Naturalistic Planting Design Course

Monday 28 September 2026, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

Why a naturalistic approach? Noel and Amalia discuss how it differs from other forms of planting design? An overview of where we are now, looking at key strands in contemporary naturalistic and ecological planting design.

Monday 12 October 2026, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

Succession. Processes of change over time and the relationship between plants, lifespans, habitat, resources and ongoing development.

Native or not?  The roles of native and non-native plants and the debates about this; the relevance of the balance of native/non-native in different situations. NK and AM.

Monday 26 October 2026, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

Plant community development over time. Basics of Competition/Stress-tolerant/Ruderal theory (CSR). Competition in resource-rich and resource-poor environments. Succession in Mediterranean and other dry habitat climates. Differences in plant use, long-term performance and planting aesthetics from one climate zone to another. NK and AM

Monday 9 November 2026, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

Understanding perennials, shrubs and everything in-between. Plant lifespans, vegetative strategies, clonality, plant architecture, structuring of natural plant communties in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean climate zones. NK and AM

Monday 23 November 2026, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

Reading Nature. 10 principles for planting design taken from studies of natural plant communities. CSR theory translated for designers. Referencing natural systems:  annuals/ruderals/disturbance; perennial systems, grasslands, tall herb habitats; shrub-rich systems & scrub; woodland and forest systems. ND.

Monday 7 December 2026, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

An introduction to the basics of the German approach to intermingled style planting, from one of the most experienced practitioners, who discusses plant selection and structuring as well as the technical aspects of implementation. BJ

Monday 11 January 2027, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

The challenges and opportunities for high diversity, complex  naturalistic planting, and how to navigate this.  Specific issues will include;
– understanding the inevitable loss of planted diversity as plant age and expand
– maximising the capacity for resilience and persistance through layering, and how to approach the design process to achieve this
– the use of spreadsheets as a creative tool to develop ratio mixes within each plant community layer
– using layers and ratios to achieve non stop flowering of communities from early spring to late autumn
The session will largely use examples drawn from herbaceous planting, however the principles are entirely applicable to sub-shrub, shrub and tree dominated communities. JH

Monday 25 January 2027, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

Planning strategies for planting: the implications of different spatial arrangement for aesthetics and management. Mixed and matrix planting, the concept of sociability. with a focus on the design and management of mixed plantings. CS.

Monday 8 February 2027, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

Are your plantings missing that spark between beauty, function, and emotional pull?

In this presentation  you’ll be introduced to the Kaplan Preference Matrix, a powerful model for understanding how people perceive and connect with landscapes.
You will learn about the four key factors coherence, complexity, legibility, and mystery and how they shape how we feel in outdoor spaces. Here are some practical strategies that will guide you to discover how to design plantings  that are ecologically rich, visually compelling, and deeply intuitive to explore. JB

Monday 22 February 2027, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

Cassian discusses the management of the garden’s extensive range of perennial plantings, using plant ecology to inform maintenance plans. The time spent on each border is logged by the staff, so that over a year it is possible to see and compare how much work went into each planting. Cassian relates these results to the ecological survival strategies of the plants used —for example, plants with stress tolerance on poor soils, need much less important than competitive growers on fertile ones.

Exploring the need for effective ways of preserving the ecological and aesthetic qualities of naturalistic plantings, Cassian covers practical considerations such as soil preparation, the advantages of using engineered soils, using organic or mineral mulch layers, pruning times and methods, watering and fertilizing regimes.

Monday 8 March 2027, 6.00pm – 7.00pm

A final opportunity to ask questions, when we will have several of the tutors together and Claudia West as a special guest.