RHS LEVEL II HOME STUDY COURSE
Home Studies Course
There are 10 lessons here, spread across 4 units:
Unit 1 – Garden features, plant selection and planning.
Unit 2 – The choice, establishment and maintenance of garden plants and lawns.
Unit 3 – The production of outdoor vegetables and fruit.
Unit 4 – Protected environments and their use in plant cultivation.
Lesson Structure
There are 10 lessons in this course:
- Principles of Garden Design
- Introduction
- Landscape Principles (Unity, Balance, Proportion, Harmony, Contrast, Rhythm)
- Design Elements (Line, Form, Mass, Space, Texture, Colour, Tone)
- Landscape Effects
- Colour in Garden Design
- Formal Gardens
- Informal Gardens
- Cottage Gardens
- Minimalist Gardens
- Natural Landscapes
- Oriental Gardens
- Mediterranean Gardens
- Tropical Gardens
- Plant Identification, Culture and Use -Reviewing a range of plants
- Conducting Garden Surveys and Planning
- Appraising a Site and Collecting Data for Planning
- Components of the Pre Planning Phase
- Use of Hard Garden Features and Hard Surfaces
- Scale for Landscape Plans
- Triangulation
- Surveying Slope
- Direct Contouring
- The Grid System
- Levelling Terminology and Procedure
- The site Plan
- Concept Plan
- Final Plan
- Other Plans
- Design Procedure
- Landscape Graphics
- Putting Pen to Paper
- Lettering and Graphics
- Use of Hard Landscaping Features
- Hard and Soft Landscaping
- Surfaces in the Garden
- Paving
- Using Pebbles
- Rockeries
- Mulching and Erosion Matting
- Barriers and Walls
- Trellis
- Types of Fencing
- Patios
- Seating
- Garden Structures
- Garden Art, Features and Furnishings
- Pools, Ponds and Water Gardens
- Environmental Sustainability
- Use of Soft Garden Features
- Choosing Plants
- Purchasing Plants
- Trees in the Landscape (Deciduous, Semi Deciduous, Evergreen)
- Shrubs
- Perennials and Herbs
- Types of Herb Gardens
- Wildflower Meadows
- Perennial Displays
- Annuals
- Flower Bed Design
- Cottage Gardens
- Scented Plants
- Climbers and Growing plants on Trellis
- Lawns and Turf varieties
- Plant Establishment and Maintenance
- Plants in the Landscape
- Plant Selection
- Environmental Factors
- Improving Environmental Conditions
- Selecting the Right Plant
- Which Plant to Buy
- Understanding Soils and Fertility
- Plant Nutrition
- Preparing a Garden
- Transplanting Techniques
- Fertilising and Staking
- Planting Bare Rooted Plants
- Time of Planting
- Planting Mistakes to Avoid
- Gardening in Dry Areas
- Colourful Year Round Foliage
- Establishing Annual and Herbaceous Plants
- Seed
- Selecting Herbaceous Plants and Bulbs
- Dividing and Separating Perennials
- Herbaceous Borders
- Maximising Flower Displays
- Selecting Woody Plants
- Trees and Tree Health
- Selecting Flowering Shrubs
- Hedges
- Climbers
- Water Plants and Pond Management
- Plant Health
- Weed Management
- Pruning
- What, Where and Why Prune
- Removing Dead and Diseased Wood
- Controlling Type of Growth
- Distinguishing between Bud Types
- Controlling Shape and Size
- Pruning to Rejuvenate a Plant
- Winter Pruning
- How to Prune
- Pruning Different Specific Plant Genera
- Espaliers
- Dead Heading
- Tree Pruning
- Stopping, Disbudding, Root Pruning, Dead heading etc.
- Lawns; Establishment and Maintenance
- Turf Establishment
- Soil Preparation
- Seeding, Stolonising, Sodding, Sprigging, Plugging
- Mowers and Mowing Turf
- Fertilising Turf
- Renovation: aeration, scarification, top dressing etc
- Outdoor Food Production; Vegetables
- Introduction to Growing Outdoor Food Crops
- Growing Techniques for Vegetables
- Planning a Crop
- Starting a Vegetable Garden
- Managing the Crop (Weed Control, Pests, Water etc)
- Special Techniques: No Dig, Green Manure, Cover Crops, Compost etc)
- Sustainable Cultivation Techniques
- Planting Techniques
- Review of major Vegetable Crops
- Managing Water and Irrigation
- Outdoor Food Production; Fruit
- Choosing a Site and Establishing an Orchard
- Location, Climate, Rainfall and other Site Considerations
- Deciding what to Grow
- Scope of Fruit Growing
- Pest and Disease Management on Fruit -Chemical and Non Chemical
- Environmental Problems and their Management
- Pruning Fruit Trees
- Pollination
- Review of Significant types of Fruits, Berries and Citrus
- Developing a Production Plan
- Protected Cultivation
- Introduction to Protected Growing
- Types of Growing Structures
- Factors Affecting Light Transmission in Growing Structures
- Management of Greenhouses: Benches, Hygiene, Watering, Temperature Control etc
- Shade Houses
- Computerised Environmental Control
- Heating Systems
- Controlling Light
- Irrigation & Nutrition Control
- Feeding Plants
- Pest and Disease Control in Greenhouses
- Containers for Growing in
- Potting Media
- Indoor Plants and their Management
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
- Develop an understanding of: design principles and how to apply them; basic surveying; garden features, plant selection; garden planning.
- Develop an understanding of plant selection, establishment and maintenance of a range of ornamental plants and lawns.
- Develop an understanding of basic cultural operations and production methods for outdoor vegetable and fruit crops.
- Develop an understanding of: environmental controls, uses and appropriate applications of greenhouses and other protected plant growing structures; the production of a range of plants in protected structures and the care of plants in the house and conservatory.
To obtain the certificate, awarded by the RHS in England, the student needs to sit and pass written exams conducted under supervision, and assessed by the RHS.
Exams can be arranged to be sat anywhere in the world.
Exams are offered twice annually; in February and June. A separate fee applies for exams; set by and paid to the RHS.
A network of exam centres are located across the UK for students located in the UK
For students located elsewhere; a provision is made for exams to be conducted "under arrangements for exceptional supervision".
This is one of several new RHS Qualifications being phased in to replace older courses over the second half of 2010.
The older courses can still be studied with ACS, but there will be cut off dates on their accreditation; and the possibility of sitting an RHS exam for the older qualification may be missed. Opportunities will be made available to upgrade from the older courses to the new qualifications, irrespective.
Some of our Horticulture Tutors
Diana Cole B.A. (Hons), Higher Dip. (Garden Design), RHS Advanced Cert. Horticulture, Cert Admin.Mgt., Dip. Inst. Personnel Management In addition to her RHS horticulture, garden design, City & Guild construction, NPTC pesticide/legislation and business/management qualifications, Diana has a variety of skills drawn from setting up Arbella Gardens, a landscape gardening business. She also has administrative, management and training delivery experience drawn from her employment in other organisations such as the NHS and other educational institutions such as schools & universities. She has augmented her training expertise having gained the Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Learning Sector qualification. She also has experience gained through working as a volunteer in a number of different roles including amenity style gardening in parks and practical conservation work.
Maggi Brown Cert.Ed.(Environment)
Maggi is regarded as an expert in Organic Growing throughout the UK, having worked for two decades as Education Officer at the world renowned Henry Doubleday Research Association (now Garden Organic). She has been active in education, environmental management and horticulture across the UK for more them three decades.
Yvonne Sharpe RHS Cert.Hort, Dip.Hort, M.Hort, Cert.Ed., Dip.Mgt.
Over 30 years of experience in horticulture, education and management, Yvonne hastravelled widely within and beyond Europe, and has worked in many areas of horticulture from garden centres to horticultural therapy. She has served on industry committees and been actively involved with amateur garden clubs for decades.
John L. Mason Dip.Hort.Sc., Sup'n Cert., FIOH, FPLA, FAIH, MACHPER, MASA
Mr Mason has had over 40 years experience in the fields of Horticulture, Business, Education and Journalism. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. He has held positions ranging from Nurseryman and Landscape Designer to Director of Parks and Recreation (City of Essendon) and magazine editor.
John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over forty books and of over two thousand magazine articles. Even today, John has written a number of best selling reference texts used by horticultural courses at universities and colleges internationally. His publishers include Simon and Shuster, and Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing
Dr. Lynette Morgan B. Hort. Tech., Ph.D. in Horticultural Science Dr Morgan has a broad expertise in horticulture and crop production, and a keen appreciation of the global scene. She travels widely as a partner in Suntec Horticultural Consultants, and has clients in central America, the USA, Caribbean, South East Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA
Gavin has over 20 years of industry experience in Psychology, Landscaping, Publishing and Education. He was operations manager for a highly reputable British Landscape firm (The Chelsea Gardener) before starting up his own firm. He spent the best part of three years working in our Gold Coast office, partly as a writer for Your Backyard (gardening magazine), and partly as a tutor in both psychology and horticulture.
Martin Powdrill, Bsc (Hons) Applied Science (Resources Option), MSc Computer Studies, Permaculture Design Certificate. Martin’s goal as a catalyst for sustainable change brings together his strengths and experience in his environmental, project management, and business backgrounds. For 25 years, Martin has been involved in Telecommunications, IT, Organisational Development, and Energy Conservation & Efficiency, prior to setting up his own Permaculture consulting business. He wishes to make a real difference to people and the planet, by actively bringing new perspectives to current challenges and exciting opportunities. To realise this, he enables diverse groups of people to flourish and release their untapped potential, by re-igniting their passion and creativity. Additionally, Martin volunteers with many local environmental and community groups, and facilitates discussions on climate change, peak oil, and transition towns. Martin has an allotment, and is currently enrolled in the Scottish Mountain Bike Leader Award programme.
Rosemary Davies Dip Hort Sc. Originally from Melbourne, Rosemary trained in Horticultural Applied Science at Burnley, a campus of Melbourne University. Initially she worked with Agriculture Victoria as an extension officer, taught horticulture students, worked on radio with ABC radio (clocking up over 24 years as a presenter of garden talkback programs, initially the only woman presenter on gardening in Victoria) and she simultaneously developed a career as a writer.
