In this course we will explore the principles of ecology that are fundamental to ecosystem restoration and how they can be applied to garden design in Ojai Valley.  You will learn how to observe and evaluate the broader landscape - applying these observations to your garden. This comprehensive course for home gardeners offers a sound foundation in design styles and process, the importance of sustainability and how to model a garden after patterns in nature. With an emphasis on goals for individual design, students will devise a base/plot plan, considering habitat, hardscape materials, color, fragrance, soil, and maintenance. 

Morgan Ramirez is the founder of Morami Studio, a landscape architecture practice based in Ojai, California. She holds a bachelor degree in landscape architecture from University of California, Berkeley and a masters degree from Harvard Graduate School of Design. Morami creates a partnership between people and land. Operating on intuition and not pressured by industry trends. Restoring, salvaging, listening, stewarding: these processes are old as dirt and in short, we trust the process.

This course will meet in-person on Saturday, June 14th and 21st, 9am-12pm at the Ventura River Steelhead Preserve.

This is not an introductory course, but rather 1-on-1 sessions aimed to help a site specific project you have in mind come to fruition. Students will need to submit a preliminary questionnaire for their site and complete a warm-up exercise prior to the class. If you are designing your garden with others (family, friends, etc.), please send just one representative from your household to the course. You can work on the plan and homework assignments together.

Email rewild@ovlc.org for any questions.