Welcome to your one-stop shop for Beginner Garden Design Online Courses, your digital haven for cultivating green dreams! Whether you're an aspiring garden designer, a beginner or a seasoned gardener looking to elevate your skills, this is your go-to destination for garden design courses.

If you want to train as a garden designer, then online garden design courses are the way to take your first step toward your dream job! Learning how to design a garden doesn't need to involve the risk of studying for a design degree that takes years or thousands of pounds on other never-ending weekend courses. Garden Ninjas online gardening e-courses teach you everything you need to know about garden design and gardening from the comfort of your home.

Lee Burkhill / Garden Ninja's online garden design courses take you from absolute beginner to competent intermediate in just a matter of hours.

£199
Lee Burkhill hand drawn design

Garden Design for Beginners Course

Garden Design for Beginners Online Course: If you want to make the career jump to becoming a garden designer or to learn how to design your own garden, this is the beginner course for you. Join me, Lee Burkhill, an award-winning garden designer, as I train you in the art of beautiful garden design.

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Online Gardening Courses

Lee Burkhill, the award-winning Garden Ninja from BBC1's Garden Rescue, offers a number of immersive gardening online courses to help set you up for success. So whether you're tentatively dipping your toes into the world of gardening courses or you want to be the next award-winning designer, these e-courses in design and horticulture are for you!

Each online gardening course features the following benefits for students:

  • Study Online Anywhere
  • Video Lessons
  • Quizzes
  • Case Studies
  • Taught by Award Winning Lee Burkhill
  • Certificate upon Completion

What are the best Garden Design Courses?

Choosing the right Garden Design Course for you can be tricky. You can get stuck spending years training and spending a small fortune to feel no further on still. However, I will take all the confusion out of where to start by explaining why I believe starting online is the best way to learn how to design gardens.

Leaning garden design online allows you to start off designing at your own pace. There is no need to take a year out of your life attending face-to-face courses to work out if this is a hobby or career for you. Choosing an Online Garden Design Course, like the ones here, allows you to gradually build up your knowledge and confidence without any financial risk.

A hand painted garden design by Garden Ninja award winning blogger

The best thing about online garden design courses is you can take them on your own time. Allowing all of the new knowledge, horticulture, botany and design principles to sink in. They also enable you to learn design in stages and try them out in your own gardens. By having an online garden design resource, you can refer back to the lessons and case studies to check your knowledge.

Excellent
Based on 107 reviews
Rm Edwards
Rm Edwards
2024-04-21
The best advice you can get anywhere,a brilliant,easy to use Web page full to the brim of expert advice,help&tips,practical how to videos and more horticultural ideas than you can imagine,Lee offers his knowledge,experience,time& humor for all who seeks it.The only website you'll ever need👌🏼
L A
L A
2024-04-21
Great knowledge, tips and advice, highly recommend.
Monika Peterke
Monika Peterke
2024-04-21
Lee despite being a horticulture celebrity, gives free personalised advice via his website to ordinary people. I've been enjoying his videos years before his TV appearance and I wholeheartedly trust his advice on all things gardening.
Martin Easton
Martin Easton
2024-04-21
Lee offers brilliant advice on lots of different garden-related subjects…not just plants! Keep up the good work 👍👍👍
Emma Renyard
Emma Renyard
2024-04-19
Wow! My hour spent with Lee was invaluable, thank you so much. I can visualise what my garden is going to look like, I cant wait to make a start!
Catherine Sneade
Catherine Sneade
2024-04-03
After deciding to revamp my elderly father's garden, I turned to YouTube for inspiration and stumbled across Lee aka the Garden Ninja. I very quickly became obsessed with his fantastic, easy to watch and understandable videos, but wanted some personal Ninja time in my life. After watching the videos, I was excited to book an online garden consultation and was not disappointed. In fact my expectations were far exceeded. Lee is obviously extremely knowledgeable and creative, but also very easy to talk to and work with. I came away from my consultation with some really helpful ideas which I've already started to work with. Shortly after our Zoom session, Lee had emailed me a sketch of the ideas we'd discussed, together with a selection of shrubs and plants to consider. If, like me, you want to improve your garden but either have no idea where to start or just need a little bit of advice and a brainstorm, I'd highly recommend booking a consultation with Ninja Lee. I promise you, you'll be glad you did!!
Nathan Barton
Nathan Barton
2024-02-22
1 hour consultation with Lee and 10 years or more of Garden design errors became quite apparent. We now feel really prepared and excited to get to work with a huge amount of useful advice and ideas. Thank you - highly recommended.
Jane Sacks
Jane Sacks
2024-02-14
Lee's designs combine beauty, style and function. He is a good teacher and is practical and helpful in his advice.
Simon Prior
Simon Prior
2024-01-30
Great content. Just had a tree crown lifted with some help and is fantastic now and so much light coming into garden. A over large griselina was also "decked" and looking forward to a much smaller shrub in the coming years... Thanks for all the assistance I have gleaned since joining in. PS this is from Sue Prior as Simon cannot read or write following strokes in 1996. He loves the garden almost as much as I do! Looking forward to the joy of the coming gardening year(s).

How to choose the best Online Garden Design Course

I attended many face-to-face, year-long courses before I began, and while I learnt a lot over the years, they felt drawn out and very expensive. If you're on a budget, already working full time, or are pushed for time, then learning garden design online is the best solution.

When looking to train as a new garden designer, I would recommend looking at whether the online gardening course features the following:

  • Can you study at any time, or are the classes timed or scheduled?
  • Is there a time limit for how long you can access the gardening course?
  • Are there assignments or quizzes to grade your knowledge?
  • Does the course contain real-life garden design examples?
  • Can you connect with a community of other students on the course?
  • Can you receive feedback in the form of peer review or a forum to discuss garden design topics?
Garden design for beginners online course

I've designed this course based on my experience as a garden designer to teach you everything you need to know to get started. Building your confidence and allowing you to succeed as a garden designer!

Priced at £345, it is an affordable way to learn garden design at your own pace.

Benefits of Garden Design Online Courses

The benefit of studying gardening qualifications and skills online is that it is much more cost-effective than practical college courses. Garden courses online can help if you're trying to train as a gardener or garden designer whilst working or on a tight budget.

1. Flexible Learning Schedule

Online garden design courses offer the flexibility to learn at your own pace, allowing you to balance your passion for garden design with other commitments, whether work, family, or personal pursuits. You can pick up and put down the course according to your schedule. You are in control!

Garden design courses online

2. Accessible Anywhere, Anytime

Break free from geographical constraints! With online courses, you can access valuable garden design knowledge from the comfort of your home or even while on the go, fitting seamlessly into your lifestyle. Never miss a class again!

Garden design online courses

3. Expert Guidance from Anywhere in the World

Enroll in courses taught by garden design experts like Lee Burkhill, the Garden Ninja, and professionals from around the world. Benefit from their insights, experiences, and industry know-how without being limited by your location.

Lee from Garden rescue

4. Cost-Effective Learning

Online courses often eliminate the need for travel expenses and physical course materials, making them a cost-effective option for individuals looking to enhance their garden design skills without breaking the bank, with courses costing a fraction of those in-person educational gardening courses.

Online gardening courses cost in the region of a few hundred rather than thousands of pounds. Allowing you to test the water with your garden training or education.

A small lush garden for adults and children

5. Diverse Course Offerings

Explore a diverse range of garden design courses tailored to different skill levels, from beginner to advanced. Whether you're interested in residential landscaping, sustainable gardening, or specific design principles, there's a course to suit your needs, even if it's a course to redesign your own garden without the expense of a garden designer.

Pink and purple flowers

6. Interactive Multimedia Content

Immerse yourself in dynamic and engaging learning materials, including video lectures, interactive quizzes, and visually appealing design examples. Online garden design courses leverage multimedia to enhance your learning experience. Join Garden Ninja with his video seminars and lessons to bring the subject matter of garden design to life!

Garden design online courses

7. Community Collaboration

Connect with fellow gardening enthusiasts, Garden Ninjas and professionals through Lee's online gardening forums and discussion groups associated with the courses. Share ideas, seek advice, and build a supportive network of like-minded individuals passionate about garden design.

Garden design online course

8. Lifetime Access to Resources

Enjoy ongoing access to course materials, updates, and resources even after completing the course. This ensures you can revisit and reinforce your learning whenever you need a refresher or want to explore advanced topics. Lee is constantly updating his online gardening course materials to bring you the latest garden design course syllabuses to train you to become a fantastic designer.

How much do online Garden Design courses cost?

The cost of online garden design courses in the UK can vary widely depending on factors such as the level of the course, the institution or platform offering the course, the duration, and the depth of content. Generally, prices can range from around £50 to over £1000 or more.

Here are some approximate price ranges for online garden design courses in UK sterling:

  1. Short courses or workshops: These can range from £50 to £300, offering basic concepts and introductory skills.
  2. Intermediate-level courses: These might range from £300 to £800, offering more comprehensive instruction and possibly certification.
  3. Advanced or professional-level courses: These could cost from £800 to £1500 or more, providing in-depth training, possibly with mentorship or practical components.

My Garden Design for Beginners online course starts at £345 and takes you from knowing zero to being able to design your own garden over 20 hours of online tuition.

Garden layout

When compared to £6000 upwards for an in-person class or university study, it is a great way to start your journey into Garden Design without the risks or pitfalls of taking out loans to do so.

Do you need a university degree to become a garden designer?

No, you do not necessarily need a degree to become a garden designer. While having a degree in landscape architecture, horticulture, or a related field can certainly be beneficial and provide a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, it is not always a requirement for entering the field of garden design.

Many successful garden designers have gained expertise through a combination of self-study, practical experience, apprenticeships, workshops, and short courses focused specifically on garden design principles, plant knowledge, landscape design, and related subjects.

Some key factors that can contribute to a successful career in garden design include:

i) Creativity

Garden design often involves artistic expression and the ability to envision and create beautiful outdoor spaces.

A bee friendly wildlife garden

ii) Plant Knowledge

Understanding plants, their growth habits, environmental requirements, and how they complement each other is crucial in garden design. This is where your experience as a gardener or trainee horticulturalist comes in. You can build up your own plant portfolio for designs by visiting national gardens and researching plants in books and online. Applying each planting plan to the right garden based on practice and experience.

My garden design courses teach you how to use logic to create your planting plan, even with little experience!

Sunny wisteria in flower

iii) Design Skills

Knowledge of design principles such as balance, proportion, scale, rhythm, and colour theory is essential for creating aesthetically pleasing gardens. This is where an online garden design course is vital to teach you these skills so you can flourish as a new garden designer.

Garden Blogger Lee Burkhill hand drawing a garden design

iii) Technical Proficiency

Familiarity with design software, drafting skills, and an understanding of construction techniques can be valuable assets in garden design. However, you can always partner up with a landscaper for the more technical parts of garden design, so don't let this put you off!

As for drawing up garden design, practice really makes perfect. I teach you some top tips and tricks for starting your artistic journey to becoming a wonderful garden designer.

A hand drawn garden design sketch by Garden Ninja

iv) Client Communication

Effective communication skills are important for understanding clients' needs and preferences and translating them into successful garden designs. This is one of the most important steps in being a capable, confident and successful garden designer, as you need to clearly interpret the client's requirements and then deliver a design based on their needs and wants. All whilst providing your expertise to guide them if their requests are not going to create a suitable garden design for them.

A sample moodboard

While a degree can provide a structured education and formal credentials, many garden designers have built successful careers through practical experience, talent, and continuous learning. Ultimately, what matters most is a passion for design, a commitment to excellence, and a willingness to continually improve and adapt to new trends and technologies in the field.

How much can you earn as a Garden Designer?

Garden design is a highly rewarding and creative occupation, and no two days or designs are the same. However, when it comes to earnings, what you can expect to earn varies significantly depending on experience and clientele. Glassdoor lists the average salary of a Garden Designer as between £27k-£43k per year working full time.

If you become an award-winning designer, your salary can increase significantly, but the cost of entering show gardens and other accreditation groups can be costly, too. Working for a large consultancy as an employed designer can help reduce the risk of being underpaid, and achieving other accreditations can help boost your salary.

Garden Ninja with his dog Barry the border terrier

My honest advice is that becoming a Garden Designer will not make you a millionaire, and most people do it alongside other garden maintenance or consultancy work. This is the best way to ensure year-round income. Garden design is a passion that opens up many other doors for a portfolio career, such as writing or guest speaking on design or plants.

Remember, most people only engage with a Garden Designer when the sun is shining and during spring and summer. Opening up your services, such as winter design packages or year-round garden maintenance, will help you expand your income.

So, nothing is stopping you from learning garden design and reaching your potential with an online course. Enroll today!

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