Want to be a Garden
Designer?
Do you love gardens?
Do you have a flair for plants and design?
If so, you should consider becoming a garden
designer.
But how do you get into garden design (or landscape
design as many people call it)?
It isn't easy. Garden design is a closed world.
Few people know how to lay out a design, how
to find clients, or what to charge.
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That’s why this course is so useful. It tells
you all you need to know about professional garden design.
Having a client approve your first design is a real
thrill. And it’s surpassed only by the pleasure
of getting money for it. Imagine getting paid for doing
what you enjoy.
Extra income - or a new career?
Garden design can be your main work, or it can provide
a second income. You can work from home, either part
or full time, and you get to meet interesting people.
Wouldn’t you love to spend all day in the fresh
air, walking around gardens? Planning how to make them
really special? Wouldn't you enjoy having tea in the
shade with the earnest owners, showing them how to make
their dreams come true?
How busy do you want to be?
As a garden designer, you can work from home. You
can fit the work around your other commitments, and
decide how much work to take on.
There are very few costs. You just need a phone and
a notebook. Virtually every penny you earn is profit.
About the course
The Diploma course shows you how to become a
professional garden designer. It's designed to
give you the right information when you need it.
The course is a complete learning package, and
even includes a starter kit for your first meeting.
‘Become a Garden Designer’ is crammed
full of information, tips and exercises. Everything
is beautifully packaged to provide you with your
own permanent reference library which you can
consult long after completing the course. |
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This is what you'll receive
when you
register for the course |
Constructed by garden design experts, the course distills
years of experience, covering every kind of garden.
By taking this course, your success as a garden designer
is assured.
And you don’t need to be good at drawing. We
reveal how to produce competent designs - even if you’ve
never drawn anything in your life. Plus we give you
free garden design software, which let you draw professional
layouts.
New! You get a free copy of Business Blueprints (value £27).
This 47 page book contains complete step-by-step checklists for starting a successful business.
Click here to learn more about Business Blueprints
Accredited by NCFE at Level 4
Our course is fully accredited by the national
awarding body NCFE, and on completing it you get
a national award equivalent to Level 4 of the National
Learning Framework (post A level/HNC/HND standard). 
NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification
regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and
Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of
the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual)
in England, the Department for Children, Education,
Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and
the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
(CCEA) in Northern Ireland.
To read more about NCFE please go to www.ncfe.org.uk
By studying for our Diploma in Garden
Design, you’ll
give yourself that edge. You couldn’t ask for
anything more from a distance learning course.
Personal to you
To help you fully understand the course material,
we set you 13 assignments. These are marked by one
of our experienced tutors, who will stay with you throughout
the course.
It means your work is checked in a friendly atmosphere
before you are exposed to the outside world.
You’ll have unlimited access to your tutor, who'll
give you free advice and suggestions on anything to
do with garden design, including your own clients.
And you can always telephone an advisor at the Institute.
We love hearing from students.
Unlike other organizations' courses, you can take as
long as you want to complete the course.
And remember that our courses are based on the real
world. By the end of it, you'll have met all the main
problems that a garden designer encounters. So you won't
face any surprises when you meet your first client.
Could
you become a garden designer?
Take our free assessment now. Click
here.
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International in scope
We have students from all over the world, including
the USA, Canada, Ireland, France, Australia, New Zealand,
France and Portugal.
We take full account of international issues, such
as climatic zones.
And thanks to email, your assignments can be marked
and returned to you as fast as if you were next door.
Exclusive information
The course gives you an invaluable insight into the
garden design world. You can't find these trade secrets
disclosed anywhere else. The course is distilled from
actual experience, to give you the answers to questions
like:
- How do I present my designs?
- What sort of people buy garden design?
- Where do I find clients?
- How much do I charge?
- What paperwork do I need?
- How do I do a drawing?
Competitions. Prizes!
You can enter the regular free competitions we hold for our students. You can win prizes, certificates for your wall, and a boost to your CV.
How long does the course take?
You can complete the course in around nine months,
depending on your other commitments. Some students do
it faster, while others take longer. That's one advantage
of distance learning. You can learn at your own speed.
And there's no time limit on the course. So if you
need to be away for six months, you can do so without
worrying.
When you complete the course 
Once you complete the course, you’ll receive
your Diploma, which is a recognition of your skills
and knowledge.
We also send information about your success to your
local newspapers. It’s a good way of telling potential
clients that you’re available.
We’ll also put your name on our list of Approved
Garden Designers.
And if you register with the Institute, you can get
continuing help after the course.
What you'll learn from the course
By the end of the course, you'll have acquired the
following skills:
- You'll have learnt the skills of garden design.
- You'll know how to set up and run a garden design
or landscape design business
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Students who satisfactorily complete
the course are awarded the Diploma in Garden
Design. They receive the Diploma certificate
(left), and the right to use the letters Dip.
GD (Inst. GD) after their name.
You'll also get this virtual
sticker (right) to use on your web site,
letters and brochures. |
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The right course for you
You should check that this is the right course for
you. Compare other garden design or landscaping courses
before enrolling. Here are the main things to check
for:
- Can you get a no-quibble refund if the course isn't
suitable?
- Does the whole course come in one package (some
don't do that)?
- Does the course cover the setting up and marketing
of a business (if that is your aim)?
- Is there proper one-to-one tutoring?
- Is the course comprehensive? For example, does
it cover topics like garden lighting, or levels?
- Is the course accredited?
Accreditation
We're accredited by the Open and Distance
Learning Quality Council (ODLQC).
Set up by the government in 1968, the ODLQC is
one of the prime accreditation bodies for distance
learning courses.
To achieve accreditation, we undergo a rigorous
and continuous assessment, by independent experts,
of all aspects of our work, including administration,
learner support, educational materials, and publicity.
And because we're regularly inspected, we have
to we have to work hard to maintain quality to
keep that accreditation.
We're also accredited by the Better Business
Bureau, and by Public Eye.
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It's time to get started
Having read this far, you've got what it takes - motivation.
So now you can register
online, because this is where the adventure
and rewards begin. It's easy to start:
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Register
online. If you need help or information,
e-mail or write or phone us at the Institute. Post the
form and payment to us.
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We’ll ship the full course materials within
two days.
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When you get the course, read the first module.
It’s
laid out in an easy-to-follow format. Then do
the simple first assignment. Send it to your tutor
for marking. He or she will return it to you with
friendly advice and comments.
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Do the same for the other modules, until you reach
the end of the course. By then, you'll probably
be earning good money as a garden designer.
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