This course will be released in 3 parts, the first on 6/16/26, the second on 6/22/26, and the third, and final part on 6/29/26.

Roots of Greatness brings together the current custodians of gardens created by Gertrude Jekyll, Vita Sackville-West, and Beth Chatto for intimate interviews and a wide-ranging panel discussion. Through personal insights and never-before-revealed stories, these guardians of horticultural history explore how each woman shaped the way we think about garden design and planting, and why their influence is as vital today as ever.

What You'll Learn:

• Gertrude Jekyll and the mixed border: Discover how Jekyll revolutionized the English garden with her painterly approach to planting design, transforming the way gardeners think about color, texture, and the art of the border.
• Vita Sackville-West and the romantic garden: Explore the origins of the romantic style and the perennial planting philosophy that made Sissinghurst one of the most celebrated gardens in the world.
• Beth Chatto and "right plant, right place": Learn how Chatto's groundbreaking ecological approach to gardening challenged convention and gave gardeners a new framework for working with their site rather than against it.

In this course, we will trace the connections between these three giants and the ideas they passed on to one another as well as to the broader gardening world. By the end, you’ll come to understand why Jekyll, Sackville-West, and Chatto remain touchstones for garden designers, horticulturists, and passionate gardeners everywhere.

Meet Your Presenters

Annie Guilfoyle
A practicing garden designer and the creative force behind this panel, Annie developed the concept for Roots of Greatness as a way to bring the stories of three transformative women in horticulture to a wider audience.

Claire Greenslade
Claire served as horticultural director of Hestercombe Gardens for more than 20 years, stewarding one of Gertrude Jekyll's most significant surviving landscapes. Her decades of hands-on work within Jekyll's vision give her a rare and intimate understanding of the designer's methods and philosophy.

Rebecca Lemonius
Rebecca is the current resident, caretaker, and head gardener at Long Barn Gardens, the early home and garden of Vita Sackville-West. Living and working within this historic space, she brings a deeply personal perspective to Vita's romantic sensibility and pioneering planting style.