Garden Design Collective

GREEN IN THE GARDEN

It's not easy being green

As Kermit reminds us, “It’s not easy being green,” and the same is true in garden design. Green is subtle, understated, and everywhere, yet when used with intention, it can transform a garden into a space that feels calm, cohesive, and endlessly rich.

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This month, we invite you to explore green as your main design element. You’ll learn how to use shades, forms, and textures to create visual interest even without flowers. Discover how green can anchor your compositions, unify planting beds, highlight blooms, and bring your garden to life in quiet, sophisticated ways.

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Whether you are designing a small border or an entire landscape, this month’s topic will show you how to let green take the lead, helping you see the richness and nuance in every leaf, every shade, and every texture.

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Let's jump in

GOODNESS FOR YOU THIS MONTH

Below you will find several items to help you learn more about GREEN IN THE GARDEN. From written words to video to applied activities to our Design Library to group discussions. Explore our topic from different angles and gain a new perspective. Click below to download a PDF of your Garden Design Guide and activity. Further down you will find a demo video and links to our community, plus a live Monthly Meetup!

VIDEO: Designing a Green Garden

This month's video highlights both activities, plus a demo of me drawing a green garden in both plan and elevation.

RESOURCES in our DESIGN LIBRARY

Below are some resources to help you with this month's topic. Some are past Garden Design Guides and the last one is our Green in the Garden Pinterest Board for extra inspiration.

FORM + TEXTURE + COLOR

This Garden Design Guide provides an elements of planting design overview and how these are important to the plant composition as a whole.

GARDEN DESIGN GUIDE .006

DESIGNING IN ELEVATION

When you view your design in elevation (as if you’re standing in front of it) it’s easier to understand the space and be able to visualize yourself in it.

GARDEN DESIGN GUIDE .010

TEXTURE

Texture exists most of the year and in some cases...all year. Creating the right texture combinations in a planting makes it pop. You're looking for contrast in leaf size and shape, plus plant density.

GARDEN DESIGN GUIDE .019

The GREEN IN THE GARDEN Pinterest Board

We've started a Pinterest Board to collect lots of inspiring images for this month's topic.

Take a Peek!

OUR COMMUNITY

Don't forget to hang out with us this month.

Check in to share your activity. Try it yourself and/or learn from the submissions of your peers. No need to stress. Just enjoy!

ACTIVITY:

DESIGNING A GREEN GARDEN

We have two activities this month. Choose one, both or simply learn from your peer submissions.

ACTIVITY ONE: Choose Plants for Your Green Garden

and/or

ACTIVITY TWO: Drawing a Green Garden

Do you have a question?

Do you have a question on this month's topic or another design question? Let's all learn together!

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Click below to add it to our community.

Yes! I have a question!

Moved closer to a goal?

Share your win with us.
Tell us what you’ve done this month that got you one step closer to your dream...we’re ready to celebrate with you!

I have something cool to share!

LIVE SESSIONS

We have two this month: our normal Monthly MeetUp, plus a Round-Robin discussion. These will be recorded in case you can't make it (then posted right back here). Check out all UPCOMING MEETUPS here.

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Please CLICK HERE to sign up for a Small Group Introduction session with me and four of your peers.

Round-Robin: Comparing our Plant List Processes

A Round-Robin is a casual, collaborative session where we gather around one topic and share ideas from our own experiences. Think of it as a creative exchange….everyone contributes, listens, and leaves with new inspiration.

Tuesday, March 10

10 AM PT | 11 AM MT | Noon CT | 1 PM ET

London: 5 PM GMT

Sydney: March 11 at 4 AM AEDT

Thoughts and Questions here

Becky's List of Plant Resources

CHAT NOTES

RECORDING