We spoke to EGS alumni Rhiannedd Brooke about her time studying on the Essential Garden Design Diploma

Why did you choose the EGS to study Garden Design?
When I chose to do a course at the EGS I wasn’t convinced that I actually wished to pursue a career in garden design so I picked a course that was short and not too expensive in case I didn’t enjoy it!  I had just passed my RHS Level 2 and wasn’t ready to give up on learning yet.  EGS seemed to have some amazing alumni and also two friends had done the course and really rated it very highly so I took the plunge in 2019.

Was the course as you expected? If not, how did it differ?
I didn’t really know what to expect from the course, but I definitely wasn’t disappointed.

What did you particularly value about the course?
Given that the course is only 3 months long, we really covered a lot of ground and touched on all aspects of the fundamentals of garden design.  The thing I valued the most though was building a lovely network of like-minded people who were all doing the course for different reasons but who were all super creative.  I got as much from them as I did from the course and have very much enjoyed keeping in touch with many of them over the past four years.

Any particular moments that jump out?
I loved the fact that we had so many highly rated visiting lecturers who all brought their own perspectives and showed so many different sides of what a career in the horticulture industry could look like.

Any surprises?
Given that the course in only three months long, I was astounded by how much ground we covered.  But I guess that you also realise how much you don’t know – the diploma is a great jumping off point, but it is really only the starting point for what you need to learn to pursue a career in this industry.

What do you most appreciate about what you learned on the course?
I think that the course was really well structured and that at the end of it, I definitely had a very clear understanding of the steps I needed to go through to design a garden.  It really gave me a lot of confidence as well as a tool kit of skills to get started and set up my own business.

What difference has attending the course made to your work and your life?
The EGS course has completely transformed my life!  Having spent 25 years working in financial public relations, it has been really exciting to find something so creative that I enjoy so much and to have learnt the skills to start a whole new career.  I have always been a creative person and did an A level in Art but pursued a corporate career.  As I said, when I signed up, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a garden designer, but I just knew that I loved design.  The EGS course made me fall back in love with drawing, design and rediscover my creative side.  I have been very lucky and have been able to build up quite a successful business over the past four years.  I am really excited for this next phase of my career, it’s definitely given me a new lease of life!

What advice would you give to future students?
The course is a fantastic way of dipping your toe in the garden design world and you will meet incredible people along the way.  But you should also be realistic about the fact that once you have graduated, there is still going to be lots to learn.  I was really grateful that I had done my RHS exams before starting as I think a knowledge of plants and gardening is really vital to your longer term success.  I also spent quite a lot of time after my diploma learning how to use a design programme (SketchUp) as although it is lovely doing designs by hand, it does take a long time and in the long run, if you are going to join a garden design studio or run your own business, you will need to work alongside other designers and architects who will expect you to be able to communicate in their language.

To see some of Rhiannedd’s gardens head to her website rhianneddbrooke.co.uk or follow her on Instagram: @rhianneddbrookedesign