If you have ever wondered how to design a flower border in your garden, join garden designer Jo Thompson at the walled garden at Water Lane, Kent, for a series of four workshops throughout the year, in February, April, June and September.

Garden designer Jo Thompson will lead the course guiding on planting design, explaining methods, and sharing advice, as well as border designs she has worked on over the years. This is an exciting series in which students will also see how the new Melon House border within the Victorian walled garden is being re-designed and re-planted over the course of the year.

From £45 per course of block book all four sessions and receive £20 off for a price of £160.
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What to expect on the course

The first session in February considers a seasonal approach to planting design as Jo looks at how to go about starting from scratch with an area or existing border, taking stock of what’s already there, looking at the soil and the conditions to select the best plants for the site.

The second session in April, will look at choosing those important fillers – annuals, and summer bulbs – and how to use them to create different effects.

The third workshop in June will look at the flowering shrubs that will have started to flower, and at height and volume in the border, as well as harmony and atmosphere. Learn how to extend the border interest so that there’s something flowering through to September.

September is the last session when the Melon House border will have been fully designed and planted. Jo will look at how winter interest can be sustained as well as tulips and other Spring bulbs, in order to create a bulb shopping list. Jo will be sharing her favourite varieties and combinations and advise on the practical side of bulb planting. In this final workshop of the series, Jo will also reflect on how the Melon House border has evolved over the eight months since the work began and share some of the successes, and failures as well as look at how to make improvements, and correct any mistakes, for the following year.

Session one – Thursday 22nd February

Session Two – Thursday 20th April

Session Three – Thursday 22nd June

Session Four – Thursday 21st September

Workshops include light refreshments.