The Ecological Garden Series

Ticket for all 4 studio workshops. 7th - 28th October.

Workshop 1. Introduction to Ecological Gardens - 7th October

A calm, practical introduction to gardening with place, structure, plants and time.

This is the worldview session. We look at what an ecological garden actually is, not a messy wilderness, not a native garden only and how to begin thinking about your own space through place, ecology, structure and time.

What is an ecological garden?

Start where you stand — reading sun, shade, wind and water

Structure before planting

Indigenous first, exotic with intention

Habitat, soil and water

The garden as a long conversation

Take home: Printed notes, plant list, ecological garden checklist. Tea and coffee included.

Workshop 2. Reading The Land - 14th October

Understand your garden before you change it.

How to observe a site properly

Sun, shade, water and wind patterns

Reading clues from existing plants

Understanding EVCs and indigenous vegetation

Using Find My Ecological Garden

What to document before starting a project

Take home: A printed Site Reading Sheet and ecological observation template.

Workshop 3. Designing Ecologically - 21st October

Build the bones before choosing the plants.

Trees, paths, edges and garden rooms

Why structure comes before planting

Layered planting: canopy, shrub, ground, habitat

Swales, shade, soil cover and microclimate

How to stage a garden without wasting money

What makes a garden feel calm and resolved

Take home: A printed Ecological Garden Framework — structure, layers, habitat and rhythm.

Workshop 4. Natives In The Garden - 28th October

Indigenous first, exotic with intention.

What "indigenous" means in a garden context

Native vs indigenous vs exotic

How to choose plants for birds, insects and soil

Layering local plants without losing beauty

Mixing indigenous with productive and fragrant exotics

Common mistakes with native gardens

Take home: A seasonal plant list and a plant-with-intention worksheet.