Getting Started with... Planting Design
Online short course
-
This fully online short course is a comprehensive introduction to planting design and shows you how to plan your garden, choose plants, work with growing conditions and create year-round interest.
The course is self-guided with tutor support through 10 units.
The course aim is to show amateur gardeners of all levels of experience how to introduce a design perspective to their planting selections.
We will describe the planting design process and take you through each step. We will look at how to organise the garden space, create a planting structure, design planting schemes and go about choosing plants for the design. We will explain how environmental conditions can affect design, explore some of the more specialised types of planting found in gardens and describe how to select plants to achieve year-round interest in the garden.
Designing for nature and for a changing climate are also now covered.
-
£125
Self-paced, 12 months access
Learning time: Around 30-40 hours
Tutors: John Taylor & Monika Polak
Please note that registrations are closed over Christmas and will resume in early January
Frequently asked questions
The course aim is to show amateur gardeners of all levels of experience how to introduce a design perspective to their planting selections.
We will describe the planting design process and take you through each step. We will look at how to organise the garden space, create a planting structure, design planting schemes and go about choosing plants for the design. We will explain how environmental conditions can affect design, explore some of the more specialised types of planting found in gardens and describe how to select plants to achieve year-round interest in the garden.
This course covers planting design rather than the hard landscaping elements of garden design.
Unit 1: You and your garden
Unit 2: Planning the garden space
Unit 3: Choosing the right plants for your design
Unit 4: How growing conditions influence planting design
Unit 5: Planting for all seasons
Unit 6: Planting for structure: Hedges, Trees and Shrubs
Unit 7: Designing with herbaceous perennials
Unit 8: Rock and water gardens
Unit 9: Designing for nature
Unit 10: Designing for a changing climate
RBGE plant trails also show you some seasonal highlights each month
You can apply for this course anytime. You will be uploaded to the course on the Wednesday after your payment has been processed.
Course content includes online activities, videos, forum discussions, plant catalogues and plant activities. This course does not include live webinars – all activities can be undertaken at a time and place that is suitable for you.
You will have seen from above information on what the course covers that it consists of 10 units to work through in order.
We estimate that it will take around 35 hours to complete.
You will have access to the course for 12 months. You will receive a Statement of Participation on completion of the course.
No, this is a beginners' course! Enthusiasm and motivation is all that is required!
This course costs £125 (12 months access).
Yes you can view examples of materials from our online short courses (link opens in a new window).
Please use the following password when prompted: Tryb4Youbuy!
Online technical and tutor support will be available via the discussion forums in the course.
You will need a computer with reliable online access with a connection capable of streaming videos and downloading documents. Most resources will be compatible with a tablet. An up-to-date browser is the main piece of software you will require.
This course will involve navigating around web-pages, viewing resources, viewing videos, participating in online forums and uploading photographs. Help is always at hand from our PropaGate Learning Team and from your tutor!
The course suggests testing the soil in your garden using a soil testing kit. Basic kits are not expensive.
Please note that registrations are closed over Christmas and will resume in early January
What our students say
-
"I am loving this short course. It is structured in a really easy to digest manner with each unit building a fuller picture of how to take careful consideration when designing with plants.
Having John's input of ideas and feedback is great. And interaction with other course students is really positive. I'm finding the forums a great way to learn from other people.
In a short space of time, I feel I have gained a lot of knowledge. I would recommend the course to anyone who wants to improve their knowledge or is wanting to redesign their garden."
-
"I've just had the best time on this course. Admittedly a fair weather gardener (my husband is a 'proper' gardener!), this course has really helped me explore a multitude of possibilities for our garden and opened my eyes to different ways we can alter the structure and make it our own. The online community here has been brilliant, with timely and super useful feedback from the tutor, as well as comments or likes from other students. It's been great to upload our spaces, or gardens we've visited, and you start to get a sense of the journeys that everyone is going on. A really safe place to share ideas.
More than anything, I enrolled on this course as I was going through a particularly work-heavy period in my life, and this course helped me to explore and keep a hold of my own interests, encouraging me to get outside and do something that I really enjoyed rather than stay in front of the screen at weekends. The botany short course is definitely next for me. "