Workshop: Designing a London Garden
Whether you're starting with a blank canvas or looking to transform an established garden, this one-day workshop will help you see your outdoor space with fresh eyes.
The day combines practical design advice with thoughtful discussion about what makes a garden truly work. Drawing on years of experience creating beautiful, liveable gardens and talking to some of the UK's leading designers and plantspeople, Susanna will guide you through the principles of designing gardens that are both personal and sustainable.
Focusing on London's unique microclimate and the opportunities that urban gardens present, you'll learn how to assess your own space, make confident planting choices and develop a clear vision for your garden.
Throughout the day there will be opportunities to ask questions and share ideas. Susanna will work through common design challenges and garden elements, helping you apply the principles to your own space.
During the workshop we'll explore:
Understanding your garden's potential and unique character
The fundamentals of good garden design for urban spaces
Working with light, aspect, soil and existing conditions
Creating beautiful, sustainable gardens that suit the way you live
Planting principles, seasonal interest and developing your own style
Practical design considerations and making confident decisions
Real-life examples, common challenges and lessons from professional projects
You're encouraged to email a few photographs, a rough sketch or simple measurements of your garden, plus up to three questions you’re facing no later than 2 weeks in advance of the session, so Susanna can make sure she is addressing your particular needs (no technical plans or drawings are required).
Meet Susanna
Susanna Grant is a gardener, garden designer and writer.
Her consultancy, LINDA, designs and plants biodiverse urban gardens that are plant-focused; existing ecosystems are considered before adding light touch hard landscaping with an emphasis on re-using existing materials where possible.
Her Substratum planting project won the Festival of Architecture design competition for Camden High Street in 2025 and she has completed the planting for a pocket park in Aldgate and UoL’s Scartlett Westbrook Living Classroom garden in Bloomsbury.
She organises and curates the Spring Plant fair at the Garden Museum and the Autumn Plant Fair at Arnold Circus. She is a volunteer gardener and a trustee of Friends of Arnold Circus, and a director of Care Not Capital.
Price: £92
Note for Southwark residents: Our weekend workshops are now available by paid booking only. We are no longer able to offer free places due to the discontinuation of external funding. We hope to offer free places again at some point in the future.