Garden design courses in France & by distance learning

Garden Design Academy:
The Garden Design Academy, located in the Loire Valley region of Central France, is run by award-winning English garden designers Colin and Marie-Chantal Elliott. They are specialist tutors offering English language residential tuition in garden design and CAD technologies. They also offer distance learning courses for home study at your own pace.

We offer the following courses:

Residential Courses:

Design your own Garden (1 week):
If you are enthusiastic about your garden this one-week course is for you. The atmosphere is supportive, the surroundings attractive and costs are kept reasonable. Being in the Loire Valley, garden trips and good food are included in the package.

Working with Colin Elliott, an experienced professional garden designer, to help you every step of the way, you will be guided through the process of designing your own (or a friend’s!) garden. We will send you a Guide to Surveying (measuring) your garden before you arrive so that this can be used as the basis of your new design.

A series of helpful talks in the studio will start you thinking about what you want to achieve and examples of good gardens will be discussed to inspire you. Then, individually and as a group, we will begin to create your dream garden in plan form.

We will discuss and explain the techniques needed to design your garden in a series of modules throughout the week including:

- Assessing your requirements – intended uses, budget, maintenance;
- Choosing a style – formal, informal, traditional, modern or themed;
- Design considerations – looking at shapes, harmony, balance and proportion;
- Drawing the plan – paper vs. Computer; drawing techniques;
- Landscaping – paving, walls, decking, fences and water features;
- Designing with plants – size, form, texture, colour, seasonal interest, plants for problem places;

By the end of a pleasurable and informative week you will have designed your own garden - with a little help from your friends at the Academy. You will also have seen some of the sights of the region, eaten well and perhaps picked up a few words of French.

CAD for Garden Designers (1 week): 
Professional garden designers are increasingly adopting CAD (Computer Aided Design) techniques in their work to improve efficiency, creativity and communication. The skills required to achieve these aims will require investment in time, money and tools but like so many things in life, the benefits of this effort can be considerable.

As we only work in small groups, training can be adapted based on the experience and interests of each student, but to get the best from this course some computor literacy is expected. We will discuss and explain the tools and techniques available to garden designers in a series of modules throughout the week including:

- What is CAD and what can it do for you – software types; hardware options;
- Assessing your requirements – intended uses, budget and skills required;
- Getting organised – in the studio and in the field;
- Precision 2D drafting – making the software work for you
- Creating 3D from your 2D drawings – drafting in 3D
- Other 3D design options – modelling tools
- Planting plans – software options explored
- Setting out and other plans – CAD advantages
- Printing and presentation – scales, dimensions, text and hardware
- Illustration tools – colour a plan; photographs and sketches
- Internet – drawing exchange and other uses

To break up the week a visit to a chateau is planned, the International Garden Festival at Chaumont being the most popular with designers. This is included in your fees. Several other residential courses are planned.

Distance Learning Courses:
We now offer over 60 gardening and horticulture courses including:

Crop Production
- Permaculture Systems
- Certificate in Horticulture (Crops)
- Certificate in Horticulture (Cut Flowers)
- Certificate in Horticulture (Herbs)
- Certificate in Horticulture (Organic Plant Growing)
- Certificate in Horticulture (Viticulture)
- Mushroom Production
- Viticulture

Garden Design and Landscaping
- CAD for Garden Designers
- Certificate in Garden Design
- Certificate in Hort - Landscaping and Garden Design
- Cottage Garden design
- Garden History
- Garden styles
 -Plant selection and establishment
- Playground design
- Water Gardening
 -Landscaping I
- Landscaping II
- Landscaping III
- Landscape Construction
- Diploma in Landscaping
 -Advanced Diploma in Horticulture: Landscaping

Plant courses
- Arboriculture I
- Arboriculture II
- Certificate in Arboriculture
- Advanced Certificate in Applied Management (Arboriculture)
- Certificate in Plantsmanship
- Azaleas & Rhododendrons
- Bonsai
- Cacti & Succulents
- Conifers
- Ferns
- Fuchsias
- Geraniums & Pelargoniums
- Growing Annuals
- Growing Camellias
- Growing Herbs (beginners course)
- Growing Iris
- Growing Perennials
- Lavender
- Roses
- Scented plants
- Turf care
- Turf repair and renovation
- Sports turf management
- Certificate in Horticulture (Turf)
- Associate Diploma In Turf
- Water gardening

Management courses
- Starting a small business
- Garden Centre Management
- Horticultural Marketing
- Certificate in Marketing
- Certificate in Arboriculture
- Advanced Certificate in Applied Management (Arboriculture)
- Advanced Certificate in Applied Management (Horticultural Technology)
- Advanced Certificate in Applied Management (Retail Nursery)
- Advanced Certificate in Applied Management (Wholesale Nursery)

Distance Learning RHS Qualifications:
- RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Propagation and Development
- RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance
- RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture
- RHS Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Health and Applied Propagation
- RHS Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning, Construction and Planting
- Master of Horticulture (RHS) Degree Course