Centenary Garden Talk – 27th November 7pm – Lackham College

Mary Keen & Catherine Fitzgerald

‘Changing How We Garden’

Mary Keen & Catherine Fitzgerald

Thursday 27 November | Reception from 6.30pm | Talk at 7.00pm
Lackham College

Join us for a very special evening celebrating gardens, landscape and the changing way we think about the places we grow.

We are delighted to welcome two of Britain and Ireland’s most distinctive voices in garden design — Mary Keen and Catherine Fitzgerald — for an inspiring conversation on Changing How We Garden.

From traditional gardens to naturalistic planting, from history and heritage to the demands of a changing climate, Mary and Catherine will explore how our gardens are evolving — and how we can create spaces that feel beautiful, enduring and truly connected to their surroundings.

Mary Keen

Writer, lecturer and internationally renowned garden designer Mary Keen has spent a lifetime exploring what makes a garden memorable.

The author of seven books, Mary has written regularly for The Telegraph, The Independent and the London Evening Standard, as well as contributing to gardening magazines and newspapers in Britain and overseas.

As a designer, she has worked both independently and in partnership with Pip Morrison, creating gardens that feel as though they have always belonged to their setting. Rather than imposing grand displays, Mary is interested in atmosphere, character and the sense that a garden has evolved naturally over time.

Her own gardens have provided enduring inspiration. Her previous garden was regularly opened to visitors from around the world, while her current, much smaller garden has featured on Gardeners’ World and in Gardens Illustrated, House & Garden and Country Life.

Mary’s latest book, Diary of a Keen Gardener, explores this garden and her life in it. Signed copies will be available to purchase on the evening.

Catherine Fitzgerald

Landscape designer Catherine Fitzgerald creates private and public gardens across Britain and Ireland, working in both urban and rural landscapes.

Her approach is firmly rooted in a sense of place — drawing on nature, local character and the history of each site to create gardens that feel natural rather than imposed. Her planting combines strong evergreen structure with romantic, naturalistic layers, bringing beauty and interest throughout the seasons.

Catherine’s early experience of gardening at her family home, Glin Castle in Ireland, remains a powerful influence on her work.

After studying English and Art History at Trinity College Dublin, Catherine trained in horticulture at RHS Wisley and went on to work as a planting designer for Chelsea-winning landscape architect Arabella Lennox-Boyd. She now works principally with London-based landscape architect Mark Lutyens on projects throughout the UK and Ireland.

Her work includes the redesign of the gardens at Hillsborough Castle, as well as projects at St Olav’s Church in London and the Physic Garden at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh.

An evening of ideas, inspiration & garden design

Whether you are a lifelong gardener, a garden designer, or simply fascinated by the changing relationship between people and the landscape around them, this promises to be a memorable evening.

Tickets can be purchased here https://www.ticketsource.com/the-campaign-to-protect-rural-england-wiltshire/