Paul Ridley
The one-year diploma at Oxford College of Garden Design offers the best coverage of this enormous field I can imagine. Progressing through three varied design projects based on real gardens, students learn the essential skills to assess the site, organise the space and design different types of garden.
With frequent critiques of your work and regular deadlines the pace is fast - very fast, but this allows you to rehearse the organisational skills necessary for running your own successful design office. There is a strong emphasis on the fundamentals of construction and hard landscaping, as well as a good grounding in the design programmes essential for successful computer design. The teaching is supportive as well as demanding, and you will make excellent contacts and good friends as a result of the course. The diploma has been the perfect launchpad for my new career, and is highly recommended if you have the stamina for a very busy year.
With frequent critiques of your work and regular deadlines the pace is fast - very fast, but this allows you to rehearse the organisational skills necessary for running your own successful design office. There is a strong emphasis on the fundamentals of construction and hard landscaping, as well as a good grounding in the design programmes essential for successful computer design. The teaching is supportive as well as demanding, and you will make excellent contacts and good friends as a result of the course. The diploma has been the perfect launchpad for my new career, and is highly recommended if you have the stamina for a very busy year.
