This document outlines the introduction to a 6-week course on garden design. It discusses conducting a site appraisal and identifying user requirements for the initial design stages. Learners will keep design notebooks, collect images, and complete weekly practical tasks. The document explains that the initial focus is on the functional use of space before choosing plants. It also outlines identifying existing site features, limitations, and learning objectives related to site inventory components, user requirements, and limitations to the design process.

1. Introduction to Garden Design
Week 1 – Introduction, Site Appraisal
and User Requirements.

2. Housekeeping
 6 weeks – last session 5th
November, no
session on 16th
October
 Learner Diaries – for you to record your
progress and any queries or comments.
Hand it in and I will comment every other
week and in the last week.
 Each week I ask you to build on the
session by doing a practical task. Please
try to at least attempt it as it forms the
basis for the start of the next session.

3. Learning objectives
 Name four of the component areas of a
site inventory
 State what existing features and elements
of the site need to be identified
 Describe five issues that need to be
addressed in identifying user
requirements
 State three limitations to design process
and how these can be identified via site
appraisal

4. The Plants Come Last!
 Initial design stages are primarily
about use not appearance.
 Completely opposite to the way
most gardeners think!
 Use of space, movement through
the space, sightlines and style are
all selected before plants are
chosen.

5. Starting to think about design
 Notebook – design is a thinking process,
so keep notes or you will forget.
 Design ‘styles’ are useful guides – not
handcuffs!
 Start to collect images, items, colour
combinations
 Identify strong dislikes – but otherwise
keep an open mind.
 ‘Mood boards’, ideas boxes, scrapbooks
 Not particular plants!! (put them in your
notebook)

6. Site Appraisal
 House and setting – approach, views,
location
 Soil and climate
 Existing features
 Services and access
 Legal/regulatory issues?

7. Users requirements
 What? What is the garden to be
used for?
 Why? Any particular needs?
 Where? Where should the uses be
located?
 When? When will the garden be
used?
 Who? Who uses the garden?
regularly or just sometimes?

8. Limitations – ‘you can’t always get what
you want’.
 Site-related – fixed features, slopes,
soil type etc
 Budget related.
 Space available for the ‘brief’– need to
prioritise uses (and plan for change
over time).

9. Learning outcomes
 Name four component areas of a
site inventory
 State what existing features need to
be identified
 Describe five issues that need to be
addressed in identifying user
requirements
 State three limitations to design
process and how these can be
identified

10. Learning outcomes
 Name four component areas of a
site inventory
 State what existing features need to
be identified
 Describe five issues that need to be
addressed in identifying user
requirements
 State three limitations to design
process and how these can be
identified