Discover the Art and Science of Garden Design
Designing and building a garden is like creating a living sculpture. The secret to good design is effective planning, coupled with the skills and confidence to put your plans into practice. Although this short course in Designing Gardens is a 20 hour self-paced course, its coverage is extensive.
Work through the course at your own pace. Do as many or as few of the activities as you need to – this unique format allows you to apply your learning to your own interests and circumstances.
There are seventeen lessons in this course from a basic introduction to garden design, to following a budget, plant selection, making the garden meet the house, different designs and using different features to complete your design. As you progress through each lesson you will be provided with a range of ways you can expand your learning. By choosing which tasks you do and don’t undertake you can expand in areas that interest you most, and skip areas of less interest.
At the end of each lesson, you will be given a short self assessment test to undertake, which will provide an indication of how your learning is progressing. You can choose to undertake a more formal online assessment at the end of the course, if you wish, to obtain a formal ‘Certificate of Completion’.
COURSE Structure
LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO GARDEN DESIGN
- DO IT IN STAGES
- THE PLANNING PROCESS
- EARTHWORKS
- DESIGN IS A PROCESS
- HOW TO DESIGN A GARDEN ROOM STEP-BY-STEP
- GARDEN ROOM COMPONENTS – WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR GARDEN ROOM
- DESIGNING A GARDEN FOR A NEW HOUSE
LESSON 2: APPROPRIATENESS OF GARDEN DESIGN
- TECHNIQUES FOR KEEPING IN SCALE
- THE IMPORTANCE OF SPACE
- GARDEN FEATURES FOR SMALL GARDENS
LESSON 3: CREATING AN IMPACT
- BORROW YOUR NEIGHBOURS LANDSCAPE TO MAKE YOUR GARDEN SEEM LARGER
- BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN
- BRINGING THE GARDEN INSIDE
LESSON 4: DESIGNING TO A BUDGET
- WORKING OUT YOUR BUDGET
- MAINTENANCE COSTS
- THE PLANT BUDGET
- SELECTING AND MAINTAINING YOUR TOOLS
LESSON 5 CHOOSING PLANTS
- WHAT VARIETY?
- WHICH PLANT?
LESSON 6: USING THE GARDEN
- OUTDOOR LIVING
- GARDEN FURNITURE
- BARBEQUES
- CHILDREN PLAYING
- MAKE GARDENS MORE USER FRIENDLY
LESSON 7: WHERE THE GARDEN MEETS THE HOUSE
- WHAT TO DO
- PRACTICAL CONCERNS
- OTHER WAYS OF JOINING THE GARDEN AND HOUSE
LESSON 8: MAKING THE WINTER GARDEN MORE COMFORTABLE
- SOLUTIONS FOR SLIPPERY SURFACES
LESSON 9: GARDENS FOR CHILDREN
- PLAY EQUIPMENT FOR DIFFERENT AGES
- CHILDPROOFING A GARDEN
- PLAY EQUIPMENT
LESSON 10: THE SECURE HOME AND GARDEN
LESSON 11: LIGHTING A GARDEN
LESSON 12: DEALING WITH SHADE
- TREES TO CREATE SHADE
- ENTERTAINING IN A SHADED GARDEN
LESSON 13: GARDEN ART
- CHOOSING GARDEN ORNAMENTATION
- GARDEN SCULPTURE
- OTHER ORNAMENTATION
LESSON 14: POTS & PLANTERS
- LOOKING FOR COLOURFUL POTS
- USING COLOURFUL POTS
LESSON 15: COLOUR IN THE GARDEN
- COLOURS AND GARDEN STYLES
- TIPS FOR USING COLOUR
- SEASONAL COLOUR
- TIPS FOR YEAR-ROUND COLOUR
- HOW TO BRIGHTEN A WINTER GARDEN
LESSON 16: APPLICATIONS FOR COLOUR
- TEN WAYS TO USE COLOUR
- COLOUR THEMES
LESSON 17: GARDEN FURNITURE
- FURNISHING THE GARDEN
- WHAT FURNITURE DOES YOUR GARDEN NEED?
- WHERE TO PUT YOUR GARDEN FURNITURE
- WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN GARDEN FURNITURE
- BARBEQUES
- WASHING LINES
- HAMMOCKS
- UMBRELLAS
- POOL SIDE FURNITURE
- COLOURS