BACK TO SCHOOL!
Whether you want to design your own garden, grow your own, learn how to get the perfect lawn or understand flower photography - here are ten reasons why this September is the perfect time to study gardening through an online gardening course.
1. The world is in a funny place right now – we've been in a global recession, many people have lost jobs, and there's uncertainty in many of our lives. Are we coming out of it? It feels like there may be some signs of hope. More people learning a new skill is surely a good sign at least. Interestingly, during a recession is actually one of the best times to study or learn a new skill. According to the multi-millionaire entrepreneur and 'Dragon', James Caan: "If you've got a good idea today, I would encourage you to do it... I think you should go for it". Whether you want to study horticulture or take an online gardening course, with a view to building a business, or simply just for fun, there's no time like the present.
2. Traditionally Autumn/Fall through to Winter is a time for planning for gardeners. They get down all their gardening books from the bookshelves, pour over planting plans and bulb catalogues to get the perfect designs for the following year (you should be ordering your bulb catalogues soon by the way if you’re in the UK or US). If you take your garden design course now, you'll be in a perfect position to have your dream garden by next year.
3. Autumn/Winter is the time when the garden goes to bed - and Spring seems a long time away right now. But it's also the perfect time to do re-construction work (i.e. redesign the hard landscaping of your garden), as you won't disturb too many fauna and flora.
4.Recent studies have found that gardening makes you feel good. Even the government is supporting people to learn new gardening skills.
5. Getting back to the land and working with our basic needs for nurturing our own food, and creating a beautiful home and garden, can only be good in difficult times.
6. You don't have to spend much to create a beautiful garden. Plants by their very nature can be divided, are passed along in communities, seeds collected and even hard furnishings can be made or reclaimed.
7. Growing your own veg is enjoyable and can save you money - it can also help you get your five-a-day portions of fruit and vegetables.
8. Gardening is good for you! Weight-bearing activities such as digging and lifting can build muscle, and aerobic activities such as raking, mowing and hoeing can burn calories. According to the National Gardening Association of America, 180-pound person will use 202 calories during 30 minutes of digging, spading and tilling.* Even 30 minutes of cutting the grass on a riding mower burns 101 calories.
9. An increasing underground movement of British and American celebrities are admitting that gardening is their guilty pleasure and have spent time studying horticulture (a strange number of musicians and actors!). Kim Wilde, Russell Brand, Alex James, Joanna Lumley, Bill Nighy, Helen Mirrem, Gwyneth Paltrow all list gardening as a favourite pastime. (can you name others in your country?)s good for you! Weight-bearing activities such as digging and lifting can build muscle, and aerobic activities such as raking, mowing and hoeing can burn calories. According to the National Gardening Association of America, 180-pound person will use 202 calories during 30 minutes of digging, spading and tilling.* Even 30 minutes of cutting the grass on a riding mower burns 101 calories.
10. It's great escapism to learn or improve a new skill, especially over Autumn/Winter period, and gives you the perfect excuse to escape from the usual mayhem for a while. You can still be at home studying a MyGardenSchool online gardening course, yet away from your family without offending them. "Er, sorry kids, but I've got a garden design lecture to listen to for the next 30 minutes."
Where to study horticulture in September?
What horticulture classes do you fancy taking? All are bookable now for September intake.
Architectural Rendering for Landscape & Garden Designers
Tutor:Jo Chance
Skill Level:Advanced
Category:Pro Gardening
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
This course is ideal for designers from all disciplines who wish to improve th...
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Choosing & Using Shrubs in Garden Design
Tutor:Andrew McIndoe
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Flowers & Foliage Pro Gardening
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
Shrubs are the backbone of planting design. They provide essential structure, be...
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Choosing, Using & Planting Trees
Tutor:Andrew McIndoe
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Flowers & Foliage Pro Gardening
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
Why plant trees? What a tree can do for you as part of your garden. The effect...
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David Austin’s Growing Roses
Tutor:Michael Marriott
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Flowers & Foliage Pro Gardening
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
The rose is exceptional in the plant world. Not only is it an extremely valuable...
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Decorating Your Garden
Tutor:Caroline Tilston
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Garden DIY
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
In this course, I take interior design principals and apply them to your outdoor...
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Designing & Building A Treehouse
Tutor:David Parfitt
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Garden DIY Pro Gardening
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
In this course you will be given a creative insight into how to build your first...
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Designing with Spring Bulbs
Tutor:Andrew McIndoe
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Flowers & Foliage
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
Planting Flowerbulbs – for a beautiful springThis time of...
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Edible Gardening Made Easy
Tutor:Alex Mitchell
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Garden DIY The Vegetable Garden
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
Want your own vegetable garden to nurture? Love to grow fruit and vegetables, bu...
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Flower Photography
Tutor:Sue Bishop
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Flowers & Foliage Pro Gardening
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
The moment when a flower is fresh and perfect is...
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Garden Design for Interior Designers
Tutor:Caroline Tilston
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Garden DIY Pro Gardening
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
This course is particularly geared towards practicing interior designers, or tho...
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Garden History Course
Tutor:Toby Musgrave
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Pro Gardening
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
Ornamental gardens are complex, three-dimensional, (albeit overlooked) works of ...
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How to Get The Perfect Lawn
Tutor:Andrew McIndoe
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Garden DIY Pro Gardening
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
Anyone with a lawn will know that most fail to live up to our expectations of a ...
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How to Keep Hens in Your Garden
Tutor:Francine Raymond
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Garden DIY The Vegetable Garden
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
Many of us dream of keeping a few hens in our gardens, but never fulfil those am...
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How to use Climbers & Clematis in Garden Design
Tutor:Philippa Bensley
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Flowers & Foliage Pro Gardening
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
I adore clematis and climbers and this course shares my years of experience with...
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Introduction to Herb Gardening
Tutor:Barbara Segall
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Flowers & Foliage The Vegetable Garden
Cost:£Coming soon (Approx. US$Coming soon)
A herb garden provides flavoursome leaves, stems and flowers for kitchen and cos...
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John Brookes: An Introduction to Garden Design
Tutor:John Brookes
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Pro Gardening
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
This online garden design course is suitable for amateurs and professionals alik...
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John Brookes: Design Your Own Large Garden
Tutor:John Brookes
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Pro Gardening
Cost:£480 (Approx. US$768)
From town to country garden (From 300 - 3000 square meters/yards in area), thi...
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John Brookes: Design Your Own Small Garden
Tutor:John Brookes
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Pro Gardening
Cost:£240 (Approx. US$384)
From courtyard to town garden (up to 300 square meters/yards in area), this cour...
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Kitchen, Vegetable & Allotment Gardening
Tutor:Hodgerow
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:The Vegetable Garden
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
Fed up with high food prices and poor quality imported fruit and vegetables? The...
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Natural Beekeeping Courses For Gardeners
Tutor:Beesontoast
Skill Level:Hobbyist
Category:Garden DIY The Vegetable Garden
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
Hello. My name is Philip Chandler. This four-part online beekeeping course is a...
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New Perennial Planting for Today’s Gardens
Tutor:Michael King
Skill Level:
Category:Flowers & Foliage Pro Gardening
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
New Perennial Planting brings the drama and excitement of current trends in natu...
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Organic Gardening
Tutor:Stephanie Donaldson
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Garden DIY The Vegetable Garden
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
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Planting Design with Grasses
Tutor:Michael King
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Flowers & Foliage Pro Gardening
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
This online design course is suitable for amateurs and professionals alike. In i...
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Planting Design with Hilary Thomas (Part One)
Tutor:Hilary Thomas
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Flowers & Foliage Pro Gardening
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
Whether an amateur or advanced gardener, let me show you how to select plants fo...
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Planting Design with Hilary Thomas (Part Two)
Tutor:Hilary Thomas
Skill Level:Advanced
Category:Flowers & Foliage Garden DIY Pro Gardening
Cost:£120 (Approx. US$192)
This course is for those people who would like to take their planting design to ...
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Planting Design with Perennials
Tutor:Noel Kingsbury
Skill Level:Enthusiast
Category:Flowers & Foliage
Cost:£145 (Approx. US$232)
International writer, and acclaimed plantsman and lecturer, Noel Kingsbury has d...
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Pond & Lake Construction
We also like the Grow Careers website, if you are UK based and can travel to find your education or are looking for a horticultural apprenticeship.
