Jo Thompson

Jo Thompson has won four RHS Chelsea Golds, five Silver Gilts and the People's Choice award at Chatsworth. She sits on the RHS Gardens Committee, advises at RHS Rosemoor and judges RHS Shows, and tutors at the London College of Garden Design. She is a Fellow of the Landscape Institute and the author of The New Romantic Garden and The Gardener's Palette.

A distinguished British garden designer and plantswoman

Course

The Fundamentals of Garden Design

Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your garden design skills, Jo's step-by-step approach will guide you through creating a garden that reflects your style and serves your needs. You'll learn core principles, from assessing your space to selecting materials and plants for year-round interest. Jo’s case studies, including designs for a classic London garden and a Sussex pub, will help you tackle projects early in your design journey with ease. With practical tips and expert advice, you’ll be ready to transform your outdoor space.

22 Lessons

Included with membership

Lesson plan — 22 lessons

01 Introduction

01 Meet Jo
02 Philosophy and approach
03 Sources of inspiration

02 Getting started

04 Building a brief
05 An example brief: The Cheese

03 First principles

06 Some design fundamentals
07 Understanding your borders
08 Perennial borders - the basics
09 Annual borders - the basics
10 Part 1 - Laying out your garden
11 Part 2 - Laying out your garden
12 Understanding materials
13 Sequencing your planting design

04 Case study - A London garden

14 Designing a London garden
15 Part 1 - A London garden walkthrough
16 Part 2 - A London garden walkthrough

05 Case study - A multifunctioning garden

17 Introducing a multifunctioning garden
18 Layout, flow and materials
19 The planting plan
20 Succession and structure
21 Walking through the planting

06 Farwell

22 Thank you and farewell

Start learning Watch a free lesson

“Create Academy has been such a great resource. I'm in the middle of renovating a bungalow with a very large garden and the courses have offered a wealth of information to dive into and explore new ideas. I'm loving Ni...”

Harvey Jun 10, 2026

“Absolutely love Create Academy! The instructors are extremely informative, and it is beautifully filmed. Create Academy is great value for money and plan on renewing my subscription yearly because there are such inter...”

SG May 31, 2026