Through part-time study at Hampton Court Palace, combined with out of hours’ assignments, this in-depth Diploma Course offers students a professional training for a career in Garden Design.
Encompassing both practical and theoretical elements, the course covers all aspects of garden design from the more design-orientated and technically detailed subjects such as hard landscaping and construction drawings through to garden history and horticulture. Computer aided design, presentation techniques and extensive coverage of professional practice, also form an important part of the Diploma programme.
With the learning resource of the 20th Century Gardens, students will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of developing a garden design project.
Under the expert guidance of KLC Tutors, students tackle a variety of interesting and challenging projects so that they build up an impressive portfolio of work to show prospective clients and employers.
EMPLOYMENT, WORK EXPERIENCE AND MENTORING
The school is highly regarded within the industry and has an enviable track record of employment for its graduates. The Course Director gives current students career advice and also keeps in close touch with alumni.
KLC will help to find each student work experience that is appropriate for the student. This will be organised during the first term and then will happen during the subsequent terms and/or holidays. Work experience can also be arranged for a fixed day ongoing throughout the whole course subject to the student/employer arrangement.
Students will also be assigned a personal tutor for tutorials and will also be mentored by professional designers (this may be the same person). The student will spend 5 days during the course of the year with the designer at work. This will include a variety of situations/site/planting/plant buying etc and will be worked out with each student to suit their experience and capabilities
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
No previous art or design experience is necessary but students must be at least twenty years old. Normally the entry standard is a degree, but mature students with sufficient prior learning experience are particularly encouraged. Entry is by interview and numbers are strictly limited. The purpose of the interview is to assess applicants' academic ability, motivation, performance under pressure and the reasons for undertaking the training. English language ability must also be competent and we look for a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (http://www.ielts.org/) or its equivalent. Students are also required to have a laptop computer for this course.
NOTE: The interview is the first step in the formal application process for KLC’s full-time courses. Before coming in you should check that you can study part-time, have the funding available, be of sufficient age and have the required language ability. To arrange an interview for this course, please contact us on 020 7376 3377 or e-mail info@klc.co.uk.
FUNDING
One option for your course funding could be a career development loan. For more details visit our General Information pages.
STUDENT MEMBERSHIP TO PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
Included in the price of this course is student membership for one year to the professional association, the Society of Garden Designers. Successful KLC graduates of the Diploma in Garden Design will be able to apply for full membership of the Society of Garden Designers once they are able to submit three completed schemes for assessment of their portfolio.
SECURITY
Please note that as a student on this course, we will need to undertake a security check so that you can be provided a security pass to gain access to Hampton Court Palace.
The intensive Diploma course syllabus covers every aspect of training for the aspiring garden designer and the carefully constructed, linear programme, built around a series of varied design projects, has been designed to develop the potential of each student. The combination of lectures and practical workshops allows students to build up confidence quickly by putting newly acquired information straight into practice. Good time management is encouraged and students are also given an insight into the many potential career opportunities that exist as well as one to one career advice.
In the early stages, students are introduced to the fundamentals of design drawing, carefully integrated with an introduction to computer aided design, design principles, construction and presentation techniques all set in the context of the design process as a whole. All these areas are further developed as the course progresses so that graduates can develop their design solutions, on a sound basis, and effectively communicate their ideas to the client. Throughout the course considerable emphasis is placed on the importance of the relationship with the client.
Supporting studies, range from an inspirational exploration of the development of garden styles to down to earth practicalities such as pruning, planting and drainage. Other very relevant contemporary issues such as environmentally friendly design and technology are also highlighted.
THE LECTURERS
KLC lecturers are all working professionals of the highest calibre and include some of the country's top landscapers, garden designers, horticulturists and specialists.
BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
Students are given an insight into sound business principles, procedures and practice. Topics include marketing, contracts, permissions, fees/charging, budgeting, costing and estimating, record keeping, insurance, designer/trade relationships, project co-ordination, legal responsibilities and how to run a workforce.
COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN
Computer Aided Design enables a designer to work faster with greater flexibility and to make adjustments to plans and elevations easily. It is rapidly becoming a must for the efficient running of a design practice and, as such, is an integral part of the Diploma Course. KLC uses MiniCAD VectorWorks, which is becoming the industry-standard CAD software.
THE PORTFOLIO
Throughout their training, Diploma Course students build the basis of their own extensive portfolio founded on a number of realistic design projects and the brief is always given by the “client”. Projects are chosen to give students as wide a range of experience as possible and wherever possible students visit the actual site to assess both the functional and aesthetic nature of the environment. Individuality is encouraged and it is our policy to ensure that students develop their own ideas rather than to impose a set house style.
THE SYLLABUS
Introductory Week
Drawing skills, technical and sketching: lettering and titling, drawing plans, elevations and sections and mood boards
Term 1 – “Discovery”
- Guidance for self-generated research and project work
- Garden history – Ancient; Medieval; Renaissance; Formal
- Continued drawing, drafting, freehand sketching and rendering
Inspirational lectures
- The role of the garden designer
- The design process - surveying/client brief/project management
- Design skills - principles of design
- Functional layout and conceptual work
- Practical gardening skills including pruning, training and propagation
- Planting design and principles including plans, schedules and using colour
- Plant & soil science including nomenclature
- Self-driven garden design analysis
- Introduction to hard landscaping
Term 2 – “Development”
- More complex design situations and theory, including the design of challenging sites
- Specialist lectures & visits
- Continued design theory, creativity and concept work
- Spring and summer related practical projects
- Garden history cont. – Early Landscape, Landscape Movement, 19th & 20th Century gardens
- Sketching, drafting and rendering continued
- Introduction to 2D CAD (VectorWorks) and SketchUp
- Presentation Techniques
- 1 & 2 Point Perspective
- Powerpoint presentations
- Hard landscaping - construction details continued, including water
- Study of Inspirational Designers
Term 3 – “Direction”
- Inspirational talks & lectures
- Business practice including specifications, contracts, project management, proposals and costing
- Portfolio advice and surgery
- CAD/Photoshop continued
- Concept design workshop
- More complex design situations and projects
Garden lighting
- Project work – final project
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