Short Course · Landscape and Garden Design

Start a Career in Landscape Design

Maybe you redesign other people's gardens in your head. This walks through briefs, site analysis, planting, hardscaping and styling. The right fit if you want to design, not just plant.

From $29a week on a plan
~80 hoursof study, self paced
6 monthsof course access
Tentopics in the course
No examsever
At a Glance

Course Snapshot

Study AreaEducation & Teaching
Course TypeShort Course
Study Time~80 hours
Access6 months
Study ModeFully online, study whenever suits you
AssessmentNo exams, ever
PaymentsFrom $29 a week
Comes with
  • 10-Day Money Back Guarantee
  • Two industry mentors critique your work
  • Live sessions through the year
  • No entry requirements
Who It’s For

Why Do This Course

Design With a Reason

Purpose, style, brief and site analysis. The thinking that happens before a single plant goes in.

Plants and Hard Edges

Plant selection, turf, hardscaping and sustainability. The soft and the solid, together.

Get Your Drawings Marked

Two working designers critique your ideas, layouts, planting and presentation.

Where The Skills Fit

Where These Skills Could Take You

New builds, renovations and tired back yards all need a plan. The work is easy to picture. A site visit, a sketch, a planting list that suits the soil.

Garden Designer

Planning gardens for private clients.

Landscape Designer

The whole outdoor space, planted and built.

Nursery Worker

Plants, advice and the people buying them.

Horticulturist

Growing things well, and knowing why they fail.

Roles where these skills are useful, not promised outcomes. Every role is different, and some need more study or experience. Registered landscape architecture sits behind separate accredited study.

The Course

What You'll Learn

01
Landscape & Garden Design
Ten topics, brief to final styling.
Designing With Purpose
Design Styles & Aesthetics
The Design Brief
Location & Site Analysis
Design Tools
Plant Selection & Design
Turf Selection & Management
Hardscaping
Sustainability & Land Management
Exterior Styling
Included

What You’ll Get

In the Course

  • The brief, purpose, styles, what the client wants
  • The site, location and site analysis, design tools
  • Planting, plant selection, turf, management
  • The build, hardscaping, sustainability, styling

As a Student

  • Mentor critique, on key submissions you make
  • 6 months of access, study whenever suits you
  • Discussion boards, share concepts, read feedback
  • Help on hand, help centre and support team
Why This One

What Makes It Different

What sets this apart from a garden book.

01
Mentors With Show Gardens

Jim Fogarty has over 30 years and a Chelsea gold medal.

02
A Studio, Not a Video Course

Design videos, studio-style critiques and hands-on tasks you submit.

03
Live Sessions Through the Year

Planting workshops, site analysis walkthroughs, layout critiques and guest talks.

The Credentials

What You'll Earn

SHORT COURSE

Landscape & Garden Design

Certificate of Achievement · The Career Academy

A Certificate of Achievement

From the college, once the ten topics are done.

A Body of Work

Designs two working mentors have critiqued.

Career Support

CV reviews and interview preparation.

Getting Started

How It Works

Step one

Ask About It

Enquire and an advisor sends the guide and the topics.

Step two

Enrol and Start

Start any day. Pay weekly, or upfront in one go.

Step three

Draw and Submit

Key work goes to Clare or Jim for critique.

Step four

Build a Portfolio

Keep the designs you make as you go.

The Investment

How to Get Started

$29 / week
Pay upfront, or spread it weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
No deposit and no credit check
10-Day Money Back Guarantee
6 months of course access
Mentor feedback included
Enquire Now
Good to Know

Common Questions

Do I need design experience?

No. There are no entry requirements. It suits keen gardeners and beginners alike.

What does it cost each week?

From $29 a week on a flexible plan, or pay upfront. Enquire to confirm current pricing.

How long does it take?

About 80 hours across ten topics, with 6 months of access.

Who marks my work?

Clare Mackarness and Jim Fogarty. Both are working designers with their own practices.

Will this make me a landscape architect?

It is a fast, low cost way to test design. Better to know before committing years. Architecture itself is a registered path with its own accredited study. You get the design craft, mentor critique, and portfolio work.

Are there exams?

None. Mentors review your key submissions and give written critique instead.

Is this course accredited?

It comes from an ICOES accredited centre. The centre holds Official Accreditation with the CPD Standards Office. That is accreditation for professional development. It is not NZQA accredited, so it is not a national qualification. Those are different things. Clients hire on the gardens in your portfolio.

What if I change my mind?

There is a 10-Day Money Back Guarantee from the day you enrol.

Delivered By

About the College

You enrol through The Career Academy, an online college in Christchurch.

The course is delivered by Ulleo, the college's education partner. The college has run over 15 years. It helps more than 25,000 students a year. Abby, Ulleo's digital assistant, is there day and night.

Over 15 years runningDelivered with UlleoTwo working mentorsLive sessions included
One Step Left

Enquire Today

Picture the season your first design fills out, the planting knits together, and the owner sends you a photo of it.

Enquire Now