Fundamentals of Garden Layers
plant communities, ecosystem function, and climate resilience in natural garden design
Nature-based garden design means paying attention to what works in the wild and then translating those plant community aspects to the home landscape, where the aesthetic ante can be upped, so to speak.
In this class learn how to read natural plant communities and what lessons to bring home from the species within them, how to use layers of succession (seasonal and year by year) to increase ecosystem function and decrease management (like weed control), and explore some of the plant options to fill niches in each physical layer for maximum aesthetic appeal and climate resilience.
Additionally, we'll touch on bed prep as well as management over the first several years, and the ways in which working in a natural garden differ from traditional mulchscapes as we let plants guide us toward a healthier garden space.
Join award-winning author, speaker, and garden designer
Benjamin Vogt on a fifty-minute journey to
inspire and invigorate your natural landscape. All sales are final and no refunds will be issued.
The class is self paced and remains online at the sole discretion of the
author. You have unlimited access to the class as long at it remains
online. The class and all material is the sole copyright of Benjamin Vogt
(author) and can't be rebroadcast, transcribed, or shared in any way
without the prior written permission of the author.
Your Instructor
Benjamin is the author of A NEW GARDEN ETHIC and PRAIRIE UP, owner of the design firm Monarch Gardens, and has a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. His work has been featured in The American Gardener, Fine Gardening, Garden Design, Houzz, Midwest Living, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many books including American Roots. Benjamin speaks nationally to botanical gardens, environmental organizations, and city parks staff. He lives in Lincoln dreaming of restoring a prairie and hosting an artist residency program on 40 acres.
"I liked how he connected what we do in our gardens to the overall health of our ecosystem. He provided facts I hadn't heard before and I walked away from the presentation inspired to make changes."
"Wonderful! Combination of knowledge, wit, and alacrity of presentation.... So interested in his topic that he made me interested!"
"He did an outstanding job bridging practical gardening with the philosophy behind why we need native plants in our landscapes. He had great photos, statistics, and personal stories."