Shrubs are the backbone of planting design. They provide essential structure, beauty and colour from foliage and flowers, texture and a great variety of shape and form in the planting palette. Shrubs are tipped to be the big thing this year in garden design – particularly the use of fragrant shrubs. Garden Designs without shrubs tend to look strangely immature and lacking. This course delivers essential advice on selection of the right shrubs for any garden design situation. You will also learn the practical aspects – the simple secrets of pruning, and how to plant and care for your shrubs for best results.

Foliage is the foundation of good planting and shrubs deliver leafy colour in both deciduous and evergreen form. Learn how to use shrubs to create simple but effective planting combinations for designer impact in any garden.  If you select wisely the shrubs in your garden can create all-year round interest year after year. This course tells you what to choose for just about every situation in your garden, and at any time of the year.

Learning Outcome
This gardening course will empower you to choose the right shrubs for your planting design. It will also ignite passion for an area of planting that is rarely used to its optimum potential.

Please see below a teaser video of this course:

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Week 1:  The role of shrubs in the garden and how to use them. How to selecting the right shrub for a situation and a guide to buying the best plants.  Giving your shrubs the best possible start in your garden; how and when to plant them.

Week 2:  Caring for your shrubs. How and when to prune flowering and foliage shrubs to control shape, size, foliage quality and flowering. Feeding your shrubs: how, when and why.

Week 3:  Hard working foliage shrubs – the foundation of good planting.  The importance of shrubs for structure in gardens of all sizes. Maintaining a colour scheme with foliage throughout the year and creating exciting planting combinations.

Week 4:  Shrubs for interest throughout the year. A pick of the best shrubs that will work hard in your garden to deliver colour, texture and form in every situation, including sun, shade, clay, chalk and in pots and containers.

A desire for a garden with all year round interest.   You don't need to be a plant expert, that's why you're here - but even if you are a 'planty' - this course is an essential for anyone who wants to plan a decent planting scheme

Booking a Place

MyGardenSchool Gardening Courses Start on the First Saturday of Every Month.  You can book your course up to two months in advance

Your tutor will make their video lectures available to you each Saturday morning for four weeks, and will support you throughout the course. Book now to secure a place!