Oxford College of Garden Design
The Most Important
Step for those Considering a Second Career in Garden Design. Places are now Being
Offered for a Unique 4 Day Taster Course 6 to 9 September
A quote from one of this year's graduates:
Oliver Hawkins, 29, ex business consultant: "The best decision I have ever made!
I did the 4 day taster course before I made the decision to resign from my job and
have never looked back. The course has been a terrific foundation for my new career
and I have just completed my first private commission on a project costing over
£100,000!
The postgraduate level Diploma in Residential Garden Design offered by the Oxford
College of Garden Design* is widely regarded as one of the leading garden design
courses in the world. Held at St Hugh's College Oxford - set in 14 acres of landscaped
gardens - places are currently being offered for a unique 4 Day Taster Course to
be held on 6 to 9 September. The cost of the 4 Day Taster Course is £500, which
is redeemable against the cost of the full-time Diploma, which starts on 30 September.
To find out more visit:
www.garden-design-courses.co.uk
or telephone 01491 628950 for further information.
Many of those who undertake the Diploma are second career students and Principal
Duncan Heather** believes that it is, therefore, important for them to know that
they have the necessary skills to become successful garden designers before giving
up salaries and committing to tuition fees. In addition, the College differs from
other garden design colleges in its selection procedure as students are hand-picked
via interview to ensure that everyone on the course is capable of successfully achieving
the high standards set by the College.
Those high standards are currently producing the top garden design students in the
country.
Duncan Heather says: "Each year we aim to produce the top students from any of the
garden design colleges. From last year's course alone we have produced the Society
of Garden Designer's Student of the Year, an RHS Silver Medal winner and one of
the finalists of the RHS Young Designer of the Year competition, which will be judged
later on this month. Many other students have won important competitions and some
are even undertaking valuable commissions before completing their course."
Of last year's graduates - Olivia Stewart is one of three finalists in the new RHS
Young Designer of the Year competition and has received a £12,000 grant to design
and build a garden at the prestigious RHS Show Tatton Park, held in Cheshire at
the end of July. Melissa Jolly has just won an RHS Silver Medal at the BBC Gardener's
Word Live show, held at the NEC Birmingham last month; after also winning the National
Savings & Investments Growing Gardens Today competition at the Show, for which
she received a £5,000 grant to design and build a garden. Sarah Naybour received
the great accolade of being named the Society of Garden Designers Student Designer
of the Year in 2009. Other success stories include former graduate of the College,
Sarah Price, who is currently designing the showcase gardens for the main entrance
to the 2012 Olympics with a budget of £5m.
This year's graduates are already making their mark, Oliver Hawkins, age 29, was
a business consultant in the energy sector before making the big move into garden
design. He set up his own garden design business, Viridian Gardens, whilst undertaking
the course and is already working on a number of projects for clients including
a commission of over £100,000. On taking the course Oliver says: "The best decision
I have ever made! I did the 4 day taster course before I made the decision to resign
from my job and have never looked back. The course has been a terrific foundation
for my new career and I have just completed my first private commission."
Duncan Heather continues: "This innovative Diploma course is designed to equip students
with the skills necessary to set up and run their own design practices and is backed
up after graduation by an experienced mentor who supports them during their first
few years of business. If they wish to find paid employment, our students are considered
to be the most employable of any graduate course and have been placed with award
winning designers such as Anthony Paul, Luciano Giubbilei, Joe Swift, Charlotte
Rowe, Arne Maynard, and Christopher Bradley-Hole to name but a few."
*Oxford College of Garden Design
The College was set up by Duncan Heather in 1992 and has attracted students from
around the world, including America, New Zealand and Japan, as well as the UK.
**Duncan Heather
Duncan Heather is one of Europe's foremost garden designers. Duncan was trained
by Britain's best-loved octogenarian designer and garden writer, John Brookes OBE,
whom many regard as one of the world's top garden designers of the 20th Century.
In a career now spanning over 20 years, Duncan has won five gold medals, one silver,
one bronze and three awards for innovative design.