March 20 | 10:30AM-12:30PM | Small Garden Design

Whatever the size of your gardening space, you can grow a vibrant, dynamic garden that will bring you joy and beauty every day.  Whether you are reworking your whole urban or suburban garden, or simply updating a section or two, make every area sing.  In this class, you will learn how to create a layout or plan of your existing garden, how to select plants based on your favorite style, choose plants for year round growth, and the steps to take to revive, remove, and add to your garden.  Jill will review three model garden layouts with different aspects and opportunities – sun, shade, and paved.  You will receive a multi-page guide with all of the information above to direct your design at home, along with lists of additional plants divided by sun, shade and season of interest, directions on soil testing, and recommendations on materials for hardscaping.  

About Jill Sowards

Jill Sowards is a gardener and owner of Violetear Studio.  She teaches classes on a range of gardening topics throughout the bay area and online, along with garden design and consultations.  No matter the subject, her foundation is always on ecological gardening, waterwise practices, and sharing her love of native plants.  Originally trained as a public interest lawyer, Jill believes that all people can benefit from building a nurturing connection with the joy of the garden.  Her own garden is in the Berkeley hills, which she cultivates with the help (or hindrance) of her family and a rescue hound.    

Workshop Details

• Date & Time: Friday, March 20, 2026; 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM 

• Location: Ground Goods Nursery, Tiburon, CA

• Cost: $95 

• Guide with notes and instructions 

• Limited to 15 participants

• All participants receive 10% off additional Ground Goods purchases the day of the workshop