What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5:30pm Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm Thursday 9am - 5:30pm Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Garden Design Academy of Ireland

Home
Ireland
Dublin
Garden Design Academy of Ireland

The Garden Design Academy of Ireland, established in 2004, offers fully accredited home study and pa

Whether you want to gain a foundation in the basics of Garden Design, launch a career in this dynamic area or start your own business we have the course for you. Our courses, when paired with the feedback and guidance you will receive from your personal tutor, will give you everything you need to build a successful career in Garden Design.

31/07/2026

Those heady days of Summer have a way of evoking self reflection and personal exploration.

Self-determination is the powerful drive to pursue your true self with autonomy, and purpose. And deep down, we all have that power. If your mind wanders to a different, more fulfilling career, perhaps now is the time to allow yourself to take those first steps.

Have you been languishing in gardens mentally redesigning the space? It could be time to get up and get your hands dirty. And September is the perfect time to start. It is the end of the intoxicating heat of summer and the start of a calmer, more measured pace.

Use these final weeks of summer to recharge, clarify your goals, and invest in the future version of yourself.

This September can be the time to answer your Garden Design calling. And let’s face it, that calling will only get louder.

30/07/2026

🚨 Today is the last day to join our September intake.

Time truly flies and only a year from now, you could be bursting at the seams with new skills and new knowledge.

Every Garden Designer had to start somewhere!

Study from home with total flexibility, develop practical industry skills, and take that first step towards the creative career you’ve been dreaming of.

There is no perfect time, it is simply when you decide to make the choice.

This is the final chance to secure that place.
Enrol today. Your future starts now.

24/07/2026

Thinking about becoming a Garden Designer?

Accreditation is designed to provide assurance that an educational programme has been assessed against recognised standards. It can also offer you the confidence that the education you're investing in is based on established expectations for quality and learning.

Think of what you will gain:

󠁯✔️ Credibility.
✔️ A knowledge of Garden Design principles and professionalism.
✔️ Skills in site analysis, planting design, sketching, mood boards, and concept plans.
󠁯✔️ Evidence that you're serious about Garden Design.
✔️ A strong foundation for your future in the industry.

A new career is a big decision and achieving an accreditation is a valuable addition to the first steps on a new path. So think carefully before committing.

Make sure your qualification is one you can be proud to build it on.

If you’ve been thinking about enrolling - now is the time. September intake closes on 30th July.

17/07/2026

Choosing the right Garden Design course is an important decision.

Before you invest your time, money, and trust, ask yourself if a course will actually prepare you for a career as a professional Garden Designer?

Here are some essentials:
󠁯•󠁏 A professional portfolio to secure work.
•󠁏 Practical industry skills including site surveying, planting design, concept development, working plans, or technical drawings.
•󠁏 Guidance from professional designers throughout.
•󠁏 Flexible learning for a balanced life.󠁯
•󠁏 Post graduate success.

The right course needs to suit your needs and responsibilities as well as delivering the skills and knowledge needed to step into the professional realm.

The best garden design courses prepare you for designing outdoor spaces that are both beautiful and functional.

Remember, you're choosing the knowledge, practical skills, and professional guidance that will define your future career.

If you’ve been thinking about enrolling - now is the time. September intake closes on 30th July.

10/07/2026

Garden Design is built on trust.

Imagine you have completed the design plan, you’re halfway through the build, or the plants have been ordered, and the client says, "I've changed my mind...".

Changes come with the territory, but how you manage them is what makes a great Garden Designer.

󠁯•󠁏 Listen before you design
󠁯•󠁏 Set clear expectations from day one
󠁯•󠁏 Agree on milestones and approvals throughout the project
󠁯•󠁏 Explain how changes affect budgets and timeline
󠁯•󠁏 Stay calm, flexible, and professional

Garden Design is as much about people as it is about plants and landscapes.
Your clients won't remember every plant you selected, but they will remember how you made the process feel.

03/07/2026

A small garden doesn't need more space, just better design.

Some of the most beautiful gardens are the ones where every path, plant, texture, and corner has a purpose.
A well-designed small garden feels peaceful, and full of character.

Garden Designers top tips:
- Create zones
- Use vertical planting
- Layer textures and foliage to add depth
- Plan lighting - it can transform the garden after sunset
- Sometimes, what you leave out is as important as what you include

Great garden designers see possibilities where others see limitations. That is what makes them successful.

If you love designing gardens and impact good living, a career in garden design could be the perfect fit.

https://bit.ly/443SniD

26/06/2026

Your front garden is the first impression your home will make with the world.

It is one of the most quietly powerful spaces a designer can work with.
Everything is on show - it is shaping how people feel the moment they arrive at your home.

So, how should it be approached?
✔️ Let the house lead - a garden should feel like a natural extension of the home's architecture and the people who live there.
✔️ Soften the hard edges - planting blends the "hard" structure of a house into the garden, creating a seamless, welcoming transition.
✔️ Create a moment of arrival - this can be a small seating spot or terrace near the front door that invites people to pause, chat before they leave.
✔️ Add a focal point - a sculpture, a water feature.
✔️ Add more greenery where possible as well as paving, parking, and light-wells for basements...

Front gardens are an aesthetic addition to the whole street.

19/06/2026

When a client says "I just want something natural."
What they are describing is a feeling. They want a measure of peace and control over at least one corner of their world. A space that feels personal.

Environmental psychology is clear on this - natural spaces restore us. They allow an overstimulated mind to recover, reduce stress, and return a sense of agency that modern life quietly strips away. A client asking for a "natural" garden is often asking to feel less depleted.

For one client it is a childhood wildflower meadow, for another, the scent of rosemary from a parent's garden, or perhaps it is the sound of water that makes the world go quiet.

This is why the best discovery question is not "what plants do you like?", but more it is "what do you need this garden to do for you at the end of a long day?"

The answer will be emotional , and that is exactly the right place to start.

12/06/2026

Garden Design is part art, part engineering, and fully strategic.

Intelligent Garden Design is led by the clear understanding of how people will use the outdoor space. Designers will ask clients how they move through it, where they gather, relax, entertain, or reconnect with nature.

Combining the perfect dose of art, strategy and technical elements for delivering outstanding garden designs takes the following:

✔️ Site measurements, levels, and drainage
✔️ Soil conditions and microclimates
✔️ Sustainability and environmental impact
✔️ Plant performance and long-term maintenance
✔️ Colour, texture, balance, and visual harmony
✔️ The relationship between architecture and landscape

Modern Garden Design combines artistic creativity with technical knowledge and practical planning.
It's about creating experiences, solving challenges, and designing spaces that improve the way people live.

05/06/2026

Perhaps you are finding yourself looking for something new - something creative and inspiring.

The truth is, changing your career is not as difficult as you may think.

If you gaze at gardens and think about how you would do it better, maybe it’s time you thought of weeding your own garden?

A career in Garden Design gives you an opportunity to create outstanding outdoor places. Design where people reconnect, recharge, and feel inspired.

It's never too late to plant the seeds of the career you really want.

Address

54 Merrion Square South, Dublin 2
Dublin

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 5:30pm
Thursday	9am - 5:30pm
Friday	9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+35319022224

Website

https://www.gardendesignacademy.ie/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Garden Design Academy of Ireland posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to Garden Design Academy of Ireland:

Want your university to be the top-listed University in Dublin?