Business Breakfast: New Diploma qualification launched by Yorkshire School of Garden Design

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. The third in our series of networking events in association with The Coach and Horses in Harrogate is a lunch event on March 30 from 12.30pm.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

The Yorkshire School of Garden Design is to offer a new Diploma in Planting Design.

The year-long Diploma will be launched at the school’s Spring Open Day this Saturday and is an opportunity for those with a passion for plants to explore a career in garden design.

The school at Harewood House was launched less than a year ago and specialises in teaching professionals the art of garden design.

The course will cover topics ranging from plant taxonomy, through the history of horticulture in design, to the art and science of designing plants in a wide range of settings.

Yorkshire School of Garden Design founder Alistair Baldwin said:

“Our new diploma is the perfect opportunity for budding designers, amateur gardeners, professionals and all those passionate about the fundamentals of planting design.”

“The course will provide a careful blend of creativity, design principles, botany and taxonomy, the sociability of plants in sustainable communities, and insights into the work of the world’s leading practitioners in the world of planting design.

“Our proximity to many of Yorkshire’s finest gardens, landscapes and plant collections, not to mention the glorious gardens at Harewood, will also provide unrivalled opportunities to expand the learning process. Throughout the twelve months, our students will be encouraged to explore and gain first hand insight from our surroundings in the company of experts, supplemented by trips out to first class regional gardens and a study tour in the south of England.”

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A partner at Jones Myers has been named ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Northern Powerhouse Awards.

Kate Banerjee won the award in the Private Client category.  Judges selected Kate, who heads the Harrogate firm’s internationally renowned children’s department, from a shortlist of eleven lawyers across the North of England.

With almost three decades of experience in children law, Kate has expertise in international child abduction. Her specialisms include contact, residence, and adoption.

Kate said:

“I am proud and honoured to receive this prestigious recognition which is attributable to the commitment of our highly experienced and respected team.

“An enormous and heartfelt ‘thank you’ to my colleagues who consistently provide the best bespoke solutions for our valued clients.”      

Kate Banerjee, partner at Jones Myers Solicitors, with her award 

Yorkshire School of Garden Design set to launch at Harewood House

A top North Yorkshire garden designer is launching a new school at Harewood House which will focus on northern landscapes.

Alistair Baldwin decided to set up the Yorkshire School of Garden Design after realising there were no similar schools in the north.

Opening its doors in August, the facility will offer a range of short courses throughout the year.

These will be aimed at garden design enthusiasts and those wanting to learn more about all aspects of the art, from landscaping to planting.

The school’s flagship professional Diploma in Garden Design, which will be delivered over an academic year, begins in September.

Mr Baldwin said:

“For too long the budding designers of the north have had little local choice when looking for a learning experience to broaden their skills and launch them into the profession.

“More often than not, students have had to make the journey to London to find the right course and I thought that needed to change.

“I have lived and worked in North Yorkshire for over three decades and have developed an acute understanding of how the terrain, geology, even climate and the way of working is very different in this part of the UK.

“The process within which gardens are designed and built in this magnificent landscape is very different to the south. So I want to share everything I have learned over the last 35 years and inspire a new generation.”

Alistair Baldwin. Photo: Eva Nemeth

The school will be based at Harewood House, which has more than 100 acres of parkland designed by eminent 18th century landscape architect Sir Lancelot Capability Brown.

Trevor Nicholson, head gardener at Harewood House, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that the Yorkshire School of Garden design will have its base at Harewood House, which we think is a fitting and inspirational venue for a school, which hopes to train the design professionals of the future.

“I am incredibly excited to welcome guests and inspire them with Harewood’s beautiful landscapes.”

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Mr Baldwin trained in garden design in Leeds. After graduating, he built an award-winning landscape design practice in Richmond, which delivers high-spec public and private gardens throughout the UK, as well as internationally.

Having spent 12 years teaching landscape and garden design at Leeds Beckett University, while also running his practice, he has a wealth of experience in nurturing the next generation of garden design talent.

Mr Baldwin added:

“I am delighted to announce that I will be joined by an eminent team of world class design consultants, who will work with me to deliver the  courses.

“Having a team of practising garden designers, all of whom have experience in creating rich and well-crafted gardens, means that students will get essential practical advice and insight straight from the horse’s mouth.”

The Terrace at Harewood House. Photo: Harewood House Trust and Lee Beal