Course Description
Learn the philosophy, technique and skill behind one of the greatest minds in garden design. If you are taking on your own garden design project and need some inspiration, tips and advice 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 garden reflects the history and culture of its surroundings. 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 also be encouraged to consider what 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 have the opportunity to ask Tom and his team any question you’d like during this course, and will received detailed feedback on your plans. By the end of this course you will have designed the characterful and stunning garden which suits the mood and character of your landscape.
Course outline
Day Zero
Materials and Structures
A garden of contrasts: Fertility and Water
Designing your dream garden plot
Choose how you want to learn
The Expert option
RecommendedDevelop your learning further with marked assignments and personal tuition from Tom Stuart-Smith
- Start course whenever you like
- 4 weeks tutor access for personalised assignment feedback & coaching
- 4 assignments marked by Tom Stuart-Smith
- Certificate of completion from Tom Stuart-Smith
- Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
- 4 lessons with expert videos & notes
- Group chat & direct message with tutor & classmates
- Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
$399$319.20The Peer option
Discover the benefits of group learning in an online interactive classroom of no more than 20 people. Get the most from shared knowledge and community study
- Start course whenever you like
- Practise what you learn with your peers
- Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
- 4 lessons with expert videos & notes
- 4 course assignments
- Group chat & direct message classmates
- Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
$99$79.20
Learn better together
Online classroom
Start anytime and join a class of no more than 20 students
Test yourself
Practice what you learn with assignments after each lesson
Personal tuition
Exclusive assignment feedback from Expert Tutors
Share
Share ideas with classmates from around the world
Meet Tom Stuart-Smith
Significant projects in the public domain have included Her Majesty the Queen's Jubilee Garden at Windsor Castle, Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire, the Bicentenary Glasshouse Garden at RHS Garden Wisley and the Keeper’s House Garden at the Royal Academy of Arts.
International projects have included Le Jardin Secret in the heart of the medina in Marrakech, a garden located on the waterways near Kottayam in Kerala, and a show garden for the international horticulture exhibition at IGA Berlin 2017.
Current projects include a garden square at King’s Cross for Argent LLP and the Aga Khan Foundation, several projects at Chatsworth, a garden for the Scottish baronial estate of Aldourie Castle, a new public garden at the Hepworth Wakefield, and the masterplan for RHS Garden Bridgewater which is the largest new garden project in the UK.
He has also designed eight award winning gardens for the Chelsea Flower Show, all of which were presented with gold medals and three ‘Best in Show’.
Tom regularly gives talks and lectures, and continues to write occasionally for the Guardian, Financial Times and Daily Telegraph, amongst others. An exhibition on his work, the first about a living garden designer in the UK, was held at the Garden Museum in 2011. A monograph of his work to date is due to be published by Thames & Hudson in 2020. Tom is a Vice President of the Royal Horticultural Society, a trustee of the Garden Museum, Garden Advisor at RHS Wisley, an Honorary Fellow of the RIBA and a Fellow of the Landscape Institute.
Throughout his career Tom has also developed his own family garden at home in Hertfordshire, which is open to visitors each summer, by appointment.
Frequently bought as part of this collection
Garden Design Diploma
Master the entire subject and SAVE -9% when you buy this collection
13 Courses • 11 Expert TutorsLearn moreMaster the complete range of garden design skills from the biggest names in gardening, including landscape architects Tom Stuart-Smith and Chris Beardshaw, influential Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf and his co-writer Dr Noel Kingsbury, along with acclaimed design lecturer Annie Guilfoyle.
Whether you want a career change, or are keen to design your own garden under the watchful eye of some of the world's big names in gardening and design, this collection of courses is unrivalled in its level of expertise.
Our students at Learning with Experts say that it’s the practical elements of our courses that give them real-world insights into how they can succeed in garden design. Whether you’re hoping to upskill in an existing role or thinking of pursuing a new career in garden design, this Garden Design Diploma will give you all the skills you need to help you on your journey.
The opportunity to have the likes of Tom Stuart Smith casting his eye over your own design plans is not something that you will find anywhere else – and will give you a huge advantage as a newly qualified garden designer. The experts who are on hand to guide you through this process are at the absolute top of their game, and they are keen to help you develop your skills further by giving detailed feedback on any work you submit to the classroom.
As you progress through these courses, you will explore the principles that underpin good design and how you can apply these to your own ideas. You will tap into your creative side and be encouraged to create your own unique designs under their guidance. All aspects of the profession will be covered, including technical knowledge, artistic tendencies, planting in specific situations and skills in drafting and rendering, allowing you to create professional-quality plans with confidence.
The course is taught in our friendly and private online classroom, where you will get to know your tutor and classmates. You will have the opportunity to bounce ideas off each other, compare designs and planting plans, discuss difficulties you face and ask your tutor any questions.
You will receive 2 Continued Education Units (CEUs) for each course in this collection, which are recognised by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD). This certification is a huge advantage in the marketplace, promoting the recognition of landscape designers as qualified and dedicated professionals.
Most importantly, you will have an enjoyable learning experience, whilst learning from highly acclaimed and trusted practising designers. Many of our students have gone on to make a hobby into a profession and now have careers in gardening or garden design all over the world.