Interested in starting a career in garden design? Or maybe you would like to learn the skills so you can create your own piece of paradise? Whatever your goal, our Garden Design & Landscaping course is the perfect way to get started.
Today\'s gardens reflect our changing lifestyles. A garden is not only a visual extension of the house itself, but a place to cater for a wide range of functions.
Our Garden Design & Landscaping course teaches you how to create attractive landscapes and flourishing gardens, and is designed to help you become a garden designer. Whether you just love the outdoors and want to improve your own garden, or wish to earn extra income and make a change to a new career, this course can show you how. Plus, as it is delivered by correspondence, there are no timetables to adhere to so your study can fit around your current lifestyle.
Entering this exciting and rewarding industry and start enjoying the wonderful lifestyle it can offer - enrol today!
History of Garden Design and Garden Design Principles
Historical garden design influences, English, French and American garden designers, Shaker gardens, the Victorian era, Chinese and Japanese gardens, botanical gardens in Australia and New Zealand, 5 basic principles of garden design, comparison of 2 designs.
Soils and Plants
Aoils and soil improvers, soil preparation, plants and identification using scientific and common names, hybrid plants, climatic conditions, choosing plants, pot sizes, plant groups, hedges and avenues.
Pre-Design Information and Drawing
Pre-design information and questionnaire, talking with your client, aspect, drainage, erosion, water management, measuring a garden, measuring slopes, preparing a scale drawing, making a planting plan, structural planting, computer garden design programs, planting terminology.
Landscaping Products, Walls, Fences and Gates
Garden soils, compost, sand and gravel, rock and slate, mulches, sleepers, pavers, various types of walls and fences, hedges, gates and trellises.
Surfacing
Paving (natural stone, granite, slate, marble, cobbles and sand), timber decking, bricks, drainage, brick bonding patterns, trims and edges, lawns and lawn shapes, pointers for perfect lawns, step materials and designs, building steps and ramps.
Garden Structures and Irrigation
Arbours, pergolas, archways and tunnels, gazebos, summerhouses, awnings, tents and umbrellas. Garden sheds, greenhouses, tree houses and playhouses. Play equipment, seating and tables, containers, garden sculptures, rock gardens, barbecues. Glossary of Garden Terms. Irrigation - pipes, sprays and sprinklers, water pressure calculations.
Garden Styles, Lighting and Water Features
Cottage, bush, scented and Oriental gardens, garden lighting techniques, choosing lights, identifying lighting requirements, planning a lighting system, electrical requirements, Glossary of Lighting Terms, selecting a water feature, pools, fountains, cascades and waterfalls, pump size and pool volume, garden safety checklist.
Earthworks, Marking Out and Job Costing
Contour drawings, shaping and contouring, cut and fill, bulking and compaction factors, coping with slopes, marking out, offsets, equipment and tools, job costing. Business operating costs, charge-out rate, estimates, quotes and contracts, estimating quantities, costing materials.
Client-Designer Relationships and Major Design Project
Initial meeting, discussing and presenting the budget, Glossary of Designers\' Garden Terms, major design project, choosing the products (landscaping products, surfacing, soils, structures, irrigating, styles and lighting, water features, drainage and costing.
Starting Your Own Business
Types of business operations (sole trader, partnership, company), operating capital, record keeping, paying bills, petty cash, finding clients, terms and conditions, tax, insurance, formulating a business plan, location, services, market analysis and summary, projected cash flow, sample business letters (invoices, statements, letter of demand).
