In this lunchtime webinar directed at people considering embarking on the RHS’s most prestigious qualification, the Master of Horticulture award, Tom explains his motivations for studying for the award himself. Tom spoke about his background and how his career had led him to a point where the MHort became the next logical step.

Tom presented a talk on his specialist subject - the maintenance of soft landscaped areas - at the inaugural FutureHort conference at the Royal Horticultural Society’s educational hub at Wisley. (Soft landscaping is a term used to describe all the living/organic parts of a landscape - the plants, trees, flowerbeds and lawns).

Tom presented a lively and engaging presentation to Ideal Home Show audiences throughout the day. Tom’s talks focused on his specialism with garden design, that of biodiversity-focused planting design. By using the right plants inthe right way, gardens with year-round interest are within reach of all garden owners.

Garden design has evolved over many centuries, with varying styles from all over the globe being shaped and adapted to suit differing needs. From classical French parterres in the seventeenth century, to the calm, zen gardens of Japan, there’s a garden style to suit every taste.

The fact that humans have such a strong desire to create gardens is illustrative of our innate connection to the natural world. As a species, humans have only lived outside of natutral environments for a fraction of their existence, so it is no surprise that we have this burning drive to be nestled in nature, and it is inevitable that the planting schemes that touch us most deeply will also be ones where wildlife is happy.

When creating a planting scheme for biodiversity, there are a number of key things to keep in mind. Firstly, ensure you have a long overall flowering period in your garden; you won’t achieve this with purely native planting, so you will need to use various non-native species to ensure flowers especially later in the year.