Plants & Design

Blending Hardscapes and Softscapes for Cohesive Design

Blending hardscapes and softscapes is about creating harmonious relationships within the landscape. These relationships connect design principles with spatial organization to produce a cohesive composition that enhances both the aesthetic appeal and functional performance of the space.

Let’s explore how the hard and soft elements of a landscape interact to form a balanced and engaging environment.

Design Solutions for Challenging Sites: A Masterclass in Creative Problem-Solving

Great landscapes don’t begin with a shovel—they begin in the mind. In this dynamic 2-part session, award-winning designer Kevin O’Brien draws on 30 years of professional experience to reveal how bold creativity transforms constraints into signature opportunities that set you apart in a crowded marketplace. Through a curated slideshow of projects, Kevin guides you deep into real-world case studies where difficult environments became the catalyst for innovation:  

Your Natural Garden: Design and Stewardship in Living Landscapes

In this engaging lecture for landscape professionals, renowned plantsman and designer Kelly Norris offers a framework for managing living landscapes towards horticultural and ecological goals. As gardens designed to mimic nature grow in popularity, many wonder how to care for these vibrant, biodiverse spaces while also shifting public opinion about their value. How does landscape management change when plants take the lead?

Landscape Design Charette

Hone your design skills and focus your energy on time management through a series of guided design scenarios with Dr. Robert Schutzki and Matthew Ross from The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park.  Balancing the client’s needs within the constraints of the existing site conditions is a time-consuming process. 

Learn tricks and techniques in this interactive design charette as we design collaboratively in small groups.  In order to enhance the process and encourage networking, you’ll be encouraged to work with colleagues from other companies during the session.

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