Capel Manor
College

School of Garden Design

Head of School - April Cameron

Tel: 08456 122 122

Green fingered and a creative type?

The School of Garden Design has a reputation for delivering high quality training and has Grade 1 status from Oftsed.
Courses offered include part-time day, evening and short courses. We attract large numbers of mature students who are looking to establish an exciting new career. We also welcome younger students with a good eye for design. Our facilities include specialist design studios and a Computer Aided Design suite, with students having access to our 30 acres of gardens at Enfield which provide inspiration throughout the year. Regent’s Park students enjoy wellequipped studios and access to areas of Regent’s Park.

Our students are encouraged to show off their skills by designing for shows and competitions, providing them with invaluable experience managing projects. Students and staff have achieved outstanding success at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and RHS Chelsea Flower Show for over 15 years.

The Industry
Professional garden designers deal with all aspects of garden and landscape design, mostly working in the private sector with garden owners to enhance their private spaces, although they could find themselves working with local councils designing a public space, or designing major community-led projects.

Is it for me?
Creativity, computer and communication skills are all essential, as is an in-depth understanding of horticulture. Drawing and design skills are developed on the course. We attract students with related backgrounds, such as landscape architects and interior designers seeking to broaden their expertise, as well as professionals looking for a career change, parents seeking a more flexible career to fit in with the family timetable and gardeners wanting to turn their passion into a career.

Opportunities
A garden designer's role can vary from providing professional advice on a small area to a complete transformation. Most designers manage design projects too, recommending landscape contractors and monitoring works to ensure the integrity of a design. Capel Manor graduates develop successful design practices in the UK and abroad, with many becoming full members of the Society of Garden Designers, featuring in books and journals, and designing gardens for television. Employment opportunities also exist with larger landscape design companies that design and build, source plants and undertake planting.

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Click on the images below to see our Garden Design students at work

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Drawing and Graphics
Students who have successfully completed the RHS Level 2 certificate and wish to progress onto the Level 3 Certificate or Diploma design courses are required to complete a short course in Drawing and Graphics (day or evening) or the Level 1 Introduction to Garden Design course.

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Part-Time Day Courses
These courses have been developed to respond to the needs of the industry.

Level 1 Introduction to Garden Design
Aimed at those who would like to develop the knowledge and skills to develop their own garden. Students with a level 2 horticulture qualification can use this course for progression on to a level 3 design course.

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Level 2 Certificate in Garden Design
Students who are considering a career in Garden Design take the NOCN Level 2 Certificate. This is a hybrid course offering drawing and graphics skills as well as a very good grounding in horticulture and plant knowledge. On successful completion, students may progress onto the NOCN Level 3 Diploma (or Level 3 Certificate – evenings).

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Level 3 Diploma in Garden Design
A two year course for one day a week: one year of landscape design (Principles and Practice) and a second year of planting design (Plants and Planting). The combination of these two aspects of garden design provides students with the knowledge and practical skills to start out as practising designers.

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Evening Courses

Level 2 Certificate in Garden Design
This is a two year course (one evening a week) which gives students drawing and design skills, plant knowledge and a sound horticulture background. On successful completion students may progress on to a level 3 course.

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Level 3 Certificate in Garden Design
Studied over two years this course combines landscape design and planting design.

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Computer Aided Drawing
This is for those who have already taken a course in garden design and wish to use Computer Aided Drawing in their design practice. The software used is Vectorworks, a version of Mini-Cad.

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Botanical Illustration
These courses are your chance to acquire the first essentials of plant drawing and painting from the chief botanical illustrator at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. They are structured to give students the opportunity to discover and enjoy this form of art, with individual attention and the freedom of a workshop approach.

Download course leaflet

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Former languages teacher Linda Ham is now a London Olympics planting intern.

“Whilst I loved teaching languages, it was an opportunity not to be missed to change career and get paid for doing something I absolutely adored! Gardening had always been a major hobby, and coming to Capel Manor has opened up so many avenues for me in the field of horticulture.”

Linda Ham
Level 3 Diploma in Garden Design

 

 

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