Designing your garden with plants in mind
This practical course, led by Annie Guilfoyle will introduce students to the processes involved in designing a garden space and guide participants through the steps to producing a final master plan for their own project. It will include inspiration and instruction from the Dixter garden and nursery teams on the plants and plantings that make Great Dixter so well known and loved, as well as regular opportunities and shortcuts to get to know plants that perform well, thorough garden tours and plant ID sessions.
The course runs over blocks of 2 days/3days/2 days, taking place in Spring, summer and autumn so students can appreciate the seasonality of the garden, with home-study and development of their design project expected between the sessions. It is aimed at those who wish to design their own garden or a chosen garden project.
Participants might be keen home gardeners, professional gardeners and anyone wishing to increase their garden design knowledge. Each student will need to provide a garden design project to work on during the course. and arrive with an initial scale survey drawing on paper of their site. It is suggested that the scope of the project should be no larger than 1 acre, or an area within a larger garden that is no larger than this.
The site survey can either be hand-drawn or drawn in CAD. It could be produced by a professional surveyor. All measurements should be metric. When you sign up for the course, you will be sent notes to help you complete your survey.
Part 1- 9-10 March 2026 (2 days) 9am-4:30pm The first section of the course will introduce you to the garden at Great Dixter and the style of planting and gardening including Great Dixter’s garden design, structure and how the garden has developed over time, through lectures, tours and a plant ID session focusing on early season interest and structural plants.You will begin the garden design process with lectures looking at successful garden design and the design process followed by workshops which will help you to begin to develop your design including concept development and functional layout plans. During the break you will be expected to develop your functional layout plan options, produce a concept board and work on your design journal. There will be a 1 hour Zoom session scheduled during the break to help troubleshoot any problems.
Part 2 – 22-24th June – (3 days) 9am -4:30pm The second section of the course will help you to progress your design from the conceptual to the masterplan stage. Lectures will cover hard landscaping approaches, including sustainability considerations and construction in the garden, as well as how to research good plants and what goes into a successful planting plan.
The garden sessions will look at layered planting, how to assess plants, and perennials, key shrubs, grasses and climbers, including a plant ID session looking at summer perennials. During the break you will be expected to complete your garden design and photocopy your plan from trace onto paper, prepare research lists for the planting plans and continue to work on your Great Dixter design journal. There will be a 1 hour Zoom session scheduled during the break to help troubleshoot any problems.
Part 3- 12th-13th October (2 days) 9am-4:30pm The final part of the course will focus on developing and drawing up your planting plan, through lectures and workshop sessions, as well as how to choose and manage contractors.
There will be a session with Fergus on laying out a long season border, and garden sessions looking at late-season performers and how to manage your borders as they develop including what to do when things don’t go to plan. The course will close with all participants sharing their work, and a peer discussion and evaluation session.
Price
£1300 payable in 2 instalments. £1000 deposit, balance due in June.