Print this page Vocational Diploma in Garden Design

The Inchbald Vocational Diploma in Garden Design course maintains the Inchbald’s high standard and quality in teaching. The course is aimed at those students who wish to investigate Garden Design to a professional standard and the course is structured to suit both those intending to pursue a professional career in Garden Design, and also those who wish to develop their expertise as passionate garden design enthusiasts.

“At the top end of the market with student uptake from around the world the Vocational Diploma in Garden and Landscape Design at Inchbald School of Design is amongst the best in Britain” John Brooks, FSGD, MBE

The course is taught by well renown tutors, all of whom are in private practise and are specialists within their own areas of expertise. The lead tutor, Andrew Duff, Director of Garden Design, has been at the forefront of Garden Design education for the last 12 years. Tuition is supplemented by monthly guest lecturers including Luciano Giubbilei, John Brooks, Anthony Paul and Marcus Green.

Through a series of lectures, visits, workshops and real life projects, the students will quickly develop a thorough grounding which will enable them to realise their own projects, The final design project can be of personal choice which enables the student to start practising while still under the guidance of the school.

Vocational Diploma in Garden Design – course aims

The course aims to help you to:

• The course is aimed at giving a full and realistic approach to the principles and practices of Garden Design, including business skills.
• To equip the student with the necessary principles of garden design to enable them to plan and realise their own schemes with skill and confidence.  This knowledge is imparted in both lecture and studio time, therefore allowing the student to make their mistakes or ‘eureka’ moments with a member of staff, so that any issues can be dealt with in school rather than at home.
• To develop a sense of spatial awareness and the understanding of how to organise a space using hard and soft landscape techniques in three dimensions.
• To inspire an awareness of hard landscaping materials and planting within garden design and to demonstrate skills in combining them aesthetically and functionally.

Vocational Diploma in Garden Design – course contents

Throughout the course you will develop skills in the following modules:

Drawing

Students will be given a full introduction to drawing equipment and its use.  They will gain the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding to produce appropriately presented master plans, sectional elevations, axonometric and one and two point perspective drawings.  Students are encouraged to develop their own individual style whilst on the course and to use different visual approaches appropriate to each individual project.

Design

Students will gain the necessary skills required to produce a final design – from the initial real client meeting, taking the brief, site survey and analysis, through differing design processes, including sketch and concept design, to the final detailed design.  Students will become fully aware of the many different ways of designing a garden, therefore creating a bespoke and contexturalised design which is vital in such a highly competitive profession

Projects will include gardens of various sizes and locations, from initial small courtyards whilst students gain a basic understanding of design, right through to large country estates where students will be looking at genus loci.  Real clients and sites mean that the students will be getting a first hand experience of real life scenarios.

Planting Design

Students will gain a broad knowledge and understanding of plants.  Inchbald teaches planting from a design point of view, therefore choosing plants for their form, habit and colour and then addressing horticultural need.  The Garden Design Faculty overlooks one of the finest garden squares in London with its plant collection assembled by the renowned plant expert, Roger Phillips.

Hard Landscaping

From simple paving to advanced step design, students will study the various skills needed to confidently design walls, fences, structures and water features together with lighting and irrigation.  Students will also acquire the knowledge necessary to produce construction drawings

Business Studies

Students are taken through the principles and practices of good business and also have the opportunity to set up as Sole Traders, with guidance, whilst on the course.

Vocational Diploma Garden Design – course entry requirements

No formal qualifications are required for entry on to the Inchbald Vocational Diploma in Garden Design (2 Days) course. However potential students are invited to an informal tour of the school and then an interview with the Director.  Potential students will be expected to complete an initial design exercise.

All teaching and lectures are conducted in English and the following criteria may be required if English is not your first language: IELTS 6.5; TOEFL 550 on paper; TOEFL 213 on computer, or Cambridge FCE.