Introduction to Garden Design
March 31 to May 17, 2014.
Cost: $600.
Enrollment limited to 12 students.
About the course
- Learn garden site analysis and apply the concepts to your personal space.
- Gain proficiency in basic garden design principals.
- Articulate your personal aesthetic — what appeals to you, and what you enjoy.
- Lay out a rough site plan overview of your garden design.
You’ll do all that and more if you take this 6-week online course (plus the introduction days), which provides an opportunity for you to design your own garden. You will be studying and experimenting with the basic design procedures, learning about proper plant selection, and you will write and reflect on the process as you learn. The instructor will take an active role in this creative endeavor by providing feedback on your assignments and journal entries. You will also have the opportunity to learn from one another through an open forum in which you can share your ideas with others.
This course is designed to encourage your discovery of basic garden design techniques. It is a garden design course for the beginner. We teach an approach to gardening that is based on the principle of right plant, right place. In other words, we will consider the needs of the plant in addition to the needs of the gardener.
Course schedule:
- Introduction Days: Welcome & Introductions
- Week 1: Site Assessment Part 1
- Week 2: Site Assessment Part 2 / Basic Design Principles: Personal Style, Garden Unity, and Maintenance
- Week 3: Basic Design Principles: Scale & Proportion, Balance & Symmetry, Repetition, Movement
- Week 4: Basic Design Principles: Color, Form & Texture
- Week 5: Designing Your Garden: Choosing & Buying Plants
- Week 6: Designing Your Garden: Final Project and Buying Plants