The Diploma in Garden Design course at West Dean KLC School of Design covers practical landscaping and gardening skills, plant science and creative design principles in a part-time format.

The Garden Design Diploma course is uniquely tailored and designed to prepare students for a career in the garden design industry.

The course follows the growing year, which means initial study and final project work will all take place in the colder winter months and practical horticulture and live projects will take place during the spring and summer.

This one-year course combines practical hard landscaping and gardening skills, plant science and creative design principles in a part-time format, with two full days at school and an average of 20 hours of additional study required outside of class each week.

KLC School of Design Garden Design Diploma students have the opportunity to join practical horticultural work experience at West Dean Gardens, one of the most historically rich Victorian gardens in the country.

Students graduate with a respected qualification, an impressive portfolio of work and the skills and confidence to work on professional design projects.

School: West Dean KLC School of Design
Course: Diploma in Garden Design
Type: Short course
Location: London, UK
Course dates: January 2026 to January 2027
Application deadline: 15 December 2025

Find out more about the course and apply ›

What will I learn during this course?

– Garden design skills
– Plant science
– Creative design principles
– Horticultural knowledge

What are the requirements?

– No previous experience in garden design or horticulture is required for this course – we simply ask that you have a passion and a drive to learn more about this exciting field of design

English language requirements include:

– Good command of written and spoken English is required for all applicants
– If you reside in the UK, but English is not your first language, you may be asked to undertake an approved English language test
– Please note: we are currently unable to sponsor student visas on this programme due to UK Government visa rules

What facilities and resources are available?

– Diploma in Garden Design students have access to state of the art IT suite, library, refreshment area and food shop, collaborative work spaces and common rooms

What career prospects can I expect upon graduating?

Our extensive links with designers, suppliers, manufacturers, specialists and professionals within the interior design and garden design industries allow us to offer our students unmatched opportunities to work on live design projects, placements and employment opportunities.

Who teaches this course?

– Humaira Ikram, tutor
– Jessica Cattle, tutor

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