My three-term garden design courses are held one morning each week. They take place at my home in the rural hamlet of Shepherd’s Patch, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, which is close to the world famous Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and borders the peaceful Gloucester-Sharpness Canal.

My cottage garden provides the ideal studio for these courses, at the conclusion of which beginners on the Design your own Garden course will have produced designs and planting plans for their own and their fellow students’ gardens, as well as simple 3-D drawings.  These are stimulating beginners’ courses for up to 6 people, held in a relaxed and informal atmosphere, and there are no exams.  No previous drawing ability is required.

In the term on Border Planning, one session is held at a local garden centre.  Here students select a variety of plants and arrange them to their best effect based on plant shape, texture and colour.  This is a very popular, confidence-building exercise, as it allows students to plan an instant border without lifting a spade and to see how well plants look grouped together as they would be in the garden.  Plants may then be bought from the garden centre, at a discount, if desired.

In the Garden Design courses, Second Year students build on the knowledge gained in the previous year by producing complete garden and border designs for clients in the locality.  Advanced students continue to work on special design projects and garden management.  These courses take place on Wednesday and Thursday mornings each week.