I have been involved with gardens and garden design for more than 20 years, exhibited at RHS shows, worked on TV garden programs and taught garden design and horticulture to university students. What I love most of all is helping people to get the most out of their gardens, to recognise that there is more than one way to design a garden and encouraging them to have a go. A few insights and tips can help reduce the sense of mystery that often surrounds the idea of ‘design’.
The courses are mostly full day sessions, and what you might describe as leisure learning, but for those who wish to take it a bit more seriously, I also offer some professional training (please get in touch to discuss if you are interested in this). I have designed the courses to be accessible to anyone with an interest in gardens and plants, regardless of experience or knowledge. They are primarily for fun, enjoyment and inspiration, although hopefully they will whet the appetite for more learning. For the purpose of these courses drawing skills are not necessary. Garden design is a process that is as much about practicality as it is about exploring ideas and most people have more imagination and creativity than they give themselves credit for. Some guidance and new understanding is often all that’s required to tap into that.
Courses take place at a couple of different venues - Doddington Hall in Lincolnshire and Sheffield Botanical Gardens. In both cases, where time allows, some areas of the surrounding gardens are used during courses to provide inspiration, to illustrate design and planting ideas, or just to stretch legs.
Tea & coffee are provided throughout the day, and a set of notes to take home.
In addition to the one day courses, I also run a range of Tree Walks and ‘Talk & Walks’, both at Doddington Hall & Sheffield Botanical Gardens - which you will find in the sections below.
I hope you will find something of interest and please don't hesitate to get in contact if you have a question.
‘Thanks so much Guy……for all your time and enthusiasm and wonderfully illuminating and informative course. I thought my garden was beyond help but am now looking at it and its potential in a completely different way, and understand why its not worked before and how, with bit of tweaking. I can enhance and enjoy it so much more’ (Angie)
Garden design workshops
I run a garden design courses at two venues, in the spring of each year and sometimes again in the autumn. See below.
In addition I will run any of my courses on an exclusive basis for small groups (up to 4 people) and am happy to do 1 to 1 sessions tailored to an individuals needs. Please get in touch to discuss.
Doddington Hall, Nr Lincoln
Sheffield Botanical Gardens
Garden Talks
I give talks on garden and plant related subjects, including on trees, 'greener' gardens and wonders of plants. I am very happy to discuss requests, please just get in touch.
Planned talks currently for 2025:-
RHS Harlow Carr
Gardens for Life - 10th May 2025 - How to make our gardens both attractive to wildlife and a valuable part of the wider environment, while also being beautiful and practical places we want to spend time in.
Trees in Garden Design - 23rd August 2025 - Trees are a central element in the design of most gardens. This walk & talk will discuss the many roles trees play and how to use them effectively, and look at some of the beautiful varieties in the gardens at Harlow Carr.
Booking for both of these events is via the RHS website - a link button will be created here as soon as they are available.
Tree walks & workshops
Various locations
Trees are such a valuable, beautiful and interesting part of both the countryside & our gardens, and never far from my thoughts, so I am excited to be running a number of tree walks & workshops in 2025, including winter tree ID Workshops at RHS Harlow Carr (Harrogate), Sheffield Botanical Gardens, Doddington Hall (Nr. Lincoln) & Pin Mill Studio nr Ipswich, Suffolk .
For information on events currently scheduled click on ‘Learn More’ - and there will be more to follow.
