How does nature work?

And how can you use that knowledge to create a thriving garden for you and wildlife?

* How do you work with nature to build a healthy garden?

* How can nature help you fight problems, improve soil and keep plants healthy?

* How can you attract and support wildlife of all sorts?

* What are the hidden patterns behind how nature works?

* How do you garden in a way that cares for the planet as a whole?
Book your place today
Woodpecker on tree pecking a hole

"So I’ve gone through the whole course again and I have to say, my comments were…fab!, sooo interesting! brilliant!! I loved all of it!"

Louise

May, 2024

  • people with hands in soil
  • girl eating from shrub

Take it step-by-step, at your own pace

"10 Steps to a Nature Garden" is a self-paced learning programme. In a few simple steps you'll build the knowledge and confidence to...

... spot and work with the patterns of nature

... create the best features and habitats for a thriving Nature Garden

... find the plants of all shapes, sizes and colours that serve nature and create beauty for you

... work with nature to manage pests and disease, build living soil and create wonderful composts

... know what nature needs and how you can provide it ways that are kind to the planet

... learn the design tricks to create a beautiful garden that looks and feels inspiring
Buy today

Access a lesson for free

Get a taste of the course content for free. Learn some top tips and tricks for working with nature to manage slugs, aphids and other "less welcome" garden visitors.

One of over four hours of video lessons, stacks of resources and more that's offered in the full 10 Steps programme.
Access the free lesson
Frog and free lesson offer

The '10 steps to a Nature Garden' programme includes,

  • Step-by-step video lessons

    Friendly, informative videos walking you through every step of the course

  • E-books, downloadable guides and activities

    Detailed guides, calendars, templates, plant lists and more, all yours to keep

  • Access to the 'Patch Pals' Learning community

    Membership of the "Patch Pals" online learning community, where you can ask questions, discuss topics and share ideas

  • Self-paced - follow the programme when it suits you

    Access all the lessons, resources and the online community whenever it suits you, and follow the programme at whatever pace you like, with no time limit on when to complete it.

Introducing the '10 Steps to a Nature Garden' programme

“Amazing and thought-provoking course to enlighten and educate any keen gardener on the practice of connecting ourselves to nature in our own gardens.”

Jo

“Loads of new ideas to take away and apply in our own space. The course allowed individuals to apply their own balance of needs, local nature, wider environment and personal (human) preferences. A great course, recommended to all.”

Simon

“Dina and Neil's passion is honestly life-changing. If you love nature and want to expand your knowledge and way of thinking then you will love this course.”

Anna

“Great content, so interesting and lots of hand-on-activities which was really lovely. Would definitely recommend!”

Jo

“I think the style and teaching was spot-on. I wouldn't change a thing. Didn't want it to end.”

Dawn

“Amazing course. I'm new to gardening and it's completely opened my mind to new and exciting methods I didn't know existed. ”

Vicky

Your Patch of the Planet tutors

Meet Dina and Neil

We've been working with and for nature for decades. Together we run Patch of the Planet - a project to reimagine gardens for people and planet. We've designed over fifty wildlife gardens across England and Wales and trained huge numbers in how to do the same.

We created Patch of the Planet because we think gardens should work for people, for wildlife and for the planet as a whole. We want every garden to be a thriving patch of the planet, bringing people and nature together.

Neil, Patch of the Planet

Neil's worked at Friends of the Earth, The Orchard Project and in local nature-based community organisations. He co-runs the Patch of the Planet academy and our garden design and community projects, he has a diploma in applied permaculture and he runs our tree nursery.

Dina, Patch of the Planet

Dina is our in-house plant encyclopaedia. She has a Diploma in Professional Garden Design, and a Permaculture Design Certificate. She co-runs the Patch of the Planet academy and our garden design and community projects and she runs our art from nature project, Wyld Arts. She has a degree in Life Sciences and worked as a biology teacher.

What people say about the '10 Steps to a Nature Garden' programme

Guides, e-books, templates and more

as well as a fantastic package of video lessons and a bespoke online community

The full curriculum

Take a look at the full 10 Steps programme

    1. Welcome

    2. The 10 Step programme

    3. The holistic Nature Garden

    4. The three circles

    5. Three circles

    6. Share some photos

    1. Step 1

    2. The patterns of nature

    3. Using the patterns of nature to make decisions in the Nature Garden

    4. Patterns of nature - some pointers for your garden

    5. Exercise: Observing edge and diversity

    1. Step 2

    2. What is living soil?

    3. Putting down the spade - reasons to not dig

    4. A simple re-cap of living soil and not digging

    5. Much about Mulch

    6. "Love Your Soil" factsheets

    7. If you do just one thing: Cover most of your soil

    1. Step 3

    2. The principles and benefits of composting

    3. Making fantastic hot compost

    4. Vermiculture: Working with worms

    5. Setting up and caring for a wormery

    6. Natural liquid fertilisers for the garden

    7. Natural fertiliser recipes for the Nature Garden

    8. If you do one thing: Make one soil improver

    9. Composting questions

    10. Optional Soil and Compost Quiz

    1. Step 4

    2. Grasses: long grass, wildflowers patches, meadows, Annuals & Perennials

    3. Creating a nature-rich, diverse lawn

    4. If you do one thing, don't do this

    5. Can you resist the mower?

    1. Step 5

    2. The importance of flowers and flower diversity

    3. A nectar calendar

    4. Patch of the Planet's comprehensive nectar calendar for the Nature Garden

    5. Download Patch of the Planet's nectar calendar

    6. 50 Indigenous wild plants for the Nature Garden

    7. 50 Indigenous, wild plants for the nature garden

    8. 50 indigenous wild plants for the Nature Garden

    9. If you do one thing....

    10. Grasses and flowering plants quiz

About this course

  • £39.00
  • 4 hours of video content

Access a free taster lesson

Learn some top tips and tricks for working with nature to manage slugs, aphids and other "less welcome" garden visitors.

Get a taste of the course content for free. This is one of over four hours of video lessons, stacks of resources and more that's offered in the full 10 Steps programme.
Get the free lesson
Frog image with free lesson offer

Join the 10 Steps programme and become part of the Nature Garden movement today.

Across the country, people are following the "10 Steps" programme right now, building the skills, knowledge and confidence to make their garden thrive, blossom and buzz.

Join them today, on "10 Steps to a Nature Garden."

FAQ

  • Do I have to complete the course by a certain date?

    No, once you buy the course you have lifetime access to the course videos and materials. Access to the course webinars and any other live course events will end a year after purchase.

  • Do I need lots of gardening skills?

    No, you don't. Everything we teach is doable by an enthusiastic nature-lover and we show and explain each step. Some of the projects take a bit of energy so you might want an extra hand if you decide to do those ones. We'll always make that clear though.

  • Do I need specialist tools?

    No, common garden and DIY tools will be all you need.

  • Do I need a large budget to make this transformation?

    No, we've designed this course carefully so you can transform your garden for nature on any budget.

  • Does this course apply to anywhere in the world?

    It's designed for the British Isles. Many of the ideas and principles will apply to other temperate areas of North-West Europe, but the best nature gardens are created with an understanding of the local ecology, so if you don't live in the British Isles, we'd recommend you find a course that's focused on the area you live in.

  • Do you offer a money-back guarantee?

    We love training and we hope you'll love the course. But if it's not right for you for whatever reason then let us know within 30 days of your purchase and we’ll refund your payment, no questions asked.