THE LIVING GREEN COMPANY
Coming Autumn 2026
Design Your Own Garden
This beginner course helps you understand the foundations of garden design and apply them to your own outdoor space. Built from real-life garden design experience, it guides you through the key stages of planning a garden with confidence. From creating a brief and reading your site, to exploring layout, planting, materials and maintenance.
No previous design experience is needed. Each section is clear, practical and designed to build your knowledge step by step. You will learn how to understand your garden, make thoughtful decisions and bring your ideas together into a simple, workable plan.
Each section includes image examples, downloadable PDFs, video guidance and a short quiz.
Course Details
1. Creating a Brief
Identify your priorities and understand needs and wants.
2. Reading the Site
Learn how to observe, measure and map your garden.
3. Practical, Legal and Environmental Constraints
Understand how to design realistically within your site’s limits.
4. Understanding Soil
Learn how soil influences design, planting and long-term success.
5. Design Principles
Explore balance, proportion, rhythm, structure and flow.
6. Planting
Understand how plants create structure, seasonal interest and balance.
7. Hard Landscaping
Learn how paths, patios, walls, steps, boundaries and materials shape the garden.
8. Lighting, Water and Atmosphere
Explore how sensory details affect mood, atmosphere and usability.
9. Maintenance
Plan for long-term care and practical upkeep.
10. Bringing It All Together
Combine your brief, site knowledge and ideas into a clear garden design plan.