CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Claudia West (USA) Originally from Germany, Claudia now lives in the USA and is a passionate about US native plants. She is a lively and vital voice in ecological planting design, harnessing biodiverse plant systems to create resilient, emotionally resonant landscapes that are functional, beautiful and diverse.
Ulf Nordfjell (Sweden) An award-winning contemporary landscape architect and biologist, who works with city development in various climate zones and private gardens in Sweden and southern France.
Ross Palmer (New Zealand) A native New Zealander, formerly based in Phuket and now working internationally, whose designs are exciting, unpredictable, eclectic and use a pared-down plant range.
Midori Shintani (Japan) Head gardener at Hokkaido’s huge Tokachi Millennium Forest, where she worked with Dan Pearson. Her passion for the forest is deeply rooted in Japanese animistic and spiritual bases, which reinforce the beautiful and sacred nature of the plants and landscapes.
Tim Richardson (UK)
A writer, poet, historian and critic specialising in gardens and art. Recognised internationally as a leading authority on landscape design and history, his reflections are surprising, arresting and entertaining.
Paul Bangay (Australia)
Paul’s timeless, elegant, formal gardens are legendary. But his artistic flair continues to emerge and evolve, based upon his experience, European training and his scientific background.
Fiona Brockhoff (Australia) Fiona is one of Australia’s most successful designer for achieving an Australian sense of place with elements and plants that are sometimes native, sometimes not, but somehow, always feel Australian.
Trisha Dixon (Australia)
A writer and photographer who leads tours to gardens worldwide. She embraces gardens that respond to their climate, are quirky and reflect the owners’ passions.
James Hitchmough (UK) James’s principal interest is the ecology and management of attractive and sustainable herbaceous plantings. He’s a world leader, with international experience, including restoration of Australian native grasslands. He is now part of a $1 billion Melbourne greening project.
Bruce Pascoe (Australia) An Indigenous Australian writer who challenges the myth of the primitive, nomadic huntergatherer, believing the world’s first farmers may have been Aboriginal, farming crops and grazing animals in harmony with the natural systems. His book, Dark Emu, is a revelation, urging us to no longer view landscapes solely through European eyes.
Charles Massy (Australia) Since his own farm was devastated by the eastern Australian drought of 1979-83, Charles has devoted his life to understanding how European and industrial agriculture has led to desertification throughout history. His soil biology research includes dramatic results internationally and provides exciting hope for achieving nutrient-rich properties through regenerative farming.