Richard Hayden
Keynote - The High Line: Wild by Design
Friday 6 November 7.00pm – 9.00pm $75
+3% booking fee
Richard Hayden is a passionate horticulturist known for his ecological and naturalistic approach to garden care and design. Since 2022, he has been Senior Director of Horticulture at the High Line in New York, where he leads a team responsible for the stewardship and programming of one of the world’s most celebrated public gardens – an elevated rail line transformed into a biodiverse, naturalistic landscape designed by Piet Oudolf.
Previously, Richard was Assistant Deputy Director at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where he played a key role in the reimagining of the La Brea Tar Pits and oversaw the award-winning Nature Garden, an urban wildlife habitat supporting research, education and community engagement.
A fascinating and insightful speaker, Richard brings a global perspective on public gardens, ecological design and the evolving role of green spaces in our cities.
Keynote – The High Line: Wild by Design
Friday 6 November 7.00pm - 9.00pm
Suspended above the streets of Manhattan, the High Line has become one of the world’s most celebrated public gardens — an extraordinary elevated green space created from a disused rail line in the heart of New York City.
Now reimagined as a spectacular public park with naturalistic planting, it’s a favourite place for locals and visitors to wander, pause, play and take in the city from a new perspective.
In this presentation, Richard pulls back the curtain on one of the most influential public gardens of the 21st century.
A global benchmark for naturalistic gardens and infrastructure reuse, the High Line’s celebrated plantings show how strong design and ecological resilience can flourish in the heart of a city.
Since opening in 2009, the High Line has continued to evolve, with new Piet Oudolf-designed gardens set to open in the coming year.
Richard will share the strategies that keep this dynamic, complex landscape thriving and explore the opportunities and challenges of welcoming more than six million visitors annually.
He’ll also highlight his ongoing collaboration with Piet Oudolf, whom The New York Times has described as the greatest living landscape designer.
The talk offers a forward-looking view of garden design, touching on other landmark public gardens of the 21st century and how they’re helping shape healthier, more resilient cities.
Enjoy a complimentary glass of Two Rivers wine on arrival.
More workshops and presentations by Richard Hayden
Create Your Own Garden in collaboration with Rachel Gray and Richard Hayden
Thursday 5 November 2.00pm – 4.00pm $145
Workshop Talk - Rhythm, Repetition and Texture: Garden Design for Year-Round Interest
Saturday 7 November 9.00am – 10.30am $70
+3% booking fee
