Cottage garden styles have changed dramatically over the years. In the past, they were practical spaces that were focused on consolidating a diverse range of plants in as little space as possible. Today’s styles still focus on visual appeal but with more of a focus on complementary designs, forms, textures and colours. It’s now all about originality! This course is ideal for those who would like to boost their landscaping skills or specialise in the area of cottage gardens.
The Certificate of Cottage Garden Design is a professional development course that will teach you how to design a cottage garden and apply the concepts of this design to create landscapes that integrate with a specific style of architecture or period in history.
In this cottage garden design course, you will learn about the history of cottage gardens, design techniques and drawing plans, landscape features and components, and what plants ideally suit a cottage garden.
You will also gain insights into the heritage of formal to semi-formal designs with an emphasis on flowers, vegetables, archways, arbours, statues, gazebos, picket fencing, sundials and rustic elements.
On completion of this course, you will have enhanced your landscaping skills and gained unique garden design insights to benefit yourself or your own clients.
Course Structure
Unit - Cottage Garden Design
Unit 1 – Introduction to Cottage Gardens
- What is a cottage garden?
- Broad guidelines for using plants in cottage gardens
- Understanding plant names
- The binomial system
- Writing botanical names
- Cultivars
- Monocotyledons vs dicotyledons
- Plant families
- Pronunciation of plant names
- Naming the plant
- Landscape principles
- Elements of landscape design
- Plant review worksheets
- Naming the plant
- Describing the plant
- Illustrating the plant
- Example of a plant identification worksheet
Unit 2 – History of Cottage Gardens
- Concept of a cottage garden
- Example of an Australian cottage garden
- Botany and medicine
- Plants in medicine in ancient times
- Greek and roman medicine
- The revival of medicine in the renaissance
- The rise of modern medicine and botany
- Alchemy comes of age
- Man makes his own cures
- Plants make better doctors
- The accidental miracles
- Medicines from other lands
- Protecting our priceless heritage
Unit 3 – Design Techniques and Drawing Plans
- Understanding garden rooms
- Tips for positioning garden features
- Frame views
- The design procedure
- Landscape graphics
- Scale
- What paper and pens to use
- Lettering
- Examples of landscape plans
- Examples of symbols used on landscape plans
- Representing plants on landscape designs
- Pre-planning – appraising the site and collecting data
- Developing a preliminary concept plan
- Developing a final plan
- Climate considerations
Unit 4 – Plants for Cottage Gardens
- Prepare planting designs for cottage gardens
- Types of plants used for flowers in cottage gardens
- The bones of the garden
- Selecting woody plants
- Designing a flower bed
- Get your choice of colours right
- Get your timing right
- Choose compatible plants
- Perennials
- Maintenance hints
- Designing a perennial display
- Getting the most out of your flower bed
- Colour themes
- Choose compatible plants
- Preparing a suitable site
- Soil Ph
- Cottage garden plants
- Blue flowering cottage plants
- Silver or grey foliage plants
- Shade tolerant perennials
- More cottage garden plants
- Long flowering plants
- Using bulbs in the cottage garden
- Garden borders
- Some suggested bulbs, corms and tubers
- More bulbs, corms and tubers
- Bulbs that grow in shade
- Scented plants and night scented plants
- Plants with fragrant flowers
- Fragrant foliage
- Climbers creepers and twiners
- Shrubs for cottage gardens
- Using herbs in a perennial border
- Perennials in wildflower meadows
- Maintaining herbaceous borders
- Evergreen perennials
- Other perennials and suggested uses
- Supporting herbaceous plants
- Genus thymus (thyme)
- Growing thyme
- How to grow lavender
- Propagation
- Scented pelargoniums/geraniums
- Colourful year-round foliage
- Annual and herbaceous plants
- Selecting annuals for different heights
- Scented annuals
- Scented foliage and colourful foliage
- Growing annuals from seed and seedlings
Unit 5 – Planting Design in Cottage Gardens
- Prepare planting designs for cottage gardens
- Incorporating a wide variety of plants.
- Shade trees and benefits
- Where to plant the shade tree
- Design elements
- Components used in a landscape design
- Qualities or characteristics which need to be considered
- Colour and garden design
- Using contrasting colours
- Using opposite colours to create contrast
- Using harmonious colours
- Light and colour
- Landscape plans
- Site plan, concept plan and the final plan
- The planting plan
- The design procedure
- Plant application
- Copying nature
- Creating landscape effects
- Companion planting
- General principles
- Repellent plants
- Attractant plant
- Plants which affect the soil
- Some companion planting associations
- Insect repellents
- Bait plants
- Companion plants
- Soil improving plants
Unit 6 – Landscape Features and Components
- Plan non-living landscape features in a cottage garden
- Garden features
- Walls and fencing for cottage gardens
- Garden art
- The options: choosing what to buy
- Security concerns
- Real or imitation/unique or mass produced?
- The history of sundials
- Furnishing the garden
- Paths and selection of materials
- Gravel and cobble paving
- General guidelines for path design
- Gravel and bark paths
- barriers and walls
- Timber paling, trellis, picket
- Brush fencing and metal fencing
- Brick or stone fences
- Fence supports
- Espaliers/wall training
- Plants to grow on trellis
- Outdoor living areas
- Patios and seating
- Materials for outdoor furniture
- Garden structures
- Pergolas, pleached alleys and arbours
- Hedges and topiary
- Pools and ponds – water garden design
- Water effects
- Water garden practicalities
- Constructing a water garden
- Plants for water gardens
Unit 7 – Cottage Gardens Today
- Changes to cottage garden style
- Where are cottage gardens most appropriate?
- How to make a courtyard more exciting
- Colourful year – round foliage
- Ornamental grasses
- Ornamental grasses for year-round effect
- Grasses are diverse
- Ways to use grasses in a garden
- some ornamental grasses
- Planning for perfection
Unit 8 – Assignment – Design of a Complete Garden
- Coherence or contrast
- Making garden beds – the variables
- Surfacing/mulch
- Irrigation systems
- Using ferns in shaded areas
- Creating the impression of distance
- Screening distractions
- Making walls higher
- Suggested ferns
- The landscape industry: costing jobs
- the cost of employing labour
Study Hours
Estimated duration 50 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
About Us
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
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Payment Options
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Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no course or subject pre-requisites for entry into our programs. However, our professional development programs are generally intended for people over the age of 18. In some circumstances, enrolments from younger people may be considered. Please complete the AOC Parent Guardian Consent Form prior to enrolling and submit here.
Are there any computer requirements?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional Development For:
- Garden Designers
- Landscapers
- Horticulturists
- Garden Maintenance Staff
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