Garden Design: Structure and Movement

Once we’ve got the bigger picture of our garden spaces in mind, we can start shaping them with program and structure. In garden design, structure is more than a row of shrubs, a fence, or a wall at your property line – it’s how you shape a space, create a sense of enclosure, and lead the eye to landscape destinations. Using onsite and on-paper exercises, we’ll drill down on these concepts to ensure that we’re accounting for both pragmatic and inspirational function in our gardens and providing appropriate circulation support for access. Students will have time and opportunity to practice on a personal project of their choice. Students will be responsible for their own design materials, supply list available upon registration.

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Emma Kelly is a fierce advocate for place-specific garden design. Living and practicing in Maine and focusing on residential landscapes, Emma works closely with clients and craftspeople throughout New England to produce a cohesive design that fulfills the vision and creativity of all involved. With a master’s degree in landscape architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design and featured in Maine Home and Design and the Boston Globe, Emma has most recently launched ColLab, a collaborating laboratory of five independent, women-owned landscape architecture practices working on projects throughout the Northeast.