Thank you so very much for this wonderful weekend... it was a dream come true but much more… a splendid afternoon with a very entertaining lecturer. I think that most people went away with dreams for their gardens… all felt you were speaking to them.
(Amis Suisses des Plantes Vivaces 18.February,2012)
I really enjoyed the day and your talk, and it was great to hear from someone so enthusiastic and informed. (Participant, after workshop for North-East group, Landscape Institute. October 2011)
Lectures, Workshops and Tours
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Available as a lecturer or workshop facilitator for garden groups, design and master gardener groups, colleges and others.
- Regular lectures for the English Gardening School in London.
- Past appearances at the North West Flower Show (Seattle), The Chicago Botanic Garden, The Philadelphia Horticultural Society, American Society of Landscape Architects (Philadelphia, 2008, Chicago 2009) and many many more in UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria.
Workshops
- I have a background in adult education and am
particularly interested in developing interactive teaching programmes
and workshop for local groups of garden designers, landscape professionals or master gardeners.
- Following my PhD research, I have developed a teaching methodology which
works very well in a garden context – students have to get out and down
on hands and knees to closely observe plants - 'The Rabbit's Eye View'
Contact me on Noel@NoelKingsbury.com if you would like to discuss a possible booking.
Click here for tours
Lectures
1. Naturalistic Planting, Perennials:
Wild about Perennials. A look at the 'new wave' of planting design with perennials. An introduction to naturalistic planting design, explaining the basic philosophy and practice of selecting plants for the ecology of the site, how to look natural, etc. also suitable for a half-day or full day interactive workshop.For participants - key plants list here. POPULAR
New ways with perennials.
A broader look at a variety of contemporary approaches to using perennials: naturalistic, modernist, the Oudolf look etc. POPULAR
Perennials that stand up for themselves
. Choosing plants for wild or minimal maintenance situations where they have to look after themselves. An introduction to some basic plant ecology and some delightfully wild gardens.POPULAR
Plant ecology for gardeners
. Plant ecology has so much to teach gardeners. This is an introduction to its important lessons for plant selection and cultivation. Also suitable for a half-day or full day interactive workshop.
Natural Planting for Small Gardens
. Using a wild style in the smaller garden.
Seedheads
. A look at gardens out of season - how the seedheads of many perennials and grasses have a quiet beauty of their own, and how this can be utilised in the design of the garden.
2. Design
Form and Foliage.
Making gardeners more aware of foliage and plant shape in a variety of garden styles: period and contemporary. The role of foliage, form and texture in planting design, with both clipped and natural shape being considered. also suitable for a half-day or full day interactive course.
Contemporary Garden Design. An slightly irreverent look at modern movements in garden design, looking at both hard materials and planting.POPULAR
Goodbye to the English garden (primarily for North American audiences)
It’s time to take a critical look at the hold of the English garden over the imagination of non-English gardeners. It is often not appropriate, either because it is unsustainable or does not ‘belong’ to the local landscape. As an outsider who loves American landscapes and flora, I encourage the audience to consider casting the concept into Boston harbour along with the tea, but also to look at the success of the English garden in providing intimacy and harmony and how this might be achieved using inspiration from a variety of sources.
‘Phormiums and oaks’ – some thoughts on visual ecology.
Designed to be interactive, this has proved very popular with those groups who have booked it; a light-hearted but provocative look at how well many popular garden plants fit into rural and heritage landscapes. Originally planned for British Isles, but could be adapted to most North American regions.
3. Culture and Politics of the garden.
The Politics of the Garden.
The garden has always been a more political arena than has often been realised. Here I explore how gardens down the ages have played a part in politics, ideology and national identity. Illustrated with a variety of historical visual material.
Women, Men and Gardening – do we garden differently?
An entertaining look at whether men and women garden differently? If so, how and why? A bit of gentle sociology illustrated with a variety of historical visual material. POPULAR
Natural Gardens – A Contradiction in Terms?
Exploring notions of the ‘natural’ and the ‘organic’ in the garden. A
gently sceptical look at various arguments for wild or ecological
gardens.
Is gardening an art?
Gardening is often spoken of as an art, but is it? An in-depth but not too serious look at some of the issues that surround looking at gardening as an art. I argue that treating gardening as art involves giving it more serious attention than it does simply as a ‘hobby’ activity. Illustrated with a wide variety of visual material.
Organic: yes or no?
A look at the arguments for organic gardening, at basic principles, philosophy and at the (surprisingly disreputable) history of the movement. What are the problems? What are the arguments against? Both sides of the discussion are looked at, and a pragmatic approach argued for.
4. Travelogues
Garden travelogue
Wherever you go, there are gardens and plants to look at, and they can be a great focus for planning a trip. Countries covered: Germany, Netherlands, USA, Pakistan, India, Brazil, Thailand.
Gardens of China. One of the world's oldest garden traditions but poorly understood. There's a lot to learn for designers here, especially for small urban spaces. With input from Yue Zhuang, Lei Gao and Andong Lu.
The Brazilian Gardens of Roberto Burle Marx.
The work of one of the twentieth century’s greatest garden designers. Private gardens and public landscapes in and around Rio de Janeiro. Nice warm subject matter for mid-winter.
Tours
I have led tours for Gardens Illustrated magazine (in collaboration with Distant Horizons travel company) to Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, the USA and China. Future trips could include Japan, Austria and Switzerland.
I am available to lead tours for groups (either through tour companies or independently organised) or to design tailor-made self-guided itineraries for all these countries, and of course the UK. I also have contacts for designing garden and wildflower tours in Japan and Slovenia.
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