One-to-One Testimonials

Nigel Philips has taught garden design for over 25 years, training hundreds of students over his long career. If you’re interested in a part-time or single day garden design course to develop your skills and knowledge, then you can explore this page to see testimonials from some of our past students before booking on.

I have to say that the course is absolutely brilliant – I LOVE it! Our tutors are amazing – Nigel Philips and Amanda Patton have years of experience between them as well as being RHS medal winners. Nigel is also a fellow of the SGD. The fabulous thing about this particular course too is that the cohort is very small (no more than 6 usually) but just 4 this year. So the attention you get from the tutors is brilliant. They are also very focused on the real business world and its workings and how things transpose from paper to a real garden and managing those processes (clients, contractors, suppliers etc) effectively and efficiently. They are also recognised course providers, by the SGD, who are the governing body of the garden design world and encourage all members to continually seek professional development. This ensures the standards within the industry feel regulated and maintain a very high standard.

Judith Yeo
So..why choose Nigel’s Philip’s Diploma in Professional Garden Design at Plumpton? I have a busy gardening and landscaping business which has been established over 10 years. I was finding that more of my new customers were asking for their garden to be designed and I felt that I lacked the relevant skills. When choosing which design course it was very important to me that the principal tutor was an experienced and active garden designer firmly connected to the world of small business. I have not been disappointed. Whatever your interest you will find this course challenging, stimulating, exciting and interesting.

Jason Cornes
If you are really serious about becoming a garden designer, you put the work in and are able to feign confidence in the real world, this course will certainly help you down the professional route.
A fantastic course for the enthusiast wanting to take their knowledge and experience to the professional level. There is a lot of work to make this course effective for your future. I don’t recommend working full time whilst doing this course!

Ann Christian
There was a good quality and variety of speakers
Exactly what I wanted and able to adapt it to run my own small design business
The lectures were packed with information but very relaxed. Discussions, questions, anecdotes and having a laugh were all part of it. I really looked forward to my Fridays. Coursework was tough, but I was lucky to have had a day and a half free to work on projects, I would strongly recommend thinking hard about what you are taking on if you don’t have much time to spare

Sarah Ashworth