Sue Gibson's School of Gardening

Course Dates 2011/12

Garden Design Courses

1. & 2.  For beginners /second year students who want to design their own gardens and/or pursue an interest in garden design and maintenance

 3.  For third year students who wish to learn professional gardening techniques

Classes are small, informal and held at my home in Slimbridge and in third year students' gardens

Term 1
Garden Design
&
Maintenance

Autumn 2011
Term 2
Border
Planning & Maintenance

Spring 2012
Term 3
Graphics, Border Planning & Maintenance

Summer 2012

On this course, students will learn how to measure up and draw gardens to scale, and how to design and maintain them.

In Plant Planning, students learn how to plan beds and borders based on plant texture, shape and colour, and how to maintain them.   A practical is held at a local garden centre on combining plants, always a very popular exercise.

Simple graphics to illustrate the garden designs are combined with more border planning and maintenance.

1. Garden Design and Maintenance

Wednesday 28th September

7.00 pm – 9.00 pm

Saturday 1st October &
12th November

9.30 am - 12.30 pm

Cost:  £150

Wednesday 11th January - Wednesday 21st March (tbc)

7.00 pm – 9.00 pm

Cost:  £150

Wednesday 18th April (tbc) -
Wednesday 11th July (tbc)

7.00 pm – 9.00 pm

Cost:  £150

2. Friday 1st Year Students
2. Friday 1st Year Students
 

Fridays from 30th September - 9th December

2.00 pm - 4.00 pm

Cost: £tbc

Fridays from January - 23rd March (tbc)

2.00 pm - 4.00 pm

Cost: £tbc

 

3. Third Year Students

Thursdays from 29th September - 8th December (held both in the tutor's and the students' gardens)

9.45 am - 2.45 pm
with an hour for lunch

Cost:  £tbc

Thursdays from
12th January -
22nd March (tbc) (held both in the tutor's and the students' gardens)

9.45 am - 2.45 pm
with an hour for lunch

Cost:  £tbc

Thursdays from
3rd May -
4th July (tbc) (held both in the tutor's and the students' gardens)

9.45 am - 2.45 pm
with an hour for lunch

Cost:  £tbc

One Day Courses 2012

Pruning Shrubs and Roses

Pruning causes more confusion than any other garden task but is simple when you know how.  Learn the theory, then practise on a selection of shrubs, climbers and roses

10.00 am –
4.30 pm

Saturday
25th February

£75
inc. light lunch

Garden Visit & Plant Swap

Bring your surplus plants to May Cottage for a plant swap.

After a light lunch, join a private guided tour of a local garden and go home brimming with new ideas

11.00 am –
4.00 pm

Saturday
16th June

£30
inc. light lunch

Growing and Training Fruit in Small Spaces

Discover the techniques of growing and training fruit trees into beautiful espaliers, cordons and fans to make the most of even the smallest garden

10.00 am –
5.00 pm

Saturday
18th August

£75
inc. light lunch

Practical Gardening Evening Course

Solve your gardening problems in the luxury of your own garden*

On these stimulating courses, small groups of up to 5 students visit my garden for the first lesson, and then each week we go to a different student's garden to solve the problems there.  This is an excellent way to pinpoint where improvements can be made and to increase gardeners' confidence.

  • Pruning of shrubs and roses

  • Replanning borders

  • Redesigning the garden

  • Reducing maintenance

  • Improving lawns

  • Propagation

  • Gardening without chemicals

* within a 20 mile radius of Slimbridge

Mondays from 16th April - 28th May 2012

6.30 pm - 9.00 pm

6 sessions

£120

 

Contact me

See the Contact page for further details