THE ARTS + CRAFTS GARDEN
A Legacy that Shapes Design Today
The Arts & Crafts movement emerged in the late 1800s as a response to industrialization, celebrating human-scale design, honest materials, and gardens meant to be lived in…not just admired.
Many principles we rely on in landscape design today, such as defining garden rooms, drift planting, legibility, and a sense of place, were formalized during this time.
By exploring these foundations, you’ll see how historical ideas evolved into practices that remain essential for creating gardens that feel intentional, enduring, and deeply connected to people and place.
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Are you ready to learn a bit about our garden roots?
Image above is from: Wightwick Manor & Gardens / National Trust Images/ Andrew Butler
Image below is from Gravetye Manor by William Robinson taken by The Gardening Mind
GOODNESS FOR YOU THIS MONTH
Below you will find several items to help you learn more about THE ARTS + CRAFTS GARDEN. From written words to an applied activity 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 links to our community, plus a live Monthly Meetup!
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 Garden Room Function Workbook.
GARDEN ROOMS
Garden rooms are the basic unit of landscape design and an important concept to understand as you make connections between indoor and outdoor spaces.
LINES OF FORCE
This Garden Design Guide explains a technique to build strong geometry and lines in your landscape, while also unifying it with existing architecture.
LEGIBILITY
Legible spaces are coherent, understandable, simple and organized. It involves organizing features in a way that allows someone to easily comprehend the spatial layout.
SENSE OF PLACE
Creating a sense of place in landscape design involves a deep understanding of the site's history, architecture, ecology, and cultural context, as well as, the thoughtful integration of these elements into your design.
DRIFT PLANTING
A drift planting is when plants are arranged in groups or clusters that "drift" across a garden space in natural, flowing patterns. It is considered one of the planting models.
CAPTURING SPACE
Gardens aren’t just plants...they’re rooms you shape and spaces you inhabit. Floors, walls, and ceilings give them form, while height, proportion, and layering give them depth and personality.
The ARTS + CRAFTS GARDEN Pinterest Board
I've started a Pinterest Board to collect lots of inspiring images for this month's topic.
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:
Learn about an Arts + Crafts Designer
Arts + Crafts gardens were shaped by clear values about structure, comfort, and craftsmanship. In this activity, you’ll explore how those ideas show up in real gardens by studying the work of one designer.
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.
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!
LIVE SESSIONS
We have one this month: our normal Monthly MeetUp. This 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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The photo above: The secluded setting of Munstead Wood by Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens, Surrey | © Peter Wright
Monthly MeetUp
Let's catch up on this month's topic, plus share our activity. I can't wait to see you!
Tuesday, February 24
2 PM PT | 3 PM MT | 4 PM CT | 5 PM ET
London: 10 PM GMT
Sydney: February 25 at 9 AM AEDT
Let's Connect in a Small Group Session
I'm excited to invite you to a small group session where we can get to know each other better. Each session will last one hour and include up to four participants, along with myself.
Please sign up for one available time slot that suits your schedule. Next dates: February 4 + March 3
Looking forward to our conversation!
I'd love your feedback once you've devoured all this goodness.
Drop me a note at the email below and let me know what you loved and what could be improved. Thank you!
Please contact me at hello@papergardenworkshop.com
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The photo above: A perennial border at Munstead Wood by Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens, Surrey | © Munstead Wood Estate
