Lectures
New Perennials: A Love Story
New Perennials: A Love Story is a personal introduction to design principles of the New Perennial Movement—whose members inspired a world-changing shift toward naturalistic gardens. In the US, their influence can be seen in New York’s High Line, Chicago’s Lurie Garden, the Oudolf Meadow at Delaware Botanic Gardens, and Oudolf Garden Detroit. Deborah Chud’s 7 years of research on these gardens led to her own, highly unusual New Perennial garden and the only known database of New Perennial plant combinations. Part 1 traces her discovery of the work of the New Perennial Movement’s preeminent designers, her research on their gardens, and her use of that research to create a garden in their style. Part 2 explores the radical innovations of New Perennial movement. And Part 3 provides an introduction to the ideas underlying New Perennial gardens—particularly a new concept of structure and a special balance between coherence and contrast that approximates nature’s own. At the end of the talk, Deborah offers practical “dos & don’ts” for solving the problem of excessive contrast.
Disclaimer: Deborah Chud does not represent Piet Oudolf.
Click image for a brief trailer describing Deborah’s lectures.
Recordings of Deborah’s lectures are available online at $25 per month (unlimited views). Use the contact button if you are interested.
“Riveting!” Rochelle Strauss, Director of Education, Toronto Botanical Garden
“This was the most informative presentation I have heard, so beautifully presented and illuminating.” Catherine Gallagher, JC Raulston Arboretum at NCSU
“Cracked the code. Excellent presentation.” JPS Mont, JC Raulston Arboretum at NCSU
“Thanks so much for presenting today- even as a non-gardener I found it fascinating, so I was not at all surprised by all of the comments and messages saying how interesting and high quality a presentation it was!” Jennifer Bartel, Creative Experiences Coordinator, Wilmette Public Library
“Brilliant, so informative, I feel I've made leaps and bounds here and I hope to bring this to the garden I'm planning for next year.” JP, JC Raulston Arboretum at NCSU
“Thanks again for the great presentation today. I have received many notes thanking you for the wealth of information on the Oudolf style.”
Penny Lewis, Executive Director, Ecological Landscape Alliance
“My head is exploding. This is a fantastic presentation for any fan of Oudolf who longs to replicate his look.” Glen & Beth Austin, JC Raulston Arboretum at NCSU
“Really great thorough lecture, most insightful elementary principals behind what makes Piet Oudolf’s designs work explained. I was wondering lately why the white/greenish coneflower (Echinacea ‘Alba’) next to the violet pinkish Betony (Stachys ‘Hummelo’) wasn’t ‘working’ in my small front garden: now I know: thanks!” A. de Haan, JC Rauslton Arbotetum at NCSU
”Many thanks to all who queued this up!! This jam packed lecture from Deborah Chud on Piet Oudolf sent me spinning off into a pile of new ideas…Now, I have a whole new set of shapes/structures to learn about. Fantastic!” Paul David Callahan, Coonian Research, Carlisle Garden Club
“Deborah is a very effective speaker…She decoded a complicated subject and presented a system of how to actually produce an Oudolfian garden that felt doable and empowering. I can hardly believe I got to attend this presentation for free from the comfort of my own home.” Anonymous, Oak Park Public Library
For a complete list of Deborah’s past speaking engagements, see her ABOUT page.
Not Your Mother’s Garden
In Not Your Mother’s Garden, Deborah takes her audience on a photo tour of her dramatic Piet-Oudolf-style New Perennial garden and describes the design principles underlying it. Many of the plants are unfamiliar—even to experienced and knowledgeable gardeners. These “New Perennials” constitute a special canon of plants that exhibit qualities valued by members of the New Perennial Movement—pioneers in the shift toward naturalistic landscape design. What’s new about New Perennials and what can they do for you? Walk through her garden with her to find out. (Brief trailer available on request.)
“Wow! Loved the presentation & design concepts!” Janice Rusiecki, Program Committee Chair, Garden Club of Harvard, MA
“Your presentation was spectacular - interesting, exciting, beautiful photography, excellent explanation of concepts. The content flowed together beautifully. You have really done a fabulous job.” Gaele M., Glencoe Public Library
“Your recent library talk was great!!! So well prepared, organized, delivered. Great photos - very helpful. Thanks for putting it together.” Elizabeth M., Glencoe Public Library
“Lovely presentation. Your garden is amazing.” Lynn B., Glencoe Public Library
“Thanks so much- it was a terrific presentation. Such beauty and your passion for your garden comes through very clearly!” Jennifer Bartel, Adult Programming Director, Wilmette Public Library
Reimagined gardens
Reimagined Gardens is a lecture series about garden makeovers. Following a brief discussion of the features of wild landscapes fundamental to naturalistic landscape design, Deborah takes you inside her process of reimagination. The modest scale of the plantings she reimagines makes them relevant to most people’s garden dilemmas. And the concepts & strategies she presents have practical applications.
Her vignettes cover a range of garden situations, including, but not limited to:
-foundation beds, “ugly” side yards, “boring” front gardens
-limited winter interest
-planting in shade, under trees/shrubs, & over septic systems
-combining perennials with evergreens
-small gardens (as small as 10’ X 14’)
-transforming lawns into naturalistic perennial gardens
“Wonderful presentation and beautiful pictures.” Marjorie S., Berkshire Botanical Garden
“Just wanted to say this was great presentation and I appreciated the spreadsheet technique / breakdown!” Becka, Berkshire Botanical Garden
“It’s a lot to take in. But very tempting to dive in to make a garden.” Betsey W., Berkshire Botanical Garden
“I very much like your approach which is extremely practical and logical and easy to understand!…Thank you! This was super helpful!.” Valerie R., Berkshire Botanical Garden
“Bravo!!!! Thank you!!!!” Jaci A., Berkshire Botanical Garden
“Thanks! Love the handout also.” Deborah B., Berkshire Botanical Garden
“Very informative. Thank you.” Jeff B., Berkshire Botanical Garden
“Excellent presentation! I love the template and your way of describing how to use it.” Brenda C.
“I thought it was great! I loved how you incorporated your garden in the presentation … it really demonstrated what a person can do using your approach.” E.H., Berkshire Botanical Garden
“The presentation was logical, doable, and transferable! So kudos to you!” Anonymous, Berkshire Botanical Garden
“This is fantastic! The lecture is very organized and tangible.” L.C., MA
“Your approach makes my brain happy. I've started cross referencing Oudolf’s preferred plants and combinations with a CT native plant nursery’s catalog. I can’t wait to use this compilation to create my plant list and then get to work figuring out what will go where.” KM
“the best explanation of “Naturalist” design that I have seen. Thank you.” NJR, Northwest Perennial Alliance
What people are saying