Dr Noel Kingsbury

Following my recent post on Nature winning Best in Show, I thought it appropriate to look at Noel Kingsbury, Garden Designer, Writer & Plant Science Specialist. Well known for his naturalistic planting schemes, large & small scale and his collaborations with Piet Oudulf. He has published numerous books on his styles of planting and in 2021 wrote an article for CountryLife magazine questioning whether it was time to draw on our traditional strengths in gardening, be more patient and introduce, largely rejected, woody shrubs back into our designs. Woody shrubs, Kingsbury wrote, offer year round interest and form when the perennials have died back and the seed heads are waning. They also offer shelter for wild-life and reduce the maintenance of naturalistic planting schemes. He questions the value of trying to imitate nature too closely and has spoken about whether there is any ecological benefit to dense planting, as occurs naturally and questions if a designed garden will support biodiversity just because more plants have been packed in...

Image:Getty Images; Montpellier College, design by Noel Kingsbury