Garden Design

Back to Garden and Landscape Design

Part time: Online

Duration

12 weeks

Tuition

8:1 teaching ratio

Timetable

14th September 2026

courses start in January, April and September.

Tuition Hours

4 hours p/w

Online, self directed with 6 group meetings

Overview

Whether you are redesigning a small courtyard or planning a complete garden transformation, the Inchbald Online Your Own Garden provides the knowledge, creative inspiration and practical skills to design your own outdoor space with confidence.

Guided by experienced tutors, you will work through the complete garden design process, learning how to analyse your site, organise space, and create a garden that is both beautiful and functional. Along the way, you will gain an understanding of scale, proportion, planting and materials, enabling you to make informed design decisions and avoid costly mistakes.

By the end of the course, you will have developed a professional-quality design for your own garden, together with the confidence to implement it yourself or brief a contractor.

Why study at Inchbald?

For over sixty years, Inchbald has been one of the world's leading schools of design, renowned for combining creativity with professional practice. You'll learn from experienced designers in a supportive online environment, benefiting from small group teaching and personalised feedback throughout your studies.

Course content

Using your own garden as the basis for your project, you will learn the fundamental principles of professional garden design.

You will begin by carrying out an accurate site survey and producing a scale drawing before analysing the opportunities and constraints of the space. From there, you will explore layout, circulation, structure, materials and planting to develop a design that responds to both the character of the site and the way you want to use it.

Throughout the course, you will build essential drawing and presentation skills while developing your design through mood boards, concept development and planting ideas.

By the end of the programme, you will have produced:

An accurate site survey and scale plan

A site analysis and design appraisal

A completed garden master plan

Mood boards and material selections

A considered planting palette and plant list

Who is it aimed at?

This course is ideal for homeowners, enthusiastic gardeners and anyone wishing to design their own garden with greater confidence. No previous design experience is required, just an enthusiasm for creating inspiring outdoor spaces. It is also an excellent introduction for those considering further study in garden design.

Key info & fees

Part time: Online

Fees: £1,500 (£1,250 ex VAT).
Students must be aged 18 or over. A good command of written and spoken English and basic computer skills are required.
2026 course dates: 5 January - 2 April (half term 15 - 22 February); 20 April - 17 July (half term 24 - 31 May); 14 September - 11 December (half term 25 Oct - 1 Nov)