SEASONS GARDEN DESIGN LLC

NEED A SPEAKER?

Vanessa Gardner Nagel, FAPLD, is an
award-winning landscape designer, published garden author, and popular speaker
who lives in the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA metro area.
She has over 40 years of design expertise and 50 years as a gardener.
Vanessa is a nationally-recognized outdoor furnishings
and garden design expert and wrote two books:
Understanding Garden Design and
The Professional Designer’s Guide to Garden Furnishings.
She loves telling stories together with photo-rich,
design-focused PowerPoint presentations (although without
PowerPoint possibilities, she draws on a whiteboard to accompany certain subjects),
inspires and helps audience members to
become better gardeners, and create better-designed,
more livable gardens. As an engaged, fun,
and interactive speaker she speaks to
gardening audiences across the United States.

Check landscape designer, Vanessa Gardner Nagel's schedule,
then contact her for your event.

"Yours was the best design presentation I ever heard, Vanessa.
I never take notes. I took notes."
Michael A. Dirr, Ph.D, horticulturist, & professor
of horticulture at the University of Georgia

CURRENT SCHEDULE

(SEE DETAILS BELOW)

2020

Mid-Atlantic Horticultural Short Course, Norfolk Botanical Garden, VA
Tuesday, January 14, 2020: THE PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER'S GUIDE TO GARDEN FURNISHINGS: Gardens don't need just plants, paths, and walls; they need carefully chosen accessories and furnishings. But finding and choosing these accessories can be a challenge. Award winning landscape & former interior designer, Vanessa Gardner Nagel, FAPLD will provide both visual inspiration and practical information about how to choose and where to find just about every kind of accessory a garden might need; chairs, benches, cushions, arbors, containers, and artwork, too. Vanessa will share her insights on how furnishings are linked to architecture; she will offer tips and techniques for choosing furnishings based on comfort, scale, and proportion. She will also discuss the properties of a wide variety of material choices, including wood, stone, ceramics, concrete, metal, and fabrics.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020: GARDENING ON SLIPPERY SLOPES: Soil Stabilization, Biome Diversity, and Ecological Opportunities; Elevation change is part of what makes a garden intriguing, but it is also a challenge. Should you call a geotechnical engineer or a landscape contractor to work with you? What kinds of materials work best in various situations? What are some sustainable basics to prevent erosion, preserve ecology, and integrate new plants with existing natives? What are some strategies for removing invasive species and accessing the slopes? For the past 4 years, Vanessa has worked on her 1/2 acre ravine and will share with you what she has learned (so far).

2019

Lane County Spring Home & Garden Show, Eugene, OR
Saturday, Mar. 9, 2-3 p.m.: DESIGNING GREAT GARDEN PATHS: Getting lost in your garden? Vanessa will discuss how to use space efficiently, determining direction, using focal points, subtle way-finding, safety, and more to help you establish paths and garden circulation that makes sense.
Sunday, Mar. 10, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: THE IRRESISTIBLE GARDEN: Create Your Own Using Basic Design Principles; Turn your garden into an enticing siren that lures you in any season. Vanessa describes basic design principles, such as line, form, and balance, in a manner that makes designing a garden easy to understand.

Clark County Master Gardener Presentation & Garden Tour
March 28, 2019, 9: a.m-12:30 p.m.; Garden Design Done Right; Having a beautiful, healthy garden begins with a great design and thoughtful preparation. Begin your spring planning at Shorty’s Garden Center on Mill Plain in Vancouver, WA. Award-winning, certified landscape designer, Vanessa Gardner Nagel, FAPLD, will present garden planning basics to increase both gardening success and enjoyment. After browsing the nursery (and picking up goodies along the way), travel to Dragonfly Hollow, Vanessa’s demonstration garden, to see a practical example of thoughtful garden design.

International Clematis Society Garden Visit, Dragonfly Hollow
Thursday, June 20, 2019, Garden tour and happy hour.

Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Open Garden, Dragonfly Hollow
Sunday, June 23, 2019

APLD, Bay Area Chapter, Gamble House, Palo Alto, CA
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 3-5 p.m.: THE PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER'S GUIDE TO GARDEN FURNISHINGS: Gardens don't need just plants, paths, and walls; they need carefully chosen accessories and furnishings. But finding and choosing these accessories can be a challenge. Award winning landscape & former interior designer, Vanessa Gardner Nagel, FAPLD will provide both visual inspiration and practical information about how to choose and where to find just about every kind of accessory a garden might need; chairs, benches, cushions, arbors, containers, and artwork, too. Vanessa will share her insights on how furnishings are linked to architecture; she will offer tips and techniques for choosing furnishings based on comfort, scale, and proportion. She will also discuss the properties of a wide variety of material choices, including wood, stone, ceramics, concrete, metal, and fabrics. 1.5 APLD CEUs

Lane County Fall Home & Garden Show, Eugene, OR
Saturday, Oct. 12, time: 2:30 p.m.; GARDEN MAGIC: What is it and how do we create it?;Many people say things like 'the garden is magical' or 'I want to add magic to my garden.' Garden magic doesn't mean a fairy godmother is out there waving a wand (although wouldn't that be lovely), but exactly what is garden magic? Vanessa will take us through defining garden magic to make it easier for you to create your own with some basic tips to get you started.

Sunday, Oct. 13, time:12:30 p.m.; AUTUMNAL GLORY: Celebrate the Colorful Season; co-presented with author/writer, Mary-Kate Mackey. Learn about these two dynamic speakers favorite leaves, flowers, fruit, berries, and more!

2018

Northwest Horticultural Society,
Center for Urban Horticulture, Seattle, WA
Jan. 10, 2018, Rejuvenating a Tired Garden; Addressing overgrown plants and worn-out hardscape that is crumbling below your feet isn’t for the faint of heart. Learn a designer’s approach to evaluating existing conditions, working with old & new, and applying basic design principles to create a harmonious design.

Lane County Spring Home & Garden Show, Eugene, OR
Friday, Mar. 9, 6p.m.: DINING OUT: Gardens to Dine For; Who doesn’t love s’mores by the fireside, a sip of wine by the pool, or a full-blown barbecue and picnic? Learn more about creating a garden especially for outdoor dining and cooking, and a relationship of convenience to a close relative, the edible garden
Saturday, Mar. 10, 11:30 a.m.: Rejuvenating a Tired Garden; Addressing overgrown plants and worn-out hardscape that is crumbling beneath your feet isn’t for the faint of heart. Learn a designer’s approach to evaluating existing conditions, working with old & new, and applying basic design principles to create a harmonious design.

Oakland, MI Master Gardener Society,
Oakland Schools Conference Center, Waterford, MII
April 28, 2018, GARDEN EVOLUTION: A Designer's 25-Year Landscape Challenge. Breathing new life into an existing landscape is a challenge and an opportunity. It isn’t unusual to encounter a previous owner’s lack of care & planning, difficult neighbors, sob-worthy views, and even environmental issues. Learn how a designer took advantage of diverse obstacles and continues to create a remarkable, organic, and bee-friendly garden.

Lane County Fall Home & Garden Show, Eugene, OR
Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, 6 p.m: INSPIRATION TO PERSPIRATION: the travelogue method of garden design. When we travel we see new ideas. Learn how a designer SEES as she travels and what YOU can use to translate to use in your garden to make your garden even better..
Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, noon: RENOVATING A TIRED GARDEN: Develop an Eye for Editing a Garden. Addressing overgrown plants and worn-out hardscape that is crumbling beneath your feet isn’t for the faint of heart. Learn some fresh ideas to renovate existing an garden from evaluation to the rejuvenation.

"Thank you for sharing your craft and charm with our guests."
Karen Ramus, owner, Lane County Home & Garden Show, Eugene, OR

OTHER TOPICS
Other than those listed above or just contact us and ask us about a topic. Vanessa also done "talk & draw" presentations (no PowerPoint) for facilities with less technical capability.

THE JOYFUL GARDEN:
Finding Happiness in Your Garden
You've probably heard about how to create joy in your home through the artistry of Marie Kondo and the book by interior designer, Ingrid Fetell Lee, but how can you apply some of those lessons to your garden? Vanessa teaches how a garden's organization can also spark joy and yearning to be in the midst of it.

GARDEN EVOLUTION:
A Designer's 25-Year Landscape Challenge
Breathing new life into an existing landscape is a challenge and an opportunity. It isn’t unusual to encounter a previous owner’s lack of care & planning, difficult neighbors, sob-worthy views, and even environmental issues. Learn how a designer took advantage of diverse obstacles and continues to create a remarkable, organic, and bee-friendly garden.

GARDEN STYLES: Defining Elements & Fresh Perspectives
Have you ever wondered what affects contemporary style? Vanessa takes a look at the various influences that change how we approach the style of our garden. It isn't just function, but includes things like philosophy, culture, and social aspects. And what about 'pre-conceived styles' such as Victorian and Mid-Century Modern, and using materials in innovative and practical ways? Learn more about how to infuse your own garden with YOUR style!

DINING OUT: Gardens to Dine For
Who doesn’t love s’mores by the fireside, a sip of wine by the pool, or a full-blown barbecue and picnic? Learn more about creating a garden especially for outdoor dining and cooking, and a relationship of convenience to a close relative, the edible garden

WAR & PEACE IN THE GARDEN: Designing with
Companionable Rather Than Combative Plants
Every time we buy a new plant we purchase a potential friend or enemy of the garden. Learn tricks of designing with plants that go beyond soil, exposure, and moisture levels to create peace instead of war among your plants. Maximize the potential of every plant as well as the overall design of your garden.

DESIGNING TOP-NOTCH GARDENS: Details Make the Difference
Architect Mies van der Rohe stated that ‘God is in the details’, and yet details often get overlooked during the design of a garden. Considering how to distinguish your garden from someone else’s often means studying details. Learn how to approach the ‘art of the detail’ to personalize your garden and improve its aesthetic.

CREATING SUSTAINABLE GARDEN STYLE
Being sustainable is not often the first thing on our minds when we are creating the style of a garden, but it should be a major criterion among the many components. Learn how to view those components that add so much to a garden’s aesthetics in a way that will be more earth-friendly.

REJUVENATING A TIRED GARDEN
Addressing overgrown plants and worn-out hardscape crumbling beneath your feet isn't for the faint of hear. Learn a designer's approach to evaluating existing conditions, working with old & new, and applying basic design principles to create a harmonious design.

PUTTIN’ ON THE GLITZ: Glamour in Your Garden
Beyond the plants, learn about garden furnishings to add pizzazz to your garden and spice up your outdoor lifestyle. See fabulous outdoor fabrics and stylish garden furniture.

PARK YOUR MOWER: Alternatives to a Turf Lawn
Creating an alternative to lawn takes thought and research and it is an idea whose time has come. Lawn offers little in the way of diversity to support the creatures that share our planet. Learn how to approach the design to replace the outdated monoculture that is turf.

BEYOND A HEALING GARDEN: Uniting botany,
natural medicine, and therapy in a naturopathic garden
Learn about the approach Vanessa took to designing a healing garden to unite two medicinal modalities: naturopathic and Chinese medicine, for an education facility.

CREATE A LIVABLE OUTDOOR SPACE: Include Style & Furnishings
Gardens need more than just plants, paths and walls; they need chairs, benches, cushions, arbors, containers, and artwork, too! Learn how you can expand your livable habitat by using the right furnishings to complement your garden style. Vanessa Gardner Nagel surveys a range of styles and the furnishings that complement them so you can create your own fabulously livable outdoor space.

STRUCTURAL PLANT PLACEMENT:
Locating & Strengthening Your Garden's Bones
Every garden needs good bones, but where do you begin? Learn how to make your garden more beautiful and more dynamic through the proper selection and placement of structural plants.

INTENTIONAL SERENDIPITY: Designing Sustainable Gardens
Designing gardens that reduce the amount of energy and resources should be a skill that all good gardeners should have. Learn an approach to designing a garden that will reduce your carbon footprint AND provide a gorgeous garden.

CHANGING GARDENS DURING CHALLENGING TIMES
We have a lot of challenges right now with global climate changes, an economy that could be better, and resources that are either getting too expensive or simply unavailable. Learn more about how we can transform our gardens to meet these challenges.

WHY PEOPLE INVITE
VANESSA TO SPEAK

"Vanessa Gardner Nagel‘s seminar on ‘Understanding Basic Design Principles’
at the 2010 Northwest Flower & Garden Show received rave reviews
from the audience. Using humor and a relaxed manner,
she discussed the principles of garden design in a well-organized
fashion that both beginners and more experienced gardeners
could grasp. Her images reinforced the concepts perfectly.
“She’s an excellent teacher, and she will likely write a good book”
wrote one audience reviewer. “She was great - have her back!”
said another. She will definitely be returning as a garden show speaker next year!"
Janet Endsley, Northwest Flower and Garden Show (2010)

"Thank you so much for taking the time to come to the Garden Club to speak.
I have wanted you here for a few years!"
Marsha Freed, Portland Garden Club, Portland, OR

(Left)Vanessa speaking at an OLCA (Oregon Landscape Contractors Association) show. (Right) The cheery TIEG (The Inland Empire Gardeners) audience in Spokane.
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When you schedule an appearance, we request that
your organization provide the following:

All transportation costs

Accommodations and meals or appropriate per diem (if farther than 50 miles).

All technical or A/V equipment related to any presentation
(Vanessa will bring her presentation on her thumb drive.)

An honorarium

(* denotes required information)

Name*

Email Address*

Organization or Event Name*

Organization or Event Website

Please provide a brief description of your event.

Who is your targeted audience?

Who are the major event sponsors (if applies)?

What type of participation are you seeking from Vanessa?

Appearance Date(s)

Event Location

Media promotion planned or proposed pertaining to Vanessa's appearance

Will there be opportunities for a book signing?

Additional comments.

We can't wait to hear from you!