Wild, wilder, wilding

Taking the ‘long view’ on the garden’s relationship with nature this one-day course will reach back into garden history, before turning to examine the present-day contexts and future issues within which we garden. Encompassing discussion of the cross-over between visions of historic landscape and gardens within movements of ‘romanticism’, ‘picturesque’, and ‘wild’, we will go on to examine understanding and usage of modern terms including ‘wildlife friendly’, ‘re-wilding’ and, crossing to land management, ‘regenerative’. We will also consider the impact of changing climate and disease patterns, and managing the balance between past, present and future visions of heritage gardens, landscapes and current design.

Dr Twigs Way is a garden historian, writer and researcher. She is fascinated by the past and intrigued by the role of flowers, gardens and landscape in art and culture of all kinds. Her talks and books reflect that endless curiosity, with themes of symbolism and meaning, class and gender, art and literature, and her desire to follow unknown paths towards the unexpected. From gnomes in Neasden to hollyhocks from the Holy Land, every plant has a tale to tell, every garden a past. Twigs is the Director of MA/PhD in Garden History at the University of Buckingham, as well as a consultant and lecturer in Historic Designed Gardens and Landscapes.