Palmstead Nurseries kicked off its 50th year in style with its most successful Soft Landscape Workshop to date, featuring the some of the greatest names in horticulture.

The event was held on Wednesday 24 January 2018 at the Ashford International Hotel in Kent. Dan Pearson, Nigel Dunnett, Laura Gatti, Tim O’Hare, Adam White and Andrée Davies were among the speakers on a day that focused on eco urban architecture and the rise of vertical forests and roof gardens.

The topic for 2018 – ‘Taking gardens and landscapes to a whole new level’ – looked at the important trend of greening podium spaces and landscapes over structures.  The trend has taken hold in London this past decade with important projects like the Kings Cross redevelopment and the Barbican.

Dan Pearson, the RHS multi-award winning landscape designer, Laura Gatti, agronomist and co-designer of the ‘Bosco Verticale’ in Milan, and Nigel Dunnett, designer of the Barbican gardens, spoke about increasing biodiversity in design, selecting the right plants and trees for vertical, balcony and podium schemes talked about the maintenance of such spaces.

Soil specialist Tim O’Hare spoke about the science behind the right soil selection as well as best practise during installation and how both are paramount to the success of green spaces over podiums, referencing his work on the Elizabeth II Olympic Park and Jubilee Gardens.

Dr Louisa Boyer, technical director of Plantworks spoke about Mycorrhiza in aiding the success of trees.  Adam White (president elect of the Landscape Institute) and Andrée Davies of Davies White Landscape Architects spoke about creating wild gardens for children and their association with Palmstead which goes back ten years to their first RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show garden as well as their triple winning Hampton Court garden in 2017. Professor Nicola Spence gave a biosecurity update and looked at Xylella fastidiosa and other threats facing our nations trees and plants.

Nick Coslett said: “The workshop marked the start of what will be a special “Golden Jubilee” year for us at Palmstead and we felt it was it was entirely fitting that we should have some of the best speakers currently working on some of the most exciting projects in our industry. Dan Pearson, Tim O’Hare, Laura Gatti and Nigel Dunnett are leaders in their field and today they really inspired the 400 strong audience with their ideas, designs and innovation.”

Dan Pearson told the assembled audience: “It’s wonderful today to be standing here as part of this great team of people who have spoken to you about doing something that’s really meaningful.

“We all have a responsibility to really believe in the fact that we are doing something incredibly worthwhile. We are able to make a big difference to public spaces in the world and create spaces that enable us to be in touch with the seasons and act as an antidote to this incredibly fast paced life we are living in. It’s possible to do something that’s very complex and also have a life that’s sustainable. If you can get people switched-on then people will care about these sorts of gardens and they will take on a life of their own.”

A full report of the day will appear on Palmstead Nurseries website in due course: www.palmstead.co.uk