Overview: Through a series of lectures and field walks, Larry Weaner will illustrate the process of designing, planting, and stewarding native gardens and landscape restorations.
Day 1 will lay a foundation by examining the vegetative patterns and ecological processes of spontaneous plant communities. Patterns and processes discussed will include disturbance, ecological succession, competition, habitat fidelity, plant proliferation, and relative ecological stability. Each will be followed by an example of its direct incorporation into a planted landscape.
Day 2 will delve into the nitty gritty of native meadow creation: site analysis, species selection, seed mix formulation, site preparation, live plant inclusion, planting, and management. Other open landscape compositions including old fields and shrublands will also be covered.
Day 3 will cover planting and management techniques unique to the woodland landscape, including restoring a full complement of the vertical layers found in a healthy forested ecosystem. On the ground layer we will discuss colonization strategies including establishing herbaceous species from seed versus live plants, assisted seed dispersal, sunlight manipulation, and selective height cutting. The lecture will conclude with reforestation protocols based on the processes of ecological succession.
Day 4 will include a half-day session exploring how a thoughtful artistic overlay can make ecology-based landscapes legible and attractive to clients with a wide variety of aesthetic preferences.
Each lecture will be followed by a visit to an Oak Spring or nearby site, where participants can observe how the previously discussed principles have played out under real-world conditions. In its totality, this program will highlight the ecological, practical, and experiential benefits of an integrative approach to landscape design.
Eligibility: This course is geared toward landscape designers, landscape architects, and horticulturists, among other landscape professionals.
Instructor: Larry Weaner, FAPLD, founded Larry Weaner Landscape Associates in 1982 and established New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL) in 1990. He is nationally recognized for combining expertise in horticulture, landscape design, and ecological restoration. His design and restoration work spans more than twenty U.S. states and the U.K., and has been profiled in national publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Landscape Architecture Magazine, and many others. His book Garden Revolution: How Our Landscapes Can Be a Source of Environmental Change (2016) received an American Horticultural Society Book Award in 2017, and in 2021 he received American Horticultural Society’s Landscape Design Award.
About OSGF: The Oak Spring Garden Foundation (OSGF) is a philanthropic foundation based at the former primary estate of the late Paul and Rachel Mellon, who were major philanthropists in the U.S. of the arts, humanities, and sciences in the second half of the twentieth century. OSGF is located in the northern Virginia Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains region (ca. one-hour drive from Washington, D.C.). Led by Sir Peter Crane, the Foundation’s inaugural President, OSGF provides short courses and supports residencies for artists and scholars. It is becoming a new center of stimulation of all things botanical, from fundamental research in plant evolution and conservation, to horticultural and plant conservation practice, to the history and art of plants gardens and landscapes.
Accommodation and Travel Information: Participants will be accommodated with all meals and private lodging on site at Oak Spring. They will need to bring proper clothing for being in the field (a suggested list will be provided after acceptance).
Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel to the Washington, D.C. area. If flying, please book flights to Dulles International Airport. Closer to the start date, our Programs Team will assist with coordinating travel arrangements to the Oak Spring Garden Foundation site, as necessary.
Dates and Duration: The course runs for three and a half (3.5) days, beginning at 9:00 am Tuesday, August 1, 2023 and ending at 12:30 pm on Friday, August 4, 2023. Participants should plan to arrive between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Monday, July 31, 2023.
Course Fee: $1,100 (includes course content and all meals and accommodations). Fee Waivers are available for this course: two (2) full fee waivers of $1,100 and two (2) partial fee waivers of $550
Selection Process: Application review will be done by Larry Weaner and OSGF staff.
Application Deadline: Friday, June 2nd, 2023
The Oak Spring Garden Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. Decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other non-merit factor.