Further Reading
1) Naturalistic Planting
This covershttps://www.gardenmasterclass.org/npd-reading-list/#schedule approaches to planting which aim at evoking nature, supporting biodiversity and involving some level of ecological functioning. Older first.
The Wild Garden
William Robinson, with new chapters by Rick Darke in Timber Press edition
The book that started us all off! In 1871. Unfortunately, Robinson had very little idea of what he was doing, and wrote this book as a journalistic polemic more than a practical how-to guide. So it is really only of historical interest (a polite way of saying it is actually pretty useless), but this reprint includes an essay by Rick Darke which is worth reading.
Perennials and Their Garden Habitats
Richard Hansen and Friedrich Stahl
Translated from the Germany, this outlines the approach used for planting design in Germany which was developed in Bavaria from the 1950s onwards. It is conceptually very different to the way things are done in the English-speaking world. Essential reading for anyone wanting to get their head around the plant community based approach for different habitats which has been fundamentally important in Germany. Even if you live in a totally different climate zone with a different flora, this should be something you look at if you are at all interested in developing functioning plant mixtures. 1993.
The New Perennial Garden
Noel Kingsbury
A pioneering book, looking at creating communities of plants for different habitats, it has been much used on college design courses. Its approach has been much emulated and the book has perhaps long since served its purpose. The tables in the back were always admired though – lots of information on a wide range of perennials in just a few pages, so probably still worth grabbing if you see it second-hand. One day I will have to update it! 1996
Some Branch against the Sky
Geoffrey Dutton
This is an exceptional book about a garden on the edge – high up in the Scottish Highlands. Fantastically informative, poetically written, this is a unique book as much about managing and sculpting a wild landscape as conventional 'garden making'. I fear not enough people know it. 1997
On the Wild Side
Keith Wiley
Keith, one of Britain's most distinctive, indeed idiosyncratic and visionary, garden makers, outlines his philosophy. Its not about ecological planting as such, but how to look at wild plant communities and take that artistic vision and develop something which evokes it. Very much about high levels of contrast and exuberant colour. A genuinely unique vision. 2004
The Dynamic Landscape, Design, Ecology and Management of Naturalistic Urban Planting
Edited by Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough
As you may gather from the title, this is an academic collection of essays, published in 2004, which feels like a long time ago now. Many of the essays are still relevant though, and this is certainly a useful book for professionals or those involved with urban issues. Given that messrs. Dunnett and Hitchmough have such a high profile, yet have written very little (too damn busy!) this is an important insight into their philosophy.
Plant-driven Design, Creating gardens that honour plants, place and spirit
Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer Ogden
A clarion call for more use of plants in garden and landscape design, as well as being a very practical guide. Written from Colorado, its emphasis is very different to that of most garden books written in moister climates. Much useful material on climate and the forms plants take in drier habitats. The authors have a massive combined knowledge. Some very useful lists. 2008
Staudenmischpflanzungen
Axel Heinrich and Uwe Messer
I have avoided anything else in German, but this at least has so many plant lists that you can probably make sense of it, with little language. It covers the incredibly important area of mixed plantings which the Germans, and the Swiss and the Czechs and others are developing apace, but which have not made any headway in the English-speaking world yet.
This the full-blown book, from Ulmer Verlag, but there is a little booklet, consisting mostly of plant lists, with the same title, costing only €.6.50, which you can get from aid: www.aid.de/inhalt/staudenmischpflanzungen-1409.html
The Living Landscape, Designing for beauty and biodiversity in the home garden.
Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy
Aimed at readers in the North American east and Midwest. A clear articulation of the different habitats a garden has for wildlife. Another way of describing what this book does is to answer the question “how do I use American natives?”. Its very well-illustrated, perhaps at the expense of the kind of diagrams and infographics that might do a better job of explaining the subject matter. A plant directory covers the ecological functioning of a wide range of species, i.e. what's going to come and eat it. 2014
Cultivating Chaos, How to enrich landscapes with self-seeding plants
Reif, J., Kress, C. & Becker, J.
How to make use of the spontaneous self-seeding of shorter-lived species. Very much an introduction to the topic, and does not take on board just how problematic this can be if things go too well! Pretty much the only book on the subject at the moment. 2015
Planting in a Post-Wild World
Thomas Rainer and Claudia West
This looks at wild plant communities and how to emulate them, very much from the perspective of the landscape designer, for which profession this has been a genuinely ground-breaking book, although much of its content is very derivative of others’ work. Particularly good at analysing the visual structure of natural plant communities, which those brought up on conventional planting always find hard to read. Not so much on plants and actually building plant communities, so the home gardener might find some of this hard to relate to. 2015
Garden Revolution, How our landscapes can be a source of environmental change
Larry Weaner and Thomas Chistopher
A perfect match for the above, as it functions as a working out of much of its more theoretical thinking. Feels like a lifetime's experience has gone into this book. Full of insight into site analysis, design and managing semi-natural plant communities. Very much focussed on north-east USA, but the principles would be the same anywhere. 2016
Planting – A New Perspective
Kingsbury and Oudolf
Here we look at the various, more complex, and in many ways, more naturalistic, ways in which Piet has combined plants since around 2000. Also included is work that came out of my doctoral research, on long-term plant performance. A very detailed tabulated plant directory at the back provides information on performance as well as other data – a lot of information you won't find elsewhere. 2013
Naturalistic Planting Design The Essential Guide: How to Design High-Impact, Low-Input Gardens
Nigel Dunnett
A comprehensive overview for gardeners at all scales from the leading practitioner! Probably the best one out there currently.
2019
Sowing Beauty: Designing Flowering Meadows from Seed
James Hitchmough
2017
Although aimed primarily at those working with seed mixes, it includes much good general discussion of horticultural ecology.
2) Plant Ecology
Plant Strategies, Vegetation Processes, and Ecosystem Properties
J. Philip Grime
An invaluable guide to plant survival strategies in nature, and the key source for understanding the very useful Competitor, Stress-tolerant, Ruderal (CSR) theory. Surprisingly readable. A key text for understanding plants.
Some of these books are out of print and hard to get hold of, even from libraries. British users of course have access to the wonderful interlibrary loans service.
There are also now a growing number of digital shadow libraries of which this is the most comprehensive:
It does not however, have the Hansen and Stahl, however one of our students has flagged this up as a source:
https://archive.org/details/perennialstheirg0000hans/page/n13/mode/2up
I need to point out however, that some shadow libraries are technically in breach of copyright law, and users concerned about this should check before using. Mentioning them here in no way implies our approval of them or a recommendation to use them.
Schedule and studio classes
Our schedule of presentations, Q&A sessons are below, together with dates for additional studio classes. Remember that each live presentation is recorded and recordings sent out the day after to all participants.
Studio classes are an add-on, for small groups (max.10) for those who want more active participation.
Studio classes
Participants are given a task and expected to send in images and to briefly explain it to the online group.
Studio/Europe and Studio/USA, Canada, with Noel Kingsbury
Participants to send in some images of a plant community and explain it in terms of the issues we discuss in sessions 2-4 with Noel, with a particular emphasis on predicting how it will look in 5-10 years time. We will have two sessions, one for Europe-based participants and one for North Americans, to take account of different floras.
Studio/Europe – £30+VAT UK attendees book here
Studio/Europe - £30 non-UK attendees book here
Studio/USA Canada - £30 book here
Studio classes with Nigel Dunnett
1) Reading Nature
An exercise in analysing images of a natural plant community which you find particularly satisfying – what design lessons can we draw from it: aesthetic and practical?
2) Identifying Plant Functional Types
Analysing vegetation in terms of plant types discussed in the presentations, in order to inform coherent and legible planting design.
3) A Planting Sketch
Producing a sketch layout of a new area of naturalistic planting, incorporating principles from the course, and your own ideas too.
Studio classes with Nigel x3 - £90+VAT UK attendees book here
Studio classes with Nigel x3 - £90 non-UK attendees book here
We do not currently have any studio classes booked with Cassian Schmidt. We hope to organise some!
any queries: noel@gardenmasterclass.org