The Yorkshire School of Garden Design is celebrating the award of Educator Status by the prestigious Society of Garden Designers (SGD), less than a year after opening its doors to students.
The School, which launched last summer specifically to train designers for northern landscapes, has been awarded Educator Status in recognition of its high standards of garden design education and ‘best practice’ teaching, and is one of only two educational providers in the north of England to hold SGD accreditation. It offers a wide range of short courses as well as its flagship professional Diploma in Garden Design.
Founder and principal tutor, Alistair Baldwin, commented: “Naturally we are thrilled and very proud to have been recognised by the Society whose national and international members represent the very best of the garden design industry.
“We are passionate about creating beautiful, inspirational and sustainable gardens and it has long been my belief that all garden designers should have experience of working within northern landscapes in order to fully appreciate their specific features, challenges and characteristics.
“The fact that the School has been acknowledged by the Society so soon after opening underlines all the amazing work that the team contributes each and every day, and we feel very honoured to be recognised in this way,” he said.
The Yorkshire School of Garden Design is based at Harewood House near Leeds where more than 100 acres of parkland were designed by the renowned 18th century landscape architect Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.
Launched in September 2022 and run by a carefully assembled team of tutors and contributors who are specialists in their field – from leading designers, show-garden aficionados and landscape contractors to horticulturists and head gardeners – the School equips students with all the design, technical, business and communication skills needed to design gardens to the highest standard. The courses are open to amateurs and professionals alike.
Darryl Moore, SGD Council Member for Education, said: “The SGD are pleased to award Yorkshire School of Garden Design, SGD Educator status. They meet the rigorous criteria we demand of colleges to provide the highest standard of teaching in garden design. We welcome them to our accredited network of colleges providing a comprehensive education in garden design, ensuring that students leave with the skills and knowledge they require for a successful professional career in the industry.”
