2024
January
Defining the Spirit of Place
Jan 21 2024 at 3pm | Kershaw Historical Society Revolutionary War Visitors Center at Historic Camden | Camden, SC
The earliest plan dates to 1774. Kershaw’s settlement become known as Camden in 1768. After the Reconstruction Period, Camden evolved into a tourist mecca for Northerners and mid-Westerners seeking a warmer winter climate. Camden had three large tourist hotels and many smaller boarding houses. The “Hotel Era” lasted from 1882 through the years of World War II. Camden developed as an equine center during these years – Steeplechase races, polo, and horse shows became hallmarks of Camden’s style.
Video from the event:
Camden Lecture- Spirit of Place from Mary Palmer Dargan on Vimeo.
Develop Cashiers Responsibly
Jan 28 2024 | Jackson County NC Public Hearing
Expert witness on grading and tree removals planned by large developer in Cashiers, NC. Public Welcome, watch your newspaper or visit website
February
Keynote topic : Couture Garden Design – May Your Landscape Fit Your Lifestyle Like a Glove
Feb Sat 17 ( date pending) | Mobile Botanical Gardens – Inaugural Event of the Marion Drummond Series
Includes special interactive session following to redesign an area on campus.
Jumpstarting Your Spring Garden Wish List!
Saturday, February, 24 | 11am | Gardening Girls Study Club | Camden SC
April
Keynote topic : Couture Garden Design – May Your Landscape Fit Your Lifestyle Like a Glove
April Sat 13 | Northern Neck Master Gardeners Symposium
On the coast in KILMARNOCK VA, these master gardeners are very active! The Extension Master Gardener Program is an educational program of Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE)
Keynote topic : Couture Garden Design – May Your Landscape Fit Your Lifestyle Like a Glove.
April Sat 27 |Penn State Master Gardeners Garden and Landscape Symposium| Pittsburg, PA
Speaking on a ” Stump the Expert” panel as well with Bill Thomas, exec dir of Chantecleer Gardens, PA. MaryAnn Banks ( [email protected] )
September
Couture Garden Design: May your landscape fit your lifestyle like a glove!
Monday, September 9th | Butterworth Center
Shape your landscape to fit your lifestyle like a tailor creates a custom design for your wardrobe. Learn how to maximize the use of your land by using five long landscape design techniques and the four part master plan. Explore about problem-solving with plant materials and creating outdoor spaces. Surely a must-have seminar for anyone with an outdoor environment.
Tri-City Garden Club, Moline, IL
2023
November
Nov 8 Living Waters Community Garden Gala, Prosperity SC
Community gardens are very special places and Living Waters invited Dargan to create a master plan to carry forth the garden into the next years! Seating areas, service areas for packing gift food and pollinator gardens all figure into the web of life here on campus.
October
Oct 12 A Native Plant Society for Cashiers!
Oconee Bell Chapter. Kickoff of the Cashiers Native Plant Society at the Village Green, Cashiers NC. Large turnout! update: Its been approved as a chapter in NC Native Plant Society.
August
Couture Garden Design: May your landscape fit your lifestyle like a glove!
Saturday, August 26th | 1:00 PM | Cashiers Designer Showhouse 2023
Shape your landscape to fit your lifestyle like a tailor creates a custom design for your wardrobe. Learn how to maximize the use of your land by using five long landscape design techniques and the four part master plan. Explore about problem-solving with plant materials and creating outdoor spaces. Surely a must-have seminar for anyone with an outdoor environment.
2023 Cashiers Showhouse Landscape Seminar – with Famed Architect Mary Palmer Dargan
Aug 28 |1:00 pm – The Pavilion at The Village Green
May your landscape fit your lifestyle like a glove! Mary Palmer Dargan is back with a lively, fun, and educational landscape design seminar. Learn how to maximize the use of your land by using five long landscape design techniques and the four-part master plan. Explore about problem-solving with plant materials and creating outdoor spaces. Surely a must-have seminar for anyone with an outdoor environment. Mary Palmer with the award-winning Dargan Landscape Architects has been published in many national publications, featured in HGTV, and has received innumerable awards.
MORE INFORMATION
June
CLE Live Lecture Series | Home Landscape Design Part 3: Concept Map Share, Stump the Experts!
Wednesday, June 7th | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Highlands CLE Lecture Hall
Need solutions for your landscape design conundrums? Send four photographs of your garden design problem areas. Quick solutions and insights for all your garden woes are shared with the class. Attendance is strictly limited in order to spend enough time on each project, so preference is given to students who have attended the first two sections of this course.
Placemakers Immersion Graduation Tour & Party | Placemakers Alumni Only
Thursday, June 15th | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Cashiers, NC
Join us for a live garden study and graduation party to celebrate your Placemakers Academy journey! We will meet at the Village Green in Cashiers, NC Saturday morning to begin our fabulous day of garden immersion and celebration in honor of our Placemakers Academy graduates. From there we will embark on a private garden study tour of our favorite Cashiers home gardens. We will end our day with cocktails, canapés and a graduation celebration at the Dargan’s “Fernwood Falls”. We can’t wait to celebrate you and take you on this immersive garden study experience!
IMMERSION ALUMNI GET TICKETS HERE
CLE Garden Tour | Garden Tour and Cocktail Party at Fernwood Falls
Wednesday, June 28th | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Meet at CLE Lecture Hall
280’ private waterfalls are a rarity and if it’s been raining – this one really thunders! Join us for a special small group cocktail party at Fernwood, the home garden of celebrated landscape architects Hugh and Mary Palmer Dargan. Enjoy their ‘Out of Africa’ dining Pavilion on the banks of the Upper Horse Pasture River, a protected trout stream, right in the heart of Cashiers, NC. Hike up and cross the waterfall and explore the paths along the river or sit and meditate along the shore. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are provided to build stamina. Parking is extremely limited, so guests ride together in a coach van reserved specifically for the CLE!
May
Placemakers Spring Garden Q&A on Zoom – Free to All!
Thursday, May 4th | 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM EST | Zoom
Join us for our Spring Garden Q&A, open to our whole community. We will get some fresh garden inspiration as we prepare our gardens for spring blooms, and share our garden challenges and triumphs. Come find out and get your year-round questions answered by an expert! If you’re not already on our email list, join the Q&A email list to get your invitation to our seasonal Q&A’s:
Hands-On Garden Design Workshop for the Bascom Center for Visual Arts- Tickets Available
Thursday, May 11th | 10:00 to 12:30 AM EST | The Bascom: Center for the Visual Arts
Mary Palmer Dargan, principal of the international design award-winning firm, Dargan Landscape Architects, and Arielle McIntyre, apprentice landscape designer, are hosting a LIVE garden design workshop. Together, participants design a site-specific, stunning and functional garden concept. This creative work is intended for implementation on a pre-selected area of the Bascom campus.
CLE Live Lecture Series | Home Landscape Design Part 1: Set Yourself Up For Garden Success
Wednesday, May 17th | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Highlands CLE Lecture Hall
Do you envision beautiful gardens and wonder how to bring them to life? This course will guide you toward developing the ability to observe, map, and analyze a site like a professional landscape designer, which, of course, starts with a foundation in botany, horticulture, and soil science. By the end of Part 1 of this series, you will have the expertise to choose the right plant for the right place and the ability to co-create with nature and employ regenerative design techniques.
CLE Live Lecture Series | Home Landscape Design Part 2: Bring Your Garden Design To Life!
Wednesday, May 31st | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Highlands CLE Lecture Hall
This course will give you the context of western garden history and classical design philosophy, a working understanding of art elements and design principles, and a ‘Master Plan’ to share, including a raw, built, living map, and plant list. By the end of Part 2 of this series, you will have the knowledge and tools to implement and bring your design to life!
April
Mary Palmer Speaks at the Longue Vue Gardens Design Symposium 2023 – Tickets Available
April 20th to 21st | Longue Vue Gardens, New Orleans, LA
Mary Palmer Dargan will speak on her inspiration for designing “nourishing, flourishing home utopias.” She is honored to be a part of this special event, and to share her insight. It is going to be a special event to remember, featuring other speakers in fine art and design. Longue Vue Gardens’ 2023 Design Symposium will inspire and activate your spring musings!
EXPLORE THE SYMPOSIUM & GET TICKETS
January Events
Virtual Open House for 2023 Placemakers Garden Design Immersion- for Enrolled Students & Curious Prospective Students
Tuesday, January 17th | 7:30 PM EST | On Zoom
Are you curious about how the upcoming garden design immersion works? Have you already joined and want to know how to make the most of your immersion? Come join us for a virtual open house! We will show you around the course, and get you set up for success.
SIGN UP FOR INVITATIONS FOR PLACEMAKERS EVENTS & THE OPEN HOUSE
Last Day to Join the 2023 Placemakers Garden Design Immersion
Wednesday, January 18th | Enrollment open until Midnight EST
Every year, we take the cold winter months to plan our spring garden revivals. We will meet once a week for 11 weeks as we go step by step through a journey to the garden design of our dreams! Learn how to make your garden dreams a reality in the new year!
EXPLORE THE IMMERSION PROGRAM & ACCESS ENROLLMENT
First Meeting of the 2023 Garden Design Immersion
Thursday, January 19th | 12:00-1:30 EST | On Zoom
The first of our meetings with the Placemakers 2023 Garden Design Immersion students! We will meet once a week for 11 weeks to cover a stop on the Placemakers journey together, and put pen to paper in real time together. Every week you will have maestro landscape architect Mary Palmer Dargan there to personally answer your questions, help you dream, design, and troubleshoot. Then to celebrate we will gather for an optional, but very much encouraged, live garden study and graduation party here in Cashiers, NC this summer!
EXPLORE THE IMMERSION PROGRAM & ACCESS ENROLLMENT
2022
December Events
Early Bird Enrollment Begins for the 2023 Garden Design Winter Immersion
Thursday, December 1st | 12:00 AM EST
Every year, we take the cold winter months to plan our spring garden revivals. We will meet once a week for 11 weeks as we go step by step through a journey to the garden design of our dreams! Learn how to make your garden dreams a reality in the new year!
Explore the Immersion Program & Access Enrollment
Winter Garden Q&A on Zoom- Taking Stock
Friday, December 9th | 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM EST
What’s a gardener to do in the winter? Join us for our Winter Garden Q&A, open to our whole community. We will reflect on what worked this year, what didn’t, and share our garden challenges and triumphs.
Come find out and get your year-round questions answered by an expert! If you’re not already on our email list, join the Q&A email list to get your invitation to our seasonal Q&A’s:
Immersion Program Q&A on Zoom- For Prospective Students
Wednesday, December 28th | 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM EST
Are you curious about our upcoming 2023 Garden Design Immersion? You can come and get your questions answered, and learn how the course works.
We also send all of our attendees a signed copy of Lifelong Landscape Design, as a thank you for considering the immersion program with us and joining us for our Q&A!
Register for the Immersion Q&A
Last Day of Early Bird Before Full Price Enrollment for the 2023 Garden Design Winter Immersion
Thursday, December 29th | 12:00 AM EST
Every year, we take the cold winter months to plan our spring garden revivals. We will meet once a week for 11 weeks as we go step by step through a journey to the garden design of our dreams! Learn how to make your garden dreams a reality in the new year!
Explore the Immersion Program & Access Enrollment
July Events
Placemakers Monthly Live Q&A: 1- 2 EST on Zoom
Thursday, July 7th
Get your garden questions answered in real time. Monthly Zoom Q&A for Placemakers Academy alumni and community members. Sign up here to receive an invitation the morning of each monthly Q&A:
Cashier Plein air artists at Fernwood!
July 10-16
What is Plein Air?
The French term “plein air” means outdoors, which refers to the practice of creating whole finished paintings outside.
August Events
Perennial Plant Association 2022 Symposium- Lancaster, PA
Monday, August 1st to Friday August 5th
We will be attending the Perennial Plant Associations National Symposium in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Join us at our PLACEMAKERS Academy booth!
Placemakers Monthly Live Q&A: 1- 2 EST on Zoom
Thursday, August 4th
Get your garden questions answered in real time. Monthly Zoom Q&A for Placemakers Academy alumni and community members. Sign up here to receive an invitation the morning of each monthly Q&A:
Live Garden Design Workshop at the Highlands Center for Life Enrichment
Plant Materials for Chic Mountain Gardens
Wednesday August 17: 9:00-1:30
CLE Lecture Hall, 348 S 5th St, Highlands, NC 28741, USA
Learning new plants and using the plant matrix as a tool gives you confidence when choosing plants that thrive in mountain climates. In this course you will build a foundation in botany, horticulture, and soil science. After the lecture, we will carpool to Highlands Lawn & Garden Nursery where we will study plant sizes and shapes with a narrative tour. Afterwards you will feel confident that you have the expertise to choose the right plant for the right place and the opportunity to use your plant matrix.
(Lunch will be provided)
Cashiers Historical Society Lecture for the 25th Anniversary Showhouse
Saturday, August 27th at 1:00pm at the Cashiers Village Green
10 tips to Design your Chic Mountain Garden Entertainment Environment with Mocktails, Mary Palmer Dargan Speaker
Live Workshop at the Village Green
Ten Tips to Create a Mountain Chic Garden Party Environment
Wednesday, August 31st: 1:00 to 2:00 PM at the Cashiers Village Green
Join us for a workshop to celebrate the Cashiers Designer Showhouse for its 25th anniversary: Ten Tips to Create a Mountain Chic Garden Party Environment! From candlelit trails to outdoor dining under the stars, learn 10 essential tips for creating a seamless event outside for 2 or 20. Festive fire pits, Dahlia terrace dining, Canopy tents or simple string lights all play a role in success, but don’t forget the signature cocktails! Each participant receives a zero proof cocktail to enjoy during the lecture.
May Events
Placemakers Monthly Live Q&A: 1- 2 EST on Zoom
Thursday, May 5th
Get your garden questions answered in real time. Monthly Zoom Q&A for Placemakers Academy alumni and community members. Sign up here to receive an invitation the morning of each monthly Q&A:
Live Garden Design Workshop at the Highlands Center for Life Enrichment
Home Landscape Design Part 1: Set Yourself Up for Garden Success!
Wednesday, May 25, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
CLE Lecture Hall, 348 S 5th St, Highlands, NC 28741, USA
Modules 1-5: Observe, Map, The Elements, The Wish List, Plants
Unleash your own inner designer, and gain the inspiration and confidence to make great choices for your own dream garden! In Part I we are getting to know the land- through observation, site analysis, mapping, and understanding the elements that come together to make it unique. We will also learn how to analyze our own home garden needs, and create the perfect garden wish list. Finally, we’ll learn how to pick the right plant for the right place, and share some of our mountain favorites!
June Events
Live Garden Design Workshop at the Highlands Center for Life Enrichment
Home Landscape Design Part 2: Bring Your Garden Design to Life!
Wednesday, June 1st, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
CLE Lecture Hall, 348 S 5th St, Highlands, NC 28741, USA
Modules 6-10 Design I, Design II, Create, The Master Plan, Implement
Unleash your own inner designer, and gain the inspiration and confidence to make great choices for your own dream garden! In Part 2, we are breaking down what makes great gardens tic. You will see the land with new eyes. We will learn how to create a master plan, and how to implement your design. Let us show you, step by step, how to bring your garden visions to life!
Placemakers Monthly Live Q&A: 1- 2 EST on Zoom
Thursday, June 2nd
Get your garden questions answered in real time. Monthly Zoom Q&A for Placemakers Academy alumni and community members. Sign up here to receive an invitation the morning of each monthly Q&A:
Live Garden Design Workshop at the Highlands Center for Life Enrichment
Wednesday June 8th, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Meet at CLE, 348 S 5th St, Highlands, NC 28741, USA
Live Garden Study
The Placemakers Academy of Garden Design: A Three Part Series in Home Landscape Design Part 3: Gardens on the Hoof!
Applying the principles of design in real time with garden tours and engaging discussions of how to choose the right plant for the right place, you will walk away with knowledge and tools to implement your design from site preparation, sourcing materials, and using a plant matrix to choose plants at the nursery. Boxed lunch will be provided.