Can gardens be “Rewilded”? Can you have a garden that restore and regenerate ecological systems? During a day spent in her ‘brownfield’ garden Jo will explain how her garden was conceived and grown with more than human-scale aesthetics and functionality in mind. By accommodating natural processes and adapting gardens to their specific site, habitats and biodiversity can increase. Gardening these spaces in turn becomes less orthodox; returning to the ‘craft’ of land management and allowing a space to evolve within its wider environment.

This masterclass includes Marina Christopher who will focus on plant choices to enhance the wilder garden. Water ecologist Jason Mitchell will focus on Jo’s pond and overall project as a case study, with some references to other restoration projects and the cross over between aquatic ecology and the aesthetics of water garden design, along with practical applications to include: biological filtration, general construction considerations and the ongoing evolution of the water body.