Jan Johnsen is a well-regarded landscape designer and author known for her advocacy of the beneficial effects of nature and gardens upon our well-being She is the author of 5 books, including Floratopia -Flower Garden Ideas for Yard, Patio or Balcony (2021), Gardentopia--Design Basics for Creating Beautiful Outdoor Spaces (2019), The Spirit of Stone and more. She received the Award of Distinction from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) in 2019. Jan is a sought out speaker who engages audiences with insights into gardens, design and the ways we can bring ourselves closer to the green world. Trained in landscape architecture, planning and professional horticulture, she has worked in Japan, Hawaii, and Kenya, among others. She has taught at Columbia University and the New York Botanical Garden where she was awarded ‘Instructor of the Year’. After studying landscape architecture in Hawaii, Jan went to work for a French gardener who had previously worked in Versailles. She combines professional European horticulture techniques with what she learned working in Japan and Hawaii. She holds a graduate degree in urban and regional planning. Her studies of traditional approaches to site design strongly informs her current work and writing. Jan’s award winning design/build firm, Johnsen Landscapes & Pools (www.johnsenlandscapes.com) has been featured in Garden Design Magazine, This Old House, Landscape Architecture, East Coast Home and Design and others. Her garden blog is ‘Serenity in the Garden’ and on the Facebook page, Serenity in the Garden blog.