There’s so much new and exciting thinking in the world of planting design and plant selection for gardens and public spaces! New challenges and new imperatives are leading the charge, but they’re matched by new revelations about the way plants work, and how they co-exist.
So we’ve lined up the authors of some of the most recent and ground-breaking books, along with some highly experimental designers, to take us to the outside edge of the frontier of thinking in planting design.
Highly relevant to Landscape Architects, garden designers and home gardener, this online symposium will empower and super-charge your plant selection and design into the future.
Read on to find out about the incredible guest contributors and how you can register.
Symposium Details
When: Saturday 5th April, 9am – 12pm (AEST)
Where: Online – you’ll be sent a unique link to participate in the Symposium once you buy a ticket
How much: $95 per ticket (incl. GST)
More: Following the Symposium, ticket holders will be able to rewatch all Symposium content, plus more than 4 hours of extended interviews
CLICK HERE to buy your tickets
Our interviewees include:
Bettina Jaugstetter (Germany)
Bettina’s workshop at the ALC sold out with terrifying rapidity back in 2018, which wasn’t at all surprising given her extraordinarily well-considered and well-informed naturalistic planting designs throughout Germany. We’re going to be asking Bettina specifically about the use of perennials and bulbs, and how her masterly use of these plants is evolving in the face of changing climate and client demands.
Arit Anderson (UK)
Arit Anderson is a presenter on BBC Gardeners World, writer, garden designer and co-author of the highly acclaimed ‘The Essential Tree Selection Guide’ (Filbert Press, in Association with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2023). We’ll be talking to Arit about how tree selection for gardens and landscapes is changing, and why it needs to!
Kevin Philip Williams and Michael Guidi (USA)
Kevin and Michael are employees of Denver Botanic Gardens, and authors of ‘Shrouded in Light’ (Filbert Press 2024) – one of the first, if not the first, books solely on the shrublands of the world as inspiration for garden planting. Hugely relevant to Australia and our native flora, I can’t wait to talk to these guys about the unexplored design potential of our own vast range of shrubs.
Giacomo Guzzon (UK & Italy)
Giacomo is a Principal Landscape Architect and Head of Planting Design at the international landscape architecture firm Gillespie’s in London, and has served as a lecturer in planting design at several key institutions in the UK. Most recently, Giacomo provided the text to accompany Claire Takac’s sublime photography in her latest publication, Visionary (Hardie Grant, 2024), making him the perfect person to talk us though the most recent developments in garden and landscape design.

What people have said about our previous online Symposia:
“I am sitting here almost in tears – this morning has been so fantastic – one of the best ways to spend a morning for a very long time. So inspiring, interesting, beautiful, insightful, educational, thought provoking… quite a number of light bulb moments. Thank you Michael and all the presenters.”
Jacquie Chirgwin
‘Thank you Michael – what an inspirational and informative 3 hours!!! Bravo!’ George Hoad
“I feel like I am at an all you can eat buffet and I don’t know how I am going to fit in dessert! Soooo much to digest from this morning!”
Marg Briese
Secure your ticket and join in the fun!
- Your ticket will give you access to the Symposium on 5th April, plus access to rewatch the event at your leisure, including full length interviews with our special guests
- To purchase a ticket click the ‘Buy Tickets Here’ button below. Upon purchase you will be sent an email with your private link to the Symposium
- At 8.45am AEST on the 5th April the Symposium will launch (click the link to watch), with official proceedings starting at 9am. We encourage ticket holders to connect early, so that we can have any connectivity issues sorted by 9am
- During the Live event, Michael will intersperse live commentary with recorded interviews with guest presenters
- Registrants will be able to pose questions and comments throughout the Symposium in the chat function
- The program will run for approx. 3 hours (until 12pm AEST), with short refreshment breaks throughout
- Following the event, another link will be sent to all registrants where you will be able to rewatch the Symposium, as well as gain access to 4+ hours of ‘bonus material’ such as extended guest interviews
- Note: If you represent a garden club/group, or are a horticulture or garden design student, contact Ash – [email protected] to discuss discount options
What’s the cost?
$95 per ticket (incl. GST).
How do I register?
CLICK HERE to purchase your ticket.