Hi @rudolfsun1980
Thanks for your question and it's a frequently asked one for people looking to make a career change to become a garden designer. Below is the advice that I give all people thinking of making the switch to becoming a garden designer and hopefully, it is helpful for you!
I think the first thing to say is that I've been a gardener since a child. Albeit from a hobby point of view over 2 decades. Which helped form my experience before I studied officially. Building experience as a gardener is key to a successful career in
horticulture. Along with the knowledge of plants which is best gathered from some courses to help you with plant knowledge. If you don't know your plants then you will soon come unstuck!
A career as a garden designer or gardener/horticulturalist is very uncertain. You're usually self-employed, work can be amazingly busy or nonexistent when you first start out. You constantly have to plug away. It's never 9-5. It takes a huge amount of drive, belief and tenacity to build your portfolio whilst spinning all the plates needed. Don't let that put you off though if you really want it. I absolutely love my job, which is more than work it's an obsession!
The way I did it was to take it in stages.
So I studied and sat my exams for the RHS Level 2 for over 2 years part-time. Alongside this, I did a series of weekend design courses as well to get me started with the basics. I didn't have the funds or time for a full degree so instead went on every course I could and volunteered with a number of leading designers to fill in any gaps I had.
There's an organization called the Gardeners Masterclass which runs courses over a day or two throughout the year on loads of weird and wonderful gardening subjects. Cotswold school of garden design does some great introductory courses, tell them I sent you!
I'm not saying my way is the only way but it worked for me to allow me to gain more knowledge without leaving my old career with no direction. You may even find that going part-time in your current job and then doing some private client gardens is enough for you to get going. I think whichever course you do will help inform this.
Basically, vacuum up as much training and knowledge as you can, it doesn't need to be a degree in my experience but understanding horticulture properly is key and why things grow or why we do things. I would say knowing plants and understanding the principles of horticulture are essential to any successful career in this area.
Speak to every horticulturalist you meet, network (like you're doing now), be eager to learn and just enjoy yourself.
https://youtu.be/DBZM7hx1hCk
All the best
Hi @rudolfsun1980
Thanks for your question and it's a frequently asked one for people looking to make a career change to become a garden designer. Below is the advice that I give all people thinking of making the switch to becoming a garden designer and hopefully, it is helpful for you!
I think the first thing to say is that I've been a gardener since a child. Albeit from a hobby point of view over 2 decades. Which helped form my experience before I studied officially. Building experience as a gardener is key to a successful career in
horticulture. Along with the knowledge of plants which is best gathered from some courses to help you with plant knowledge. If you don't know your plants then you will soon come unstuck!
A career as a garden designer or gardener/horticulturalist is very uncertain. You're usually self-employed, work can be amazingly busy or nonexistent when you first start out. You constantly have to plug away. It's never 9-5. It takes a huge amount of drive, belief and tenacity to build your portfolio whilst spinning all the plates needed. Don't let that put you off though if you really want it. I absolutely love my job, which is more than work it's an obsession!
The way I did it was to take it in stages.
So I studied and sat my exams for the RHS Level 2 for over 2 years part-time. Alongside this, I did a series of weekend design courses as well to get me started with the basics. I didn't have the funds or time for a full degree so instead went on every course I could and volunteered with a number of leading designers to fill in any gaps I had.
There's an organization called the Gardeners Masterclass which runs courses over a day or two throughout the year on loads of weird and wonderful gardening subjects. Cotswold school of garden design does some great introductory courses, tell them I sent you!
I'm not saying my way is the only way but it worked for me to allow me to gain more knowledge without leaving my old career with no direction. You may even find that going part-time in your current job and then doing some private client gardens is enough for you to get going. I think whichever course you do will help inform this.
Basically, vacuum up as much training and knowledge as you can, it doesn't need to be a degree in my experience but understanding horticulture properly is key and why things grow or why we do things. I would say knowing plants and understanding the principles of horticulture are essential to any successful career in this area.
Speak to every horticulturalist you meet, network (like you're doing now), be eager to learn and just enjoy yourself.
All the best
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