Introduction to Garden Design

Do you have ideas for your garden but struggle to know how to turn them into a successful design?

This practical and highly visual two-day course introduces the essential principles of garden design, helping you understand how to organise and shape outdoor space with confidence.

Led by former architect, experienced tutor and Garden Designer Catriona Rowbotham, with assistance from award winning Garden Designer Penelope Hill Smith, and lecture from award winning Garden Designer Richard Miers, the course focuses on the fundamentals of designing garden space. Through a combination of lectures, demonstrations and hand drawn exercises, students will learn how to analyse a site, work with scale drawings, and create balanced and functional garden layouts.

Working from a typical London garden plan, students will develop their own design brief and produce a final concept plan over the two days. The emphasis throughout is on understanding space, proportion and layout rather than planting design, making this an ideal introduction for complete beginners as well as keen gardeners who wish to understand the principles behind successful garden design.

Topics covered include:

– Understanding different garden styles

– Setting a design brief

– Basic surveying methods

– Drawing plans to scale

– Analysing soil and aspect

– Using grids and geometry in garden design

– Solid and void design principles

– Practical space planning

– Path and patio sizing

– Defining spaces with materials and structure

– Focal points, sculpture, lighting and water

Students will work through a series of guided practical exercises using tracing paper, grids, and scaled plans, with individual support from the tutors throughout.

By the end of the course, you will have developed a clear understanding of the design process and produced your own conceptual garden layout.

Who is this course for?

Homeowners planning their own garden and wanting professional guidance

People considering a career change into garden design

Prospective diploma students wanting a taste of EGS teaching

Anyone interested in testing whether garden design is for them before committing to longer-term study

Keen gardeners looking to better understand layout, structure, and planting design

What will you learn?

Over the two days, you will be introduced to the key principles of garden design, including:

Understanding space, scale, and proportion

Analysing a garden site

Developing a design concept

Organising garden layouts and circulation

Introduction to drawing plans to scale

Exploring how planting and structure work together in a successful garden

The course combines practical design exercises with tutor demonstrations and group discussion.

What will you take away?

By the end of the course, you will leave with:

A completed conceptual garden design drawing

Greater confidence in understanding the garden design process

Practical design techniques that can be applied to your own projects

Course notes and workbook materials to support your continued learning

A clearer understanding of whether further garden design study is right for you.

Why take this course?

This course is designed to be both inspiring and practical — giving you a realistic insight into garden design in an approachable and supportive environment.

For some, it is the first step towards a professional career in design; for others, it is an opportunity to look at their own garden with fresh eyes and new confidence.

Places limited to 16.

Course notes are included and a light lunch is provided each day