Very good tutorial from a professional garden...
I have subscribed to access all the courses so have watched one on interior design and this one with Butter Wakefield who specialises in small garden design. She ...
Louise Brown
Apr 10, 2026
The Fundamentals of Garden Design
Understanding your borders
with JO THOMPSON — A distinguished British garden designer and plantswoman
Lesson 7 of 22
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Before ploughing ahead with the design stage it’s important to understand what you already have in your garden. In this lesson, Jo explains why you need to be patient when looking at pre-existing borders, and shares her top tips to help you create an effective border design.
From the Lesson Workbook
Understanding Your Borders
When assessing your garden, be patient when looking at existing borders, as they may reveal valuable ingredients over the course of the year. The tips in this lesson will then help you create an effective border scheme.
Wait and see what any existing borders do and what structure is already in place, such as shrubs and grasses.
These can inspire the perennials that follow.
- Repeat colours and plants to give rhythm along the border.
- Repeat shrubs to give rhythm in the year-round structure, then repeat perennials such as hardy geraniums to amplify that rhythm.
- Hardy geraniums are really versatile and available in a wide range of colours.
- Plant perennials in groups of three or five.
Colour Through the Seasons
Waiting also allows time for everything to do its thing, as plants flower at different times.
Look for colour through the seasons in your borders.
- E.g. in one border I have daffodils in spring, salvias and geraniums in summer, and asters to carry through into autumn.
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Very good tutorial from a professional garden designer
I have subscribed to access all the courses so have watched one on interior design and this one with Butter Wakefield who specialises in small garden design. She has a lovely personality and comes across as ...
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Apr 10, 2026
Time spent well
I love CreateAcademy. I came in for the gardening and floristry courses, but am also watching an interior design one at present. And the photography course is an absolute must, best I've ever done.
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Apr 1, 2026
What a great investment
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Your Instructor
Jo Thompson
A distinguished British garden designer and plantswoman
Jo Thompson is a distinguished British garden designer and plantswoman, who has garnered widespread acclaim and recognition for her exceptional expertise in horticulture. Jo is the winner of four Gold and five Silver Gilt medals from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, as well as the coveted People's Choice award at the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show in 2017. As a member of the RHS Gardens Committee and Garden Advisor for RHS Rosemoor, and an RHS Shows Judge, Jo plays a significant role in shaping the horticultural landscape. She gives regular lectures on her work, including tutoring at The London College of Garden Design, and is a Fellow of the Landscape Institute and a Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers. Jo is also the author of two books - The New Romantic Garden and The Gardener’s Palette.
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