Qualification - Certificate In Horticulture (Permaculture)

GAIN A PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE & A HORTICULTURE QUALIFICATION

This course provides training for people working or wishing to work in horticulture with a particular emphasis on the design, development and management of productive natural garden systems. Graduates may find employment in either general horticulture, or in areas servicing permaculture or natural gardening (eg. Garden/system design, plant nurseries, teaching, consulting, etc). Half of the course is identical to the Permaculture courses outlined previously, and the other half provides a broad, general foundation in horticultural practices.

After satisfactory completion of this course, you will be awarded a Permaculture Design Certificate, recognised by the Permaculture Institute.

Accreditation: International Accreditation & Recognition Council

This course has been compiled with permission from the Permaculture Institute and graduates of Permaculture courses from that institute will be given credits towards the Diploma.Full credit will be given for any applicants registered as Permaculture Design Course Graduates (ie. exemption from the equivalent of 72 hrs of study).

Graduates of this course are awarded the PERMACULTURE INSTITUTES CERTIFICATE, by that institute, as well as this accredited certificate, when they graduate. They are also registered with the Permaculture Institute to work towards their diploma.

The course is divided into two main areas, consisting of:

1. The CORE UNITS common to all streams of the Certificate in Horticulture:
(ie. Introduction to plants, Plant Culture, Soils & nutrition, Pests, diseases and weeds and Introductory propagation). These studies provide you with an important broad based understanding of Horticulture which greatly improves your ability to design effective Permaculture systems.

These studies also broaden the employment prospects of graduates enabling them to seek employment in areas such as nurseries, landscaping and garden management. It will give you a neiche that will be valuable for consulting in areas that require natural garden systems and permaculture too.

2. The PERMACULTURE STUDIES
You will be studying Permaculture Systems, Advanced Permaculture and a relevant elective such as Organic plant culture or Poultry, see below for electives.

Enrolment fees do not include exam fees

WHAT YOU WILL DO IN THIS COURSE

• Develop a good understanding of the scientific system of naming plants.
• Discuss some of the aspects which play a part in permaculture.
• Describe how permaculture is different to other forms of horticulture and agriculture.
• Visit an outdoor environment area determine what relationships the living and non‑living things might have with each other.
• Explain contour maps and how this information can be used to estimate potential effects on plant growth.
• Explain weather patterns in your local area. Determine why this knowledge may be important to the permaculture practitionist.
• Explain water within an ecosystem or permaculture garden and its application.
• Describe the differences between the three main types of climate zones (ie: Tropical, Temperate and Desert); and briefly give your views on what major differences would need to be taken in establishing a permaculture system in each climate zone, compared with the other two.
• Explain the importance of trees in a Permaculture system.
• Describe how you would build a no dig garden approximately 10 X 3 metres in size.
• Step by step work through a process of planning changes to a garden to make it into more of a permaculture system.
• Collect and list preplanning information relevant to developing home into a permaculture system
• Write a report explaining the five permaculture zones.
• Create a table listing 50 different pest, disease and weed problems in one column, and an appropriate natural control method for each one in an adjacent column.
• Make a list of companion plants. In one column, list the herb or companion plant.
• Draw a plan for a fruit or vegetable garden which incorporates companion planting.
• Explain briefly each of the companion planting interrelationships you have included in your plan.
• Design a small and simple water garden for use in a permaculture system.
• Design and build an herb spiral.
• Design a vegetable and herb garden based on permaculture principles which would produce enough food to feed you and your family for the entire year.
• List as many different central features as you can think of which could be used in a Mandalla garden
• Outline how to plan and prepare garden zones in relation to animals. Provide step-by-step instructions and accompanying photographs or drawings.
• Contact your state department of Agriculture and obtain leaflets relating to poultry which you are particularly interested in keeping.
• Contact your state department of Agriculture and obtain leaflets (and any other publications) relating to bee keeping.
• In no less than 500 words explain the importance of bees to horticulture and the permaculture garden.

• Develop a 5 year plan for developing a one hectare permaculture farm utilising plants, animals and fish (aquaculture). Use drawings and diagrams where needed to assist in this report.
• Select three different aquatic animals which would be appropriate to grow in a permaculture system. For each one in turn, explain how you would incorporate it into a permaculture system.
• Go to nurseries and agricultural supply companies and inquire about environmentally safe pesticides. Write a report on these products.
• Observe the construction process of a building or structure that involves some type of earthworks (eg, roads, dams, etc).
• Take a photograph of your home or residence. Discuss your residence in relation to designing with consideration to the environment (eg. does it efficiently utilize sun and shade, is it energy efficient).
• Describe the importance of house design in relation to location, eg. tropical region of your locality.
• Contact the local council or health department and inquire about allowable use of waste material in your area. Consider asking about grey water, septic tanks, use of effluent and animal wastes, etc. Write a report to 250 words on the task.
• Contact and obtain information on composting toilets from a manufacturer. Compile this information and use it as a personal reference.
• Contact a supplier of windmills and find out all that you can about the use of these devices for supplying water (ie. pumping from a river, lake, dam, ground water etc). Discover the alternatives available, the costs involved, the applications, operation etc.
• Contact the National Parks and Wildlife department or a conservation body in your locality and obtain as much information as possible on wildlife corridors, conservation, etc. Contact your local council department and inquire about their wildlife corridors, etc. Are they similar or drastically different? Can you think of a reason why there may be a difference?
• For a month period, write down all tasks performed by yourself and anyone who enters your permaculture garden. Submit this work schedule plus a brief report on how it may be possible to improve the time efficiency in the garden.
• Write a report on where you think ‘alternative’ permaculture is heading in terms of main-stream acceptance.

If you want a change, to get your hands dirty and try something new; gain a solid training in Permaculture Design and practices! This course was recently revised to provide even more extensive and solid training for those who want to work in horticulture, especially in the design and care of productive natural garden systems. Graduates may find employment in general horticulture, permaculture design, or natural gardening (eg. in garden/system design, nurseries, teaching, consulting, etc). An excellent starting point for an exciting career in permaculture or sustainable gardening, and the skills you will learn will be valuable for any area of Horticulture too.

Modules

Note that each module in the Qualification - Certificate In Horticulture (Permaculture) is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.

Some of our Horticulture Tutors

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. Yvonne is also a member of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG).

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  Landscaping, Publishing, Business and Psychology. He was operations manager for a highly reputable British Landscape firm (The Chelsea Gardener) before starting up his own firm. He has exhibited at Chelsea Flower Show, and designed gardens across England and Australia.  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.    Rosemary trained in Horticultural Applied Science at Burnley, a campus of Melbourne University. Initially she worked with Department of Agriculture Victoria as an extension officer (Garden Advisory Service), 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. She is author of several booka and hundreds of articles.

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. Diana is also a member of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Limited (NSALG).