she’s not one to stand still: she will be exhibiting a garden at MIFGS in 2026, has already featured as a commentator on the 3CR Gardening programme, and she has a side-line in photography!
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My first encounter with horticulture began over a decade ago while volunteering through WWOOF on organic farms in Italy. I fell in love with the slow, hands-on rhythm of growing food, the generosity and passion of the people teaching me, and the feeling of doing work that actually mattered. That experience pushed me toward permaculture, and after completing my Permaculture Design Certificate at CERES, I knew I wanted plants to be a permanent part of my life, I just didn’t know exactly how yet.
While figuring out my direction, I started growing veggies in pots on my rental balcony, and later in my ‘bigger’ 25-square-metre courtyard, where I now grow around 200 plants. Working within small spaces taught me resourcefulness, close observation, and how to design beautifully under constraints. Those tiny gardens became my testing ground for seed-raising, plant behaviour, and the importance of a good efficient layout. Gardening in small spaces has a steep learning curve because there’s so little room for error.
In 2024, I completed my Certificate III in Horticulture at Melbourne Polytechnic, and I’ll graduate mid-2026 with my Certificate IV in Landscape Design, also at Melbourne Polytechnic. Studying has helped me turn passion into skill, and skill into confidence.
This year, I’m working on my Achievable Garden for the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show 2026, and it still feels a little surreal. My garden, The Dopamine Garden, is inspired by dopamine décor, an interior design trend that embraces colour and pattern to boost mood and create deeply personal spaces. Bringing this idea into landscape design feels, to me, like a small act of rebellion against the capitalist ‘greyification’ of our cities. Don’t get me wrong, a well-executed concrete design can be beautiful, but much of today’s neutral palette comes from cost-cutting and resale conformity, not from genuine human needs, which should sit at the heart of every design.
It’s important to me that outdoor spaces feel bright, fun, and uplifting without losing horticultural depth. My MIFGS design is filled with colour in both foliage and flowers, while still focusing on good layering, movement and contrast. It includes what I like to call ‘dopamine plants’ – a soft Adenanthos sericeus to brush your hand through as you walk past, Prostanthera rotundifolia near the reading spot so you catch a waft of soothing scent, or a Backhousia citriodora within arm’s reach to remind you to slow down and brew your evening infusion.
I’m a very practical, logical, efficiency-driven person, so creating designs that are truly plant-focused is important to me. Right now, on top of my MIFGS garden, I’m combining residential garden maintenance work with my job at Plantmark to strengthen my horticultural knowledge as much as possible before stepping fully into landscape design. With idols such as Emmaline Bowman and Tim Pilgrim, I want to create plant-led gardens that can stand the test of time, growth, weather, and encourage native wildlife.
Horticulture has given me direction, community, creativity, and a sense of purpose. I’m excited for the next few years as I continue studying, building my practice, and saying yes to opportunities like MIFGS that push me forward. At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to create gardens that spark joy.