Design & Create your Dream Country Garden

£45
Level: Peer






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Level: Peer

Course overview

Learn how to create and design a country garden with world-class garden designers Tom Stuart-Smith and Guy Petheram.

Learn the philosophy, technique and skill behind one of the greatest minds in garden design. If you are taking on your own landscape design project and need some inspiration from a world class designer, this is the course for you!

During this course, you will learn the core principles of garden design from Tom’s work, and will learn how you can apply these to your own designs in a way which realises your artistic ambitions.

You will explore Tom’s own design philosophy, and ways that his own country garden reflects the history and culture of its surroundings in its planting schemes and design. The overall ‘mood’ of your garden is the most important thing to have in mind when designing your plans, and this should be at the forefront of any decision you make in the garden.

You will consider what plants or features you can source locally, and how maintenance, feature choice, structure and soil type all have a part to play in bringing your plan to life.

You'll learn:

  • core garden design principles
  • how to apply designs to suit your gardening style and location
  • reflecting the local culture and history in your designs
  • materials and features to use in your designs
  • zoning your garden and using different planting in different areas
  • behind the scenes on landscape design projects - from his own garden to Chatsworth and gardens in Spain

The course includes:

  • 4 on-demand video lessons - presented by Tom Stuart-Smith
  • lifetime access to the videos, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical country garden design projects (with feedback available from Guy Petheram)
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom - chat online to students from around the world and share your creative ideas

Time to complete the country garden course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 10 hours 5 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lessons: 2 hours 5 minutes in total
  • Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
  • Your garden designing projects: at least 1 hour per lesson
  • Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson

You'll need:

You don't need any special equipment, but you will be planning your own garden, choosing features and materials. The course is suitable for gardeners at all levels - from new gardeners to professionals who want to learn from an expert landscape designer.

Ready to get started?

Just add the course to your basket above.

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Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.

 

Watch course trailer

Lesson summary

Day Zero
In this introductory lesson, Tom, one of the greatest names in landscape design of our time, tells the story of how he transformed a patch of wasteland into the spectacular, world renowned garden we see today. He will show you the 1984 plan of his dream garden which he drew as a student, and will then show you pictures showing the site as it was and how it is now, talking about his influences and key considerations. Tom will talk you through the principles of garden design philosophy as it is realised at the Barn – should a garden reflect the landscape or be in contrast to it - a microcosm of all that is best? He will look at some examples of widely contrasting projects to illustrate how making a garden should always be a unique response to its surroundings and the culture of the place.
Materials and Structures
Tom will consider the range of different materials needed to make a garden. He will explore structure, looking at how landform, paving, walls, trees, bushes, shrubs and hedges can be used to make the bones of the garden. Very few gardens are made without moving earth and this has to be the first consideration. Will this improve a view? Will it give breathing space or make a terrace possible? You will then look at the spatial sequencing of a garden and think about how ways that you can apply these principles to your own project. You will explore the ideas of prospect and refuge – the underlying narrative can often be helpful in stitching together a pattern and plan of a garden. Garden design is like art, and Tom will let you in on his own artistic philosophy, and how the use of models, three-dimensional views and other art forms can be used to test and communicate ideas.
A garden of contrasts: Fertility and Water
Tom will show you the variety of garden zones, focusing on different soil types and how these are managed. He will also discuss planting techniques involved and how management will differ. You will be taken on a whistle-stop tour of garden designs from other projects, ranging from central Spain to Chatsworth. This should give you a range of climates and soil types, helping you to design your own plan based on your means.
Designing your dream garden plot
In this lesson Tom will bring together all you have learned and set you on designing your own dream plot. You will be taken on a tour of the community horticultural project he is developing on his own land. This will demonstrate three contrasting designs, giving you inspiration and practical ideas for your own plans.

Get the most from peer knowledge

  • Start course whenever you like
  • Practise what you learn with your peers
  • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
  • Lessons with videos & notes
  • Course assignments
  • Group chat & direct message classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom

meet the expert

Tom Stuart-Smith & Guy Petheram

Renowned landscape architect blending naturalism with modernity; experienced garden designer and educator.

Read more

Why choose Learning with Experts?

Start whenever it suits you, and immerse yourself in motivational lesson tutorials with expert guidance.
Enhance your learning and personal growth with lesson assignments. Each course includes an optional assignment at the end of every lesson.
Drop a friendly message or respond to your assignment feedback. Our world-class experts are just a click away, ready to help you!
Stay informed about your own progress and those of your peers, and take joy in celebrating achievements along the way.
Chat and share ideas with passionate communities of learners from around the world.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between PEER and EXPERT levels?

At Peer and Expert level, you get access to the same core content and features:

  • Video lesson tutorials led by your expert tutor
  • Downloadable lesson notes
  • Option to practise what you learn with lesson assignments
  • Group learning within an online interactive classroom of up to 20 classmates
  • Lifetime access to videos, notes and classroom

If you choose Expert level, you get all of the above plus the following:

  • Personalised assignment feedback and coaching from your expert tutor
  • Opportunity to interact with your expert tutor through a private messaging system
  • Certificate of completion.
What is an online classroom?

Our online classroom has been developed to allow you to learn from our experts in a sociable environment alongside up to 20 other students. After each video tutorial led by your expert, you will be encouraged to practice what you have learned with optional assignments - these can be seen by the other students in your class, who are free to share their own thoughts and questions with you.

You will be encouraged to take part in an ongoing class discussion where you can discuss ideas, post images or work, and comment on each other’s assignments. It’s a great way to learn from other like-minded people who share your passion from all over the world.

This means not only do you benefit from people who are outstanding in their field, but also from a close-knit group of like-minded people whom you can learn alongside. Group learning has shown to greatly improve not just the experience of studying, but also how well you retain the knowledge, and we have built our classroom experience around this fact.
When can I start my course and how long will it take?

You can start your course any time within 12 months after receipt of your purchase confirmation email. Once you start, you’ll have lifetime access — meaning you can revisit the lesson videos and notes whenever you want.

Our courses are designed so that you can study at your own pace, some prefer to binge learn while others like to spread their studying over a longer period of time - it’s completely up to you. To give you a rough time frame, each lesson video is approximately 30-40 minutes long, and we recommend that you spend around an hour on each assignment.
Support and full FAQs

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