Photo: Clive Nicols
Our mission at The Yorkshire School of Garden Design is to develop talent and nurture confidence in all our students. Our approach to teaching and learning is driven by our belief that each individual has their own creative path to follow and that the role of the tutor team is to steer and guide each student along that path to discover and explore their own philosophies and style.
Our teaching style
Yorkshire is famed for its friendliness and can-do approach to any challenge, and at the YSGD our teaching style is all about helping you to learn in an informative and relaxed environment. Your tutors are all experts in their fields and they subscribe to the YSGD philosophy of sharing their knowledge with others for the collective benefit. Our studio-based contact days comprise of a combination of lectures, creative workshops, group discussions and walking tours of the gardens at Harewood – a diverse range of learning activities. We’re here to support you and help you make the absolute most of your experience with us.
Learning with your peers
Each student on our courses brings with them an invaluable range of life skills, experiences and aspirations and we see this as a collective resource for all to benefit from. During your course there will be opportunities for you to share your work with your peers in a relaxed and supportive environment, learning from one another as well as your tutors.
Encouragement through feedback
We believe strongly in positive encouragement at the YSGD and where your course involves the submission of project work you will benefit from verbal or written feedback that fosters your individuality and helps you grow in confidence and ability as a designer. Your tutors will always be available to discuss your feedback to help you refine your skills and keep improving.
Learning at home
A number of our courses involve study or project work in your own time and you will find details of how much time you will need to commit in the course pages on this site. You will receive plenty of guidance from your tutors at the start of the course including books and equipment you may need to acquire. Dedicating the right amount of time to your projects in a calm and productive environment at home will deepen your learning. All students will have free access to the YSGD chatrooms in EdenBOOK where the exchange of skills and knowledge and the support of your peers will be encouraged.