Since 1983, the British School of Gardening has been helping gardeners and garden designers develop and hone their skills. With courses available from home or at the School’s London campus at Chelsea Physic Garden, studying here is the ideal way to take your gardening to the next level or turn a hobby you love into a career.
The School’s founder, Rosemary Alexander, has been working in landscape and garden design since 1970, establishing the British Gardening School shortly after setting up her own garden design company in 1980. As the author of several books published in ten languages, a gardening instructor and lecturer, and a talented gardener who opened her own garden at Sandhill Farm for the National Gardening Programme for 25 years, there are few people better placed to create courses and classes that gardeners can benefit from. And thanks to Rosemary’s long-standing reputation in the gardening world, the British Gardening School attracts tutors who are second to none. Regular tutors include Edward Flint, Ben Pope and Catriona Rowbotham, while guest speakers include the likes of Jo Thompson, Marian Boswall, Michael Marriott and Troy Scott Smith, among many others.
The British School of Gardening’s signature course, the Certificate in Good Gardening, is perfect if you’re a gardener looking to improve your gardening techniques and planting design skills, or are thinking about gardening for a living. The course is taught one day a week over three terms and by the end of the course you’ll have expanded your knowledge of plants, learned how to plan planting professionally and be able to re-plan a garden. Private visits to private gardens are an integral part of the course, taught by Edward Flint, Ben Pope and Derry Watkins.
The School’s second Diploma course is the Essential Garden Design Diploma, for gardeners who want to progress further in the field of garden design. Taught two days a week for a year, the course covers every aspect of the profession from site surveying to costing and specifications, as well as producing images and mood boards. Past students include Chelsea Medal-winning designer Pollyanna Wilkinson, Garden Design Society Award-winner Adolfo Harrison and Ruth Willmott, whose William Morris garden won gold at Chelsea 2022, as well as gardening presenters Joe Swift and Manoj Malde.
You don’t have to be considering a career change to benefit from the British School of Gardening’s curriculum. Try a short course, such as the three-day Advanced Plant-Led Design, taught by Nick Bailey. Or, if you know someone who could benefit, Gardening for Beginners is a four-day course with tutor Ben Pope that will get new gardeners on the right track and give them all the tools they need to care for their own garden.
All courses include time in private gardens, with visits being an integral part of the learning process, providing the opportunity to see techniques put into practice and gain practical skills. Gardens include Rosemary’s own garden at Sandhill Farm in Hampshire and the famous gardens around Arundel Castle in Sussex, under the supervision of head gardener Martin Duncan.
For more information about the British School of Gardening courses and information sessions, visit englishgardeningschool.co.uk
