The course covers the history of garden design, fundamental design principles, research on materials and styles and the creative process of producing designs; on the practical side, it also covers linear and topographic surveying and site appraisal and setting out.

During the course you will have the opportunity to produce a site plan from the information you have gathered, a master plan, planting plan, construction drawings and specifications and finally a maintenance schedule. 

Modules you study:

1. Producing a ‘Tear Sheet’

2. Clarifying the design objectives

3. Carrying out a site survey

4. Carrying out soil analysis and improving soil

5. Producing your own design brief

6. Drawing up the site survey to produce the site plan

7. Formulating your ideas for a design

8. Researching the hard and soft landscaping elements

9. Producing your master plan (a full design)

10. Producing construction drawings (optional)

11. Producing planting plans

12. Developing a specification (optional)

13. Setting out

14. The maintenance schedule (optional)

Click here to download a leaflet  containing all the course information.

All the course reading materials are supplied as full colour notes in a binder. 

We supply the plastic A4 envelopes (addressed) to send your work to your tutor for evaluation (please note you are responsible for the cost of postage to the tutor). The tutor will return all work sent to them by post at our cost. Where practicable, you will be asked to submit some work electronically.

At the end of the course we will issue a BEST in Horticulture Certificate of Achievement which lists the modules you have successfully completed.

Course with design pack £875

The design pack contains all the necessary equipment and materials to produce different types of garden design drawings to a high standard. The contents include: A3 drawing board (and bag), set squares, compass, French curves, scale ruler, circle template, pack of drawing pens, colour pencils and supplies of tracing and drawing paper. The retail value of the design pack is in excess of £150.

If you already have design equipment you can choose the course option without this. We will send you supplies of paper.

Course without design pack £775

Complete an enrolment form by clicking on the green  'Enrol for this Course' button above; please ensure you provide ALL of the details requested.

Note:  The main course listing shows the price without design pack. Please make your choice between the  options WITH or WITHOUT the design pack.

When you have paid for your course you will be assigned a dedicated personal tutor and given their email address. On this course, your tutor will only be contactable by email (emails being answered within three working days). They will guide you through each module, review all of the materials that you send them by post/email and provide you with detailed feedback to enable you to improve as you progress.

The next logical step would be one of the Royal Horticultural Society Courses  -  the RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning Establishment and Maintenance would be an obvious choice, if you wish to gain a formal qualification. You can study this at one of our centres or as an online or correspondence course.