This is a beginner/intermediate level course in landscape Architecture and Design.
Landscape design is more than selecting plants for a project, it is the integration of all the elements and spaces that affect our outdoor living environment. In this course you will be introduced to the objectives and principles that are essential to developing a strong design solution for either yourself or for a paying client, all the while you’ll be introduced to new garden and design ideas to help grow your design company. With lessons covering how to interview the client, design contracts, form composition and selecting a design approach this course is a comprehensive and in-depth journey into the world of truly creative landscape design.
Because I have students taking this course from all over the world with a wide range of climates and plant palettes this is NOT a course on planting design. The basic concepts of how plants can be used within the landscape are discussed, but individual plant species and their use or placement will not be addressed.
The practical skills of drafting to scale, and site surveys will be explained. Finally, how to take these skills, draw your garden design and create a conceptual garden plan for yourself, family or client will be covered in detail.
For those of you working in metric, you’ll want to jump straight down to Lecture 75 for a lesson on using the metric scale in design.
This is a course on garden design – not gardening. It is also NOT a course using computer aided design (CAD). The instruction will be in using pen, ink and paper – what I believe is the starting point for all design even if you choose to use a computer program later on. CAD is simply a tool, but if you do not know the basic principles and objectives of design, CAD won’t help you. You’ll simply do poor designs faster!
The conceptual plan is the starting point for any design project, opening discussion and refining the plan before construction drawings are prepared and it is this approach to design that I will be explaining, demonstrating and clarifying for the student.
What you will get out of this course:
74 lectures walking you through the entire process of creating a conceptual garden plan including garden design basics
Approximately 7 hours of instruction
Lifetime access to the instructor for advice, plan critique, contract review and encouragement
Lifetime access to the course and resources
30-day, money back guarantee
Certificate of Completion when you’ve finished the Course
Pure and practical advice
Personal guidance and mentoring from someone (me!) who has been designing and creating gardens for over 35 years
An overview of the basic equipment used in surveying a property. Many of you will be working in Imperial measurements (feet and inches) while others will be using Metric. For This lecture and most of this Section will be using Imperial. Please jump to Lecture 75 for an explanation and demonstration of using metric values.
This is a list of the drafting tools and equipment I use in my office. There are other manufacturer's than the ones I have mentioned that you may prefer.
There is hardly any limit to the uses of the drafting compass, and for triangulation it is essential.
Using a drafting triangle will insure properly drawn lines at any angle.
Mostly used on planting plans, the circle template will enable you to depict plants at the proper diameter. Combined with the right graphics and your plan really takes shape!
Often you'll find existing pool decking, patios and driveways won't have a radius point that enables you to use you drafting compass. In these cases the flex curve can save the day.
Understanding how to use the scale rule - whether it be architect, engineering or metric - will get your field measurements proportioned so that your survey will fit on your paper. In this lecture I'll discuss the architect and engineering scales. If you are working in metric and need to get a refresher on using the metric scale please see Lecture 75 at the end of the course. In that Lecture I discuss using metric scales and there are some resources and exercises available to download.
Good light is essential and a drafting lamp will help you to see what you're looking at.
For fine tuning a drawing and removing only the lines you need to the eraser shield is well worth having in your tool box.
Not interested in CAD or not ready to select the software for your needs? Knowing and using the technical pen - or Rapidograph - will give your plans and presentations the professional look you're after. And, by hand drafting you make the plans your own rather than that of a computer programer!
Available for download are two examples of radial designs - one by me while studying in England and another by a former student. Both show the versatility of this approach and how it can be used effectively in both rural and urban settings.
Available for download is an example of an Arc and Tangent design. This was my first design I did while studying in England in 1994. A long, narrow backyard. This design actually encompasses 3 different approach styles - rectangular-45; rectangular and finally into the arc & tangent approach. notice how the component parts of all shapes relate throughout the design.
Available for download are 5 examples of rectangular designs showing how they can work on properties of various shapes and sizes. The two designs labeled Conceptual Rectangular are of the same property - one being a plan view and the second being a 3-D perspective. These last two have been drawn in the software SketchUp which makes doing 3-D very easy.
Available for download is an example of a rectangular-45 design approach by one of my former students. Hand drawn and colored it shows how effective this approach can be in a small backyard giving the garden lots of interest.
Two examples of curvilinear design by British designer David Stevens. This approach is best suited for larger properties where the flowing curves can be large enough to have an elegance to them. In curvilinear design I feel that the Rule of Thirds really takes hold. Start with rectangular or rectangular-45 near the house and evolve to the more naturalistic curvilinear (natural) design as you get further from the home. This will apply to paving materials as well - more formal near the house and more casual and natural as you further into the landscape.
