PAST EVENTS
Past events organised by SGD
Planting Masterclass. 23rd June 2010 Wigan Investment Centre, Wigan
Jill Billington FSGD is one of the UK’s experts on planting, author or many books and RHS judge. The day started with aesthetics of planting design: how to use plants in the same way an artist uses paints. The afternoon concentrated on ecological aspects of planting, looking at sustainability and working with the site.
Essential Knowledge: to Run a Profitable Garden Design Business. 14th June 2010, Hadlow College, Kent
This half-day workshop run by Chris Snook who is Business Development Advisor to the HTA will covered all you need to make your GD buisness a success and keep you on track with topics such as 'Personal preparation and presentation' and 'Financial sanity'.
Essential Knowledge: Sustainable Timer Use & Scope of Works. 15th May 2010, Pulborough, West Sussex.
An illustrated workshop on the essential knowledge required to specify timber for use in the Landscape presented by Stephen Young from the Timber Decking Association. Followed by
A short dynamic workshop on the essential knowledge required for garden designers to write a Scope of Works document presented by James Steele-Sargeant the MD of Arun Landscapes.
Planting Design - Concepts & Creation. 5th May 2010, Ealing.
Pamela Johnson MSGD and Jill Anderson looked at how planting design has changed over the years and how horticulture underpins all good planting. They then explored the ideas leading to a plant concept, looking at a range of inspirations, the effect of time and seasons and the ways in which the senses are stimulated by plant design.
New Ways with Planting. 11th May 2010, Romsey, Hampshire.
Noel Kingsbury examined what designers can learn from ecological science to improve their planting design. A leading authority on the development of herbaceous plantings with a wild edge Noel showed how to 'read' an unfamiliar plant and predict where it is likelty to thrive, what maintenance it needs, how long it lives and wether it spreads or not.
Splash SGD Spring Conference 17th April 2010, Imperial College, London.
Water in the landscape and garden affects the sense of place and our emotional response to it. There are many different ways of using water in the design of landscapes and gardens: as a light reflecting surface, for its sound effects, to bring cooling qualities, as a form of cleansing and as a sustainable part of a design. As an element of garden design, water can have cultural significance as well as its own aesthetic. Water can add a sense of drama or induce a sense of calm and well-being - a truly versatile element.
Designing & Planting with Trees. 30th March 2010 Cardiff.
Keith Sacre of Barcham Trees and Andrew McIndoe of Hillier Nursuries present insights into practical issues of tree selection, value vs size, transport, planting, choosing the best for your site and confident design with trees.
Specification Writing for Real Life. 25th & 26th March 2010 Southport.
A two-day intensive workshop with Richard Sneesby course leader of BA (Hons) Garden Desing at Falmouth University. Helping delegates to master the art of writing clear and confident specifications.
Renew, Refresh and Reinvent your Garden Design Business with Andrew Fisher Tomlin FSGD, 20th March 2010 Edinburgh.
An intensive day looking at a new strategy for your garden design business: writing a business plan that works, building confidence in assessing clients and sales skills, improving profitability, finding new marketing opportunities in the digital age.
The Power of Plants, with Jill Billington FSGD, 16th March 2010, Exeter.
"If a garden isn't about plants....what is it about?" Most of our clients will judge our work on the planting scheme alone. Author, judge and Fellow of the Society, Jill Billington presented a one day workshop on the aesthetics of planting design, plants as the artists' materials, how plants can evoke mood, horticulture, sustainability, how we work with the site and the client.
Rain Gardens, Green Roofs & Meadows with Nigel Dunnett 2nd December '09, Leeds
Dr Nigel Dunnett on how to de-mystify the design of rain gardens, green roofs and meadows.
Surveying With Confidence with Ian Humby 10th November '09, Exeter.
Designed for Garden Designers who have learned measuring and leveling at college but would like to revise the techniques and pick up some tips from an expert in the field.
Design Masterclass - Impossible Sloping Sites and Levels with Robin Templar-Williams Saturday 7th November '09, Guildford.
Masterclass that analysed live projects using plans and cross-sectional drawings with an emphasis on how to incorporate sloping sites and difficult areas into a harmonious design
Drains & Drainage with Duncan Heather Saturday 24th October 09 Edinburgh
It might seem like a ‘dry’ topic but the effect of inadequate drainage on an overall scheme can be potentially devastating. We need to think about the implications from the moment that we start our site analysis right through to the design and the specification writing. This workshop covered the key aspects of drainage in garden design
Surveying Sloping Gardens Wednesday 21st October 09 Painshill Park, Surrey
Following on from the hugely popular 'Surveying with Confidence' workshop Ian Humby presented a workshop to explain surveying levels. The morning session covered Measuring and the later sessions were spent in the Painshill park looking at Level Surveying with Dumpy Level
The Essentials of Excellence - 27th April YMCA Guildford; 25th February 2010 Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Romsey; 27th January 2010 Leeds Met University; 21st October 09 Blunitsham, Cambridgeshire; Friday 10th July 2009 Coolings Nursery, Kent; .
Three short, very practical, illustrated workshops on the essential construction skills required for building and specifying walls, paving and drainage. The inspirational speaker, lecturer and landscaper Mark Gregory headlined this event.
Water in the Garden Wednesday 10th March 2010 Lutterworth, Leicestershire. 23rd September 09 Hampshire
Martin Kelley is an engaging speaker & respected expert on water feature construction. Currently the Managing Director of Fairwater Limited, his company has over 20 years experience in the water garden construction industry. They specialise in the design, construction, renovation and maintenance of water features working closely with a number of today's eminent garden designers and leading landscape architects. Martin’s extensive experience has yielded a vast portfolio; he shared his technical knowledge with us as he discussed the practicalities of how to create a wide range of water features from formal fountains to domestic ponds and even how to approach construction of large informal lakes and streams
Quality ... what is it and how do you achieve it? APL & SGD Autumn Workshop Thursday 17th September 09 Capel Manor, Enfield
Another excellent opportunity for SGD & APL members to get together to listen, to compare and share ideas and experiences.
Well-known leading and award winning designers and contractors kindly agreed to share their thoughts and experiences at the event. There was a mixture of light-hearted, honest accounts of the successes and challenges that designers and contractors regularly face..."
Specification Writing for Real Life Monday & Tuesday 14th & 15th September '09 SAC, Edinburgh
Clear specifications should be the way we ensure that the garden we have designed (and which has excited the client so much) is implemented as we envisage. Richard Sneesby MA lead this course by the end of which you should have been able to write the necessary specifications for your projects with clarity, understanding and confidence.
Heavenly Gardens in Hellish Places - SGD Autumn Conference Imperial College, London SW7 1LU Saturday 3rd October 2009
Conference Chair: Julie Toll. Speakers: Declan Buckley, Lisa Delplace, Nigel Dunnett, Anthony Paul, John Wyer
Sponsored by: Gaze Burvill and Alitex
The garden is a form of earthly paradise that designers are often called upon to create in the most unpromising and inhospitable of places. Such sites include steep slopes, exposed roofs, windswept coastlines and urban sites plagued by poor soils and pollution, all in an increasingly extreme climate. Difficult sites create the greatest challenge but can instil the greatest creative response.
While paradise is the intent, a designer's first challenge is practical; to make sense of the space, to make it usable and to select plants that will grow and survive long term. In improving the habitat for people and plants, the design solution makes the occupation of such difficult spaces enjoyable and uplifting too.
Nurture, Not Nature - SGD Spring Conference Imperial College London, 28th March 2009
Chair: Hugh Ryan. Speakers: Jinny Blom, Erik Dhont, Ulf Nordfjell, Tim Rees and Roberto Silva
What influences the way you design? An innate design sensibility? Or the culture in which you’ve grown up and developed professionally? Garden design is rooted in our formative experiences including local climate and landscape, cultural uses of space and responses to nature. All the speakers at Nurture, not Nature had unique perspectives formed in their countries of origin. Their designs refered to their cultural heritage while reinterpreting it for each new client and location.
Our speakers explained how their own particular cultural experiences show in their work. They also discussed the challenges of designing in environments less familiar to them. Is meaning lost in translation, or do the cultural layers maintain their richness?
Reviews: thinkinGardens
The New Conceptualist Garden - London Tate Britain, Wednesday 9 July 2008
What is a garden, if not – in designer Andy Cao’s words - a “blending of landscape and art to create a place for dreaming”?
The Society of Garden Designers, in association with Tate Britain, presented The New Conceptualist Garden, a one-day international symposium on Conceptualism – the new genre in international garden and landscape design.
These gardens hold memories and tell stories. They are resonant of meaning – and playful, too - characterised by vibrant colour, and fantastical tricks of scale.
The subject was set into context by critic and author Tim Richardson. The impressive international line-up of speakers included six designers who illustrated and discussed the processes involved in creating their work: Stig Andersson of SLA, Copenhagen, Denmark; Andy Cao of Cao Perrot Studio in Los Angeles, New York and Paris; Claude Cormier, Montreal, Canada; Kate Cullity of Taylor Cullity Lethlean from Adelaide, Australia; Monika Gora, Malmo, Sweden; and Eelco Hooftman of Edinburgh based landscape architects Gross.Max.
See podcast at Gardens Illustrated
