Sketching classes and plant talks
Nature drawing workshops, hand drawing for garden designers and talks on plants and planting
Sketching for garden designers:
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Sketching is a great way to explore a space. Practising hand drawing helps you think spatially and hand drawings are a personal and beautiful way to present your ideas to clients. It is also a very useful skill to be able to quickly sketch your ideas while with clients.
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I frequently teach at the Society of Garden Designers www.sgd.org.uk/events/calendar and for the WFGA https://www.wfga.org.uk/product-category/events.
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I also teach 1-1, on-line and in person. Or you can arrange hand drawing classes for your garden design studio? Classes are down to earth and information packed and there is no need to have prior experience.
Sketching nature workshops:
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Through simple exercises, take a moment to enjoy nature. Using simple, accessible techniques and exercises, we will explore ways for you to improve your sketching skills. There is no need to have prior drawing skills, the course is more about enjoying the process and the calm of observing and engaging with nature than producing a masterpiece.
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Current courses:​
Garden observation sketchbook at Long Barn (Vita Sackville- West and Harold Nicolson’s first English garden) 4th June, 5th September www.longbarngardens.uk/courses
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Dates TBC at Water Lane in Hawkhurst and Knowle Grange health spa near Tunbridge Wells
I have taught 1-1, for horticultural societies and evening classes and can arrange mindful nature drawing events for companies and organisations. Just get in touch!
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Talks on plants and planting:
With a background as a head gardener, planting designer and garden advisor, I give informative, down to earth talks on aspects to do with plants and planting, on-line or in person. I frequently teach workshops for the Society of Garden designers and for horticultural societies and other interested groups. Please contact me for details and price.
Current talks include:
Planting in a changing climate:
Creating resilient plant communities and assessing the conditions of a garden for informed plant choices.
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The basics of planting design:
At this down to earth course, we will look at the basics of planting design and how it is translated into reality. What is meant by structure in the garden? How do we create appealing contrasts, long term interest and what exactly does by complementary, contrasting and harmonious colours mean? We’ll touch on the changing conditions and light through they year and making sure conditions are right.
Making the winter garden shine:
This talk look at ways of making the garden appealing when the conditions are less kind.As climate change can make the summer garden less reliable, looking at the garden as an all year garden, not just a 3 month flower spectacle, brings lots of opportunities for planting and enjoyment. We will look at bulbs, scented winter flowering shrubs and a variety of plants that put on a good show in winter and touch on aspects of winter maintenance of the garden that can help visually.
Tricks and techniques for rejuvenating a garden:
Drawing on my experience as a garden adviser in gardens ranging from small courtyards to large estates, we'll look at ideas and achievable ways of adding new life to the garden