Webinar: Designing for Four Seasons of Interest in the Garden

# Webinar overview

# What this webinar covers

Jay Sifford will demonstrate how to plan and select plants so the garden remains interesting through all four seasons. He emphasizes combining several elements—structure, bark, berries, foliage, texture, and bloom—to ensure continuous visual appeal. Sifford connects these tactics to his online Fine Gardening course, The Four Cornerstones of Great Garden Design, and frames plant choices around story and compositional intent.

The presentation addresses practical design techniques such as layering plantings and using hardscape elements. Layering lets one plant or seasonal display conclude while another begins, avoiding long gaps in interest. Hardscape provides permanent structure and visual anchors that support seasonal changes rather than leaving the garden empty when flowers are gone.

# Who should attend

# Speaker background

Jay Sifford is described as an award-winning garden designer and writer whose work has appeared multiple times in Fine Gardening. He was voted Charlotte's "Best of Houzz" landscape designer in 2024.

# Practical takeaways you can apply

• Use structure and hardscape deliberately: paths, walls, and permanent forms keep the composition readable when plants are not at peak bloom.
• Layer plantings vertically and temporally: combine tall, medium, and low elements and choose species with staggered peak displays so transitions feel intentional.
• Consider texture and contrast: bark, leaf shape, and berry color all add winter and late-season visual cues that replace flower-focused appeal.

# How the webinar is presented

# Related Fine Gardening offerings

Fine Gardening lists other upcoming webinars on topics such as unique broadleaf evergreens and columnar trees, and it promotes All-Access membership and related video and course content.

# Registration

The event page includes a registration prompt for the live webinar and links to learn more about Jay Sifford and Fine Gardening's online courses.

# Bottom line

Expect a design-focused webinar that treats the garden as a year-round composition. The practical guidance centers on combining plant traits and permanent elements so different seasons succeed one another without long gaps in visual interest.