Open to both members and non members of the SGDG; you can buy these videos to watch in your own time, to get a much greater insight into all things garden drainage.

These videos will only be available to watch until February 2027!

All four parts are sold as a block:

• COST: £120
  • Includes: all videos, all slides, and access to the WhatsApp group for questions/problem sharing.

1) Video 1 — “What Lies Beneath”
Materials, Layers & the Structural Principles Behind Effective Drainage

A technically grounded look at the essential components that make drainage systems work: geotextiles, membranes, pipework, bedding layers, chambers and sub-bases.
We’ll reference how the updated BS 7533-102 and upcoming BS 7533-103 (in draft) inform modern construction layers and material selection.

Designers will gain clarity on the unseen structures that determine performance, longevity and compliance.

2) Video 2 — “Interpreting the Site”
Levels, Soil, Water Movement & Reading a Garden with Accuracy

This session focuses on how to understand a site before any design begins.
We’ll cover accurate level assessment, gradients, soil behaviour, infiltration potential and the impact of existing features on water movement.

Attendees will see how early site understanding aligns with the expectations behind the new British Standards and prevents costly errors later in the build process.

3) Video 3 — “Detail Drives Performance”
Falls, Transitions, Interfaces & Technical Detailing That Prevents Failure

An in-depth exploration of the details that make drainage succeed — or fail.
We’ll look at falls, threshold interfaces, changes in surface material, drainage pathways, bedding compatibility and moisture management.

These principles are linked directly to the requirements and intent of BS 7533-102/103, giving designers the confidence to specify with accuracy and avoid common installation pitfalls.

4) Video 4 — “From Design to Reality”
Case Studies, Common Failures & How the Standards Would Have Prevented Them

A series of real examples drawn from Paul’s expert witness investigations into failed patios, terraces, lawns, retaining structures and non-compliant drainage installations.

Each case highlights what went wrong, why it happened, and how correct detailing, material choice and adherence to the updated standards would have prevented the issue.

A practical, experience-led session designed to help designers build resilience into their work.

Important Note

The slides only relate to the talk and Paul’s knowledge and projects he has built etc and should not be used as a guide for other people’s projects.

General questions are welcome on the WhatsApp chat, but project-specific drainage advice cannot be given, as full site details would be required. Paul will be happy to be contacted for assistance, but unless engaged as a consultant, it may take some time for Paul to respond.

Paul Greenyer

Paul Greenyer began his career as a design engineer, working for 15 years across technical and manufacturing sectors before establishing InsideOut Home & Garden Improvements in 2016. Originally focused on domestic construction and home improvement, his work naturally evolved into garden and landscape design, leading him to join both the Society of Garden Designers (SGD) and the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), where he remains an active member.

Over the past five years, Paul has benefited from the mentorship of Alan Sargent, one of the UK’s most respected landscaping professionals. This guidance deepened his understanding of the industry as a whole, helping him recognise recurring technical failures, weak detailing, contractual misunderstandings and the common causes of landscape disputes. This experience created a natural pathway into expert witness work.  Determined to raise standards within the domestic landscaping sector, Paul completed formal training with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in Expert Witness practice and Evaluative Mediation. He is now an accredited RICS Expert Witness and Mediator, providing consultancy, expert reporting, dispute resolution and training through Paul Greenyer Consultancy Ltd.  Paul’s approach to teaching and consultancy blends his engineering background, landscaping and design experience, and his expert witness casework. He brings additional focus on emerging industry standards, including the new BS 7533-102 and BS 7533-103, which cover paving strata, construction layers, laying systems, bond bridges, bedding mortars, moisture management, capillary action and overall water movement across a site.  He hopes to incorporate these technical insights into the four talks, helping designers better understand how drainage interacts with construction methods, moisture pathways and the wider SuDS landscape.

Paul also comes from deep horticultural roots. His family once operated Greenyer Brothers Nurseries in Worthing, part of the historic glasshouse movement, and the Greenyer horticultural lineage in Sussex dates back to 1706. Although the nurseries no longer exist, his love of plants, growing and gardens is still very much alive. He has spent the past four years slowly building his own garden, and he also enjoys tending his allotment when he can. In 2020, Paul raised funds for the horticultural charity Perennial by appearing in their 2023 “Naked Gardeners” calendar, a light-hearted but meaningful contribution to an industry he cares deeply about.

Paul proposed to his beautiful wife Laura at the 2022 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in the ‘With Love’ garden by Richard Miers.

Coming up in 2026, along with 2 colleagues, Paul will be revealing far more than a bit of flesh; he’ll be raising a discussion within the industry on neurodiversity and hoping to dispel some of the myths around it and ways we can help ourselves, our staff and our community as a whole.

Join us for a special guided tour of the beautiful Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden in Ockley, located on the Surrey / Sussex border between Dorking and Horsham.

The evening will start at 5pm, with time to mingle afterwards from around 7pm.  The guided tour will focus primarily on the sculptures but also include the garden itself, especially notable plants that are fundamental to the language across the site.

The garden owner and designer Anthony Paul will speak at the beginning about the history of the grounds and his design ethos, helping to set the scene. He will also be around after the tour to answer questions.

The Sculpture Garden is a natural woodland setting with a variety of terrains. The route taken during the tour does include a few small steps, and some uneven ground with exposed roots. If there are any members with limited mobility please advise the team when you arrive so that they can adjust the tour route accordingly, or suggest alternative ways they might like to enjoy certain areas of the grounds.

https://www.hannahpescharsculpture.com/

This event is for SGDG members and their guests only.

The price, per person, is £30; this includes hot refreshments and soft drinks on arrival

A chance to meet up and socialise, and enjoy the summer weather!

Access for members and their guests only.

Details TBC

MORNING 10.00 am – 12.30 pm (including a break)

‘REFLECTIONS’ PROJECT TALK

‘Reflections’ in Haywards Heath was a two-year landscape build that combined every technical, environmental and regulatory challenge a modern garden can present.

Set around a large wildlife-rich lake, home to carp, roach, goldfish, moorhens, kingfishers, herons and owls, the project demanded a finely balanced approach to design, construction and ecological sensitivity. Heavy clay and ironstone soils, persistent waterlogging, steep level changes and extreme weather conditions made it one of the most demanding builds of Paul’s career.

The talk uses this project as a full case study, exploring how drainage, SuDS principles, soil behaviour, moisture movement and correct detailing underpin long-term landscape performance. It reviews the integration of deck structures, Corten steel, naturalistic zones, conduits, irrigation, sub-surface drainage networks and the reuse of on-site materials to minimise waste and improve sustainability.

More importantly, it shows how early-stage decisions, from surveys to preliminaries, cascade through the build, how CDM 2015 should function in real domestic landscaping, and why clear documentation and contract structure are essential when projects evolve.

It also reflects honestly on the realities of challenging access, weather delays, lost labour, design changes, extras, and the true cost impact of “small” client-led variations.

Together, Reflections becomes a rare, unfiltered insight into the complete lifecycle of a technically complex garden: from concept to construction; from regulation to craftsmanship; from wildlife and water management to the practical pressures faced on site.

Paul Greenyer

With more than two decades in the landscape industry, Paul Greenyer is a design-and-build landscaper, garden consultant and RICS-accredited Expert Witness specialising in construction detailing, drainage, SuDS compliance and industry best practice. His career spans award-winning gardens, major private commissions and complex technical builds that demand an integrated understanding of soils, water movement, materials, regulation and long-term landscape performance.

Paul leads InsideOut Home & Garden Improvements Ltd and Paul Greenyer Consultancy Ltd, providing design, construction, mediation and CPR Part 35 expert witness services across the UK. His work is grounded in British Standards, CDM 2015 and robust construction methodology, supported by a strong commitment to education and professional development.

He lectures for the London College of Garden Design and delivers specialist CPD sessions for designers, landscapers and contractors. Drawing on extensive experience across hundreds of projects, including high-value schemes, multi-year builds and technically challenging sites.

Paul brings a practical, evidence-based approach to landscape design, construction and dispute resolution.

Members; no charge.

Non-members, please book tickets below.

A coach trip to the beautiful Beth Chatto Gardens.

The Beth Chatto Gardens are internationally famous. They include dry, damp, shade, reservoir and woodland areas, the result of over 60 years of hard work and application of the huge body of plant knowledge possessed by Beth Chatto and her husband Andrew. Visitors cannot fail to be affected by the peace and beauty of the garden. Beth is renowned for her books, her gardens and her influence on the world of gardening and plants.

https://www.bethchatto.co.uk

The cost and further details will be confirmed.

Open to all SGDG Members, taking place as part of our PDG (Professional Development Group) schedule.

The CPD has been created by the Ca’Pietra Projects team and explores the use of natural stone in exterior design, covering material selection, finishes, sustainability and performance.  It also introduces bespoke applications beyond paving, with guidance on detailing, fabrication and practical specification to help designers bring projects to life with confidence.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand which natural stones are best suited to UK outdoor environments
• Know how to specify correct formats and finishes for performance and aesthetics
• Gain insights into bespoke stone applications beyond paving
• Understand lead times, fabrication techniques and CNC stonework
• Confidence in talking to clients about longevity, maintenance and sustainability

Maïtanne Hunt Gardens, Roof Terraces & Landscapes is a multi-award winning, small design studio based in London.

With over 15 years’ experience, Maïtanne has particular expertise in the design, development, and construction of exceptional roof terrace gardens.

Join us to hear Mäitanne’s presentation on the conception, design and build of her beautiful roof terrace gardens.

Photos below by Joanna Kossak.

Members; no charge.

Non-members, please book tickets below.

Rachel Reynolds MSGLD http://reynolds-design.co.uk designs gardens and landscapes, working throughout London, the South East, and beyond.

Prior to entering the garden design profession, Rachel worked as a multi disciplinary 3D designer & maker. Her background includes project management for Ron Arad, a production range of concrete street furniture with Furnitubes, Participatory Public Art projects for Brighton City Council, and many years as a self employed designer of bespoke, exterior furniture.

Members; no charge.

Non-members, please book tickets below.

A festive gathering to close out the year.

Access for members and their guests only. Details TBC.