BEN O’BRIEN BIO
Ben O'Brien is the owner of Wild by Design, a naturalistic garden design business in Prince Edward County in Ontario that specializes in artfully crafted, richly planted, lovingly tended gardens. For the past decade Ben's passion for plants has informed a wide range of projects, from small town gardens to large rural properties and urban public spaces. Ben's trial garden research explores innovative ways to create beautiful, biodiverse and resilient designed plant communities.
Ben has presented a webinar specifically focused on his trials for Garden Masterclass (UK), and appeared on their popular "Thursday Garden Chat" interview series. He has been a speaker for horticultural societies and professional landscape audiences across Ontario, and has written articles for the Ecological Landscape Alliance, the American Society of Landscape Architects' Professional Practice blog and Ground Magazine, published by the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects. You can learn more about Ben by visiting his instagram Wild by Design and his website Wild by Design, where he has multiple resources about grit gardening and the plant list.
SHOW NOTES
Ben O'Brien shared how his love for plants began with his rural upbringing in Ontario, surrounded by wild landscapes, and how studying landscape architecture at the University of Guelph solidified his passion.
The epiphany of visiting the High Line in New York City, which inspired him to explore naturalistic planting design.
Ben emphasized the "sweet spot" between ecological restoration and traditional horticulture, which he sees as a magical space for planting design.
In college, much of his knowledge about planting design came from self-directed study, including influences from books like Planting in a Post-Wild World and works by Nigel Dunnett, James Hitchmough, and Piet Oudolf.
His undergraduate thesis focused on how naturalistic plantings can shift perceptions about the natural world and demonstrate positive human influence.
When approaching planting design, Ben prioritizes understanding soils, microclimates, and site conditions.
The importance of layers in planting, filling every niche, and the CSR strategies of plants.
The value of experimenting with plant architecture and creating resilient plant communities through trial-and-error approaches.
Ben highlighted the challenges and benefits of using stress-tolerant substrates like grit, recycled concrete, and sand to grow diverse plant communities with minimal inputs.
He detailed his trials on planting into recycled materials, emphasizing how specific substrate compositions can reduce weeds and encourage long-term plant survival.
Ben reflected on the importance of ongoing management and stewardship in naturalistic plantings, sharing insights from his experiences maintaining client projects over several years.
The need for landscape architects and horticulturists to embrace innovative planting methods and reconsider traditional soil and mulch approaches.
Ben stressed the importance of publicizing successful trials and results to encourage adoption of new planting techniques.
He discussed the potential for rotational disturbance-based planting models to sustain dynamic plant communities over time.
Big successes and failures that he had from the trials.
Approaches to planting woody plants into gravel.
Limitations to naturalistic planting including plant knowledge and management issues.
The need to invest in management and stewardship of designed landscapes, suggesting that the future of naturalistic planting depends on skilled and supported caretakers and being able to see how plantings change over time.
Ben shared his perspective on balancing native and non-native species in planting, advocating for a thoughtful, context-dependent approach.
On parenthood, Ben noted the importance of maintaining work-life balance and how becoming a parent has influenced his efficiency and priorities in work.
Ben highlighted the importance of efficient systems and processes, like using drone photography and spreadsheets, to streamline his design and project management workflows.
He explored the complexities of plant supply chains and genetic variability, expressing a desire for more transparency and knowledge in the horticulture industry.
For aspiring horticulturists, Ben encouraged curiosity and self-education while acknowledging the importance of creating viable career paths in horticulture management.
Ben recommended resources such as Planting: A New Perspective and The Dynamic Landscape for those interested in naturalistic planting and emphasized the value of exploring academic journals for practical insights.
Ben credited accessible resources like books, journals, and webinars for much of his learning and encouraged professionals to share knowledge to inspire the next generation.
Ben reflected on the need for the horticulture industry to move beyond traditional practices and embrace more innovative, ecologically sound methods of planting and management.
Learn more about Ben by visiting his instagram Wild by Design and his website Wild by Design, where he has multiple resources about grit gardening and the plant list.
