By Klaudia Mihalova

Published: Thursday, 11 August 2022 at 12:00 am


If you’re considering a change in career, want to upskill in an existing job in horticulture, or simply want to transform your own garden, a garden design course could be for you.

To find the right garden design course, decide what you want to get out of it. Do you want to study full or part time, remotely at home, or in a classroom? And what is your budget – garden design courses can cost anything from a few hundred pounds to several thousand.

Here is our advice on choosing a garden design course, plus a list of current garden design courses.

Advice on choosing a garden design course

Garden design colleges

British Academy of Garden Design

Offers courses in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. Offers remote and in-person learning. All tutors are practising garden designers.

Garden design courses offered: Certificate in Garden Design, Diploma in Garden Design, Postgraduate Diploma in Garden Design

020 3389 5711
info@gardendesignacademy.co.uk
www.gardendesignacademy.co.uk

Capel Manor College

Bullsmoor Lane
Enfield
Middlesex EN1 4RQ
0303 003 1234
enquiries@capel.ac.uk
www.capel.ac.uk

Capel Manor College was established as a centre for horticultural studies in 1968. Over the years the college has built a strong tradition of quality provision. Alongside full-time courses for school leavers and mature entrants, the college runs a programme of part-time day, evening and short classes. Subjects include Horticulture, Floristry, Garden Design, RHS certificates and Planting Design. The college has various campuses in the London area, including north London, west London and Regent’s Park.

Garden design courses offered: Introduction to Garden Design (Level 1), Garden Design Certificate (Level 2), Certificate in the Principles & Practice in Garden Design (Level 3), Certificate in Plants & Planting for Garden Design (Level 3) – all part time and in person.

Cotswold Gardening School

Gossington Hall
Gossington
Slimbridge
Gloucestershire
GL2 7DN

01453 899018
info@cotswoldgardeningschool.co.uk
www.cotswoldgardeningschool.co.uk

The Cotswold Gardening School has been training garden designers for over ten years. In-class tuition takes place in a dedicated schoolroom set in the grounds of historic Gossington Hall.

Garden design courses offered: One Year Professional Garden Design (in person), plus a range of short in-person and online leisure courses

Eden Project / Duchy College

Bodelva
Cornwall
PL24 2SG

www.edenproject.com

Study for your degree in the unique setting of the world-renowned Eden Project, via Duchy College.

Garden design course offered: BSc (Hons) Horticulture (Garden & Landscape Design) – full and part time

The English Gardening School

66 Royal Hospital Road
London SW3 4HS
020 7352 4347
info@englishgardeningschool.co.uk
www.englishgardeningschool.co.uk

Located within the grounds of the Chelsea Physic garden, close to Sloane Square, The English Gardening School offers a range of short courses, part-time diplomas and distance learning courses.

Garden design courses offered: The Essential Garden Design Diploma (in person), Garden Design (remote)

Garden Design School

University of Bristol Botanic Garden
The Holmes
Stoke Park Road
Stoke Bishop
Bristol
BS9 1JG

01380 728 788
enquiries@gardendesignschool.co.uk
www.gardendesignschool.co.uk

Based at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden. The founder and tutor is garden designer Robin Templar Williams.

Garden design course offered: Diploma in Garden Design

 

Inchbald College of Garden Design

32 Eccleston Square
London
SW1V 1PB
020 7630 9011
gardens@inchbald.co.uk
www.inchbald.co.uk

Inchbald is an independent school, with a reputation for high quality and thorough teaching. It offers a range of garden-related courses. It offers a range of full and part time and online courses. A course is also offered at Wrexham Glyndŵr University in Wales. Alumni include Luciano Giubbilei and Marcus Barnett.

Garden design courses offered: Certificate in Garden Design, Design Your Own Garden, Diploma in Garden Design, BA (Hons) Garden Design, MA Garden Design

KLC School of Design

Unit 503 The Chambers
Chelsea Harbour
London
SW10 0XF
020 7376 3377
info@klc.co.uk
www.klc.co.uk

KLC is renowned for the quality of its training in garden design. Classes, which are held at Hampton Court Palace, using practising professionals for all aspects of tuition. KLC claims to offer the only course that follows the gardening year, from January to December. Alumni from this course have gone on to exhibit and win medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, including Matthew Childs.

Garden design courses offered: Diploma in Garden Design, Online Certificate in Residential Garden Design

Learning with Experts

www.learningwithexperts.com

Browse the options for learning online with web-based Learning with Experts. The Garden Design Diploma is a collection of garden design courses which will teach you a complete range of garden design skills taught by some of the biggest names in gardening and horticulture. Tutors include Chris Beardshaw, Piet Oudolf, Dr Noel Kingsbury, Tom Stuart-Smith, Annie Guilfoyle and Andy McIndoe. There are also shorter courses, including Planting the Piet Oudolf Way, Design for Small Gardens and many more, suitable for both beginners and design professionals.

Garden design courses offered: Garden Design Diploma, plus shorter courses

The London College of Garden Design

74 Sydney Road
London SW20 8EF
01483 762955
info@lcgd.org.uk
www.lcgd.org.uk

LCGD aims to provide world-class, inspirational training in garden design, led by garden designer Andrew Wilson. From 2020 an online option offers remote students the opportunity to take part in exactly the same classes and studio sessions as  classroom-based students. Based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the college offers a range of courses and useful ‘Info Bursts’, some of which are held at other sites around London. Alumni include Martha Krempel, Colm Joseph, Sheila Jack and Butter Wakefield.

Garden design courses offered: Garden Design Diploma, Planting Design Diploma, Construction Design Certificate, Sustainable Design Certificate, plus short courses

Norfolk School of Gardening

Ketteringham Hall
Church Road
Ketteringham
Wymondham
Norfolk
NR18 9RS

www.norfolkschoolofgardening.co.uk

Offers a range of short gardening courses, including a ten-week Certificate in Practical Horticulture and an eight-week Introduction to Garden Design and a two-day Border Design course, and a new 30-week Diploma in Garden Design.

Garden design courses offered: Diploma in Garden Design, Introduction to Garden Design

Oxford College of Garden Design

Oxford Science Park
John Eccles House
Robert Robinson Avenue
Oxon OX4 4GP

01491 628950
info@garden-design-courses.co.uk
www.garden-design-courses.co.uk

Established in 1992, the Oxford College of Garden Design offers a module-based diploma course over one to three years. The course is conducted online, featuring pre-recorded videos. After graduation, 12 months of business mentoring is available to help your career take off. Alumni include Charlotte Rowe.

Garden design course offered: Garden Design Course (online)

Reaseheath College

Reaseheath College,
Nantwich
Cheshire CW5 6DF
01270 625131
enquiries@reaseheath.ac.uk
www.reaseheath.ac.uk

A vocational college with excellent reputation for land-based courses.

Garden design course offered: Certificate in Plants & Planting Design

Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh

Education Department
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
20A Inverleith Row
Edinburgh EH3 5LR
education@rbge.org.uk

0131 248 2937
www.rbge.org.uk

RGBE offers a range of horticultural degrees and diplomas.

Garden design course offered: RGBE Diploma in Garden Design (unconfirmed for 2022)

For more advice on gardening careers see Grow Careers

Information correct at time of publishing.