Winter Lecture Series, Cassian Schmidt : The New Perennial Movement at Hermannshof Gardens

Over the past 30 years, Hermannshof, the acclaimed public garden nestled in the hills north of Heidelberg, has broken new ground and set trends with its innovative blend of ecology, artistry, and imagination. Hermannshof's dynamic mix of unique perennials and naturalistic grasses arranged by habitat and origin—woods, prairie, steppe, pond edge, dry meadow—creates an all-season kaleidoscope that is inspired by nature, without replicating it. Director Cassian Schmidt has kept Hermannshof at the forefront of planting design, building on a legacy that includes the pioneering concepts of the celebrated Richard Hansen (Perennials and Their Garden Habitats), while expanding the garden's artistic and ecological expression in simple, low-maintenance ways. His signature methods allow for experimental planting combinations with applications for private and public gardens. With a landscape architecture degree, a Master's in horticulture, and more than 25 years of experience as a professional plantsman—including 18 as Hermannshof Director—Cassian Schmidt is a designer, professor, author, and lecturer. His work uses natural plant communities as models for sustainable plant combinations in urban environments and private gardens.