Lectures and Talks
As an international lecturer, I give talks and presentations all over the world. If you have an upcoming event and you’d like to arrange a live or virtual talk, I’d love to hear from you.
A Beautiful Obsession
A plantsman journey in his own garden
One of the most popular lectures is based on my book ‘A beautiful obsession’ where I share my design philosophy and introduce you to the exciting plants and creative planting combinations Hunting Brook Gardens has become famous for.
SNOWDROPS & THEIR PARTNERS
Join Jimi Blake for a captivating lecture exploring the enchanting world of snowdrops and their perfect companions. In recent years, Jimi has become an avid snowdrop collector, and his passion shines through in every aspect of his talk.
Based at Hunting Brook, home to over 800 different kinds of snowdrops, Jimi shares:
Insights into his extraordinary collection
Tips for successful cultivation
Ideas for creating stunning snowdrop combinations with other winter plants
Recommendations for the best ground cover plants to grow alongside snowdrops
Discover the magic of these winter jewels and learn how to make them the star of your garden
Explore the Art of Creating Dynamic Shade Gardens with Succession and Layered Planting
with Jimi Blake
Jimi Blake cultivates Ireland’s largest collection of shade-loving plants across more than 20 garden areas at Hunting Brook. In this talk, he shares his finest woodland plants, explains how he grows and maintains them, and demonstrates how to create spectacular plant combinations for shade. Discover how thoughtful layering, succession planting, and evergreen structure can keep a shade garden vibrant and beautiful throughout the entire growing year.
Nurture Your Inner Plant Nerd
Corydalis, Epimediums, Polygonatum, and Podophyllums
with Jimi Blake
Step into the enchanting world of woodland plants with renowned plantsman Jimi Blake! This illustrated lecture explores four extraordinary genera, Corydalis, Epimediums, Polygonatum, and Podophyllums and reveals why they deserve a starring role in every shade garden.
What you’ll discover:
The unique beauty, growth habits, and seasonal charm of these shade-loving perennials.
Expert tips on soil, light, watering, and propagation to grow them successfully.
Creative ideas for garden design and plant combinations.
Rare and underused species that will make your garden stand out.
Whether you’re a gardener, plant enthusiast, or simply curious about woodland wonders, this lecture will inspire, educate, and spark your passion for plants.
Don’t miss this chance to deepen your plant knowledge and bring your shade garden to life!
Growing Against the Odds: Plants for Nutrient-Poor Soils
with Jimi Blake
Jimi shares his preferred and proven approach to gardening on low-nutrient soils, developed in response to constant rainfall and challenging ground conditions. His method focuses on working with sand and other low-fertility soils, using raised borders that improve drainage while remaining moisture-retentive, creating ideal conditions for resilient and long-lived plantings.
In this lecture, Jimi will explore:
Creating and managing sand and low-nutrient gardens
Designing raised borders to cope with heavy rainfall
Selecting plants suited to low-fertility, free-draining yet moisture-retentive soils
Planting design for structure, longevity, and seasonal balance
Using evergreen shrubs and conifers to provide year-round framework
Cultivation and maintenance techniques for these conditions
Using plants for form, texture, rhythm, and colour
Jimi will also introduce you to a selection of his most trusted and favourite plants for thriving in nutrient-poor soils.
