Fundamentals of Garden Design

Course details

Landscape design is more than selecting plants for a project, it is the integration of all the elements and spaces that affect our outdoor living environment.  In this course students will be introduced to the objectives and principles that are essential to developing a strong design solution for either yourself or for a paying client.  With lessons covering interviewing the client, design contracts, form composition and selecting a design approach this course is a comprehensive and in-depth journey into the world of creative garden design.  

The practical skills of drafting to scale, and site surveys will be explained. Finally, how to take these skills and create a conceptual garden plan for yourself, family or client will be covered in detail.

This is a course on garden design - not gardening.  It is also NOT  a course using computer aided design (CAD).  The instruction will be in using pen, ink and paper - what I believe is the starting point for all design even if you choose to use a computer program later on.  CAD is simply a tool, but if you do not know the basic principles and objectives of design CAD won't help you.  You'll simply do poor designs faster!

The conceptual plan is the starting point for any design project, opening discussion and refining the plan before construction drawings are prepared and it is this approach to design that I will be explaining, demonstrating and clarifying for the student.