Join landscape architect Thomas Rainer for a three-hour master class on ecological landscape design. This program teaches you how to create low-maintenance plantings by mimicking naturally occurring plant communities. Explore plant systems thinking, layer plants in biodiverse assemblages, and practice design skills. 

Throughout the three-hour session, participants will: 

• Learn about plant systems thinking: This involves understanding how different plants can work together in a way that mimics natural ecosystems. 

• Listen to lectures: These will cover the theory and principles of ecological planting and landscape design. 

• Engage in design exercises: These will give participants hands-on experience in creating plantings that reflect natural plant communities. 

• Practice plant layout: Through a simulated plant layout exercise, participants will apply what they’ve learned about biodiversity and plant interactions. 

Program Schedule  

“The Big Picture Talk and Presentation: Understanding the shift from thinking of plants as objects to plants as dynamic systems” from 1 to 2 pm 

Spatial Planning Design Exercise from 2 to 2:30 pm  

Functional Planting Presentation from 2:30 to 3:15 pm 

Simulated Plant Layout Exercise from 3:15 to 4pm   

Adult – $30 

About Thomas Rainer: 

Thomas Rainer is a registered landscape architect, teacher, and author based in Arlington, Virginia. A leading voice in ecological landscape design, Thomas has crafted landscapes for prestigious locations including the U.S. Capitol grounds, Philadelphia International Airport, and The New York Botanical Garden, along with over 100 gardens from Maine to Florida. He is a celebrated public speaker, renowned for his passionate presentations delivered to audiences across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Thomas currently serves as a Principal at Phyto Studio, and a landscape architectural and consulting firm in Washington, D.C.