Saturday Programme - International SPRING CONFERENCE 2016

Dry Gardens in the Mediterranean

‘an undiscovered diversity’

Saturday 23 April at the Hotel Vila Galé, Lagos

Keynote Speaker - Olivier Filippi

Inspiration, knowledge and confidence - using native plants to make beautiful gardens

The Mediterranean Gardening Association in Portugal extends a warm invitation to all to join us for our 5th major Spring Conference. The aim for 2016 is to reveal the practical and aesthetic benefits of making beautiful and sustainable gardens with plants of the Mediterranean and dry zone flora worldwide.


Olivier Filippi is well known as the author of The Dry Gardening Handbook. We are very pleased to have the Portugal launch of the English edition of his second book on Planting Designs for Dry Gardens at this event. The nursery and display garden of Olivier Filippi in Mèze, south west France, is one of the ex libris of dry gardening. A pioneer in irrigation-free gardening in the Mediterranean, painstaking research by Olivier and Clara Filippi has created a display garden full of texture and colour that changes with each season but retains its harmonious structure throughout the year.

Miguel Coelha de Sousa has worked in major landscape architecture practices including the PROAP studio, collaborating on various projects with the emphasis on selection of native and appropriate plants and preparation of planting plans. Working now also as a free lance professional, Miguel has developed several garden and landscape projects, he has also led courses on garden design and horticultural tourism trips.

PROGRAMME Saturday 23 April Doors open for book sales at 9.00am

  9.30 – 10.30            Talk: Miguel Coelho de Sousa “Current use of native and climate compatible plants in larger landscape projects in Portugal” www.proap.pt 

10.30 – 11.00              Coffee break, book sales and  signing

11.15 – 12.30              Talk: Olivier Filippi “Dry Gardening – a new inspiration for Mediterranean Gardeners”  www.jardin-sec.com

12.30 – 14.00              Buffet Lunch  

Morning session includes two talks & coffee - €20 per person

Morning session and lunch includes two  talks, coffee & buffet lunch - €40 per person

All are welcome to join us for this very special event of horticultural delights with Algarve natural history book sales and garden visits. 

Please reserve your place as soon as possible and by 15 April with Rosie Peddle  rosie@thebtf.net      Tel 289 791 869