RHS LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE (Principles of Garden Planning, Construction and Maintenance)

Distance Education Course -RHS LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE (Principles of Garden Planning, Construction and Planting)

Work in landscaping  NEW COURSE -launched Nov. 2010

• Learn about garden planning, construction and planting
• Find a job, start a business, work in landscaping
• 150,000 words of unique course notes developed by our staff
• 200 hour self paced course
• Support from an international team of highly qualified horticulturists and landscape professionals based both in the UK and Australia

NB: Level 3 in the UK is the 4th level in that system -as such this is a higher level than Australian level 3 certificates!   Develop your ability to describe the principles of using landscaping and other specialist garden elements in the garden, landscape construction, garden design, survey techniques, specialist garden and urban planting.

Lesson Contents
There are 15 lessons in this course:

1.  History of Garden Design and Styles
Garden Styles
The Earliest Private Gardens
Ancient Mid-Eastern Gardens
English Garden History
The English Landscape Garden
Japanese Influences
Important English Landscapers
Monastery Gardens
Hispano-Arabic Gardens
Italian Gardens

2. Site Appraisals, Basic Surveying Techniques and Client Briefs
Influence of Trees on Buildings
Influence of Trees on Atmosphere
Species Suitability
Planning Considerations
Pre Planning Survey - Appraising the Site and Collecting Data
Understanding Soils
Soil Texture
Nutrient Availability and pH
Landscape Plans and Survey Techniques
Site Plan/Base Plan
Topographic Plan
Concept Plan
The Final Plan
The Planting Plan
Surveying Techniques
Steps in the Design Procedure
Landscape Graphics

3. Principles and Elements of Garden Design and the Influence of Site Characteristics
Principles and Elements of Landscape Design
Creating Landscaping Effects
Colour and Garden Design
Influence of Site Characteristics
The Sun’s Path and Its Affect on Shade
Extending the Garden Potential
Fragrant Trees and Shrubs
Potager and Picking Gardens
Determining Shadow Length
Gardens with a Sense of Mystery
Focal Point Ideas
Gardens for Children
User Friendly Gardens
Seating
Shelters

4. Hard Landscaping Features and their Contribution to Garden Design and Function
Hard Surfacing
Paving
Flexible and Rigid Paving
Materials Used in Paving
Selecting Materials
Coloured Surfaces
Barriers and Walls
Creating Barriers
Fences
Plants to Grow on Trellis
Stone Walls
Garden Structures
Gazebos,Verandahs,Pergolas
Where to build in the Garden
Accessibility
The direction of the sun
Views
Drainage
Rockeries
Rockery Ideas
Water Gardens
Fountains, Waterfalls, Pot Ponds, etc
Using Water Features in the Landscape
Planning for Children's Play
Play Differs with Age
Child Safety
Designing the Garden for Children
Play Equipment for Different Ages
Recommended Play Surfaces
Environmental Sustainability

5. The Function of Drainage Systems in the Garden
Symptoms of Poor Drainage Systems
Typical Permeability Rates
Solving Drainage Problems
Hard Drainage Methods
Soft Drainage

6. Soft Landscaping Features and their Contribution to Garden Design and Function
Plant Selection
Plant Varieties
Colourful Year Round Foliage
Plants that Tolerate Poor Drainage
Coastal Plantings
Trees
Selecting Woody Plants
Deciduous or Semi-deciduous Trees
Evergreen Trees
Flowering Shrubs
Selecting Flowering Shrubs
Establishing Woody Plants
Planting Procedure
Windbreaks, Hedges and Screens
Establishing Hedges and Screens
Pruning or Trimming an Established Hedge
Alpine Plants
Selecting Annual Plants
Types of Annual Plants
Selecting Annuals of Differing Heights
Perennials
Selecting Herbaceous Perennial Plants
Maintenance Hints For Perennials
Scented Plants
Dry Gardens
Selecting Water Plants
Establishing Water Plants

7. Turf and its Contribution to Garden Design and Function
The Benefits of Turf
Selecting Turf
Turf Varieties
Lawn Mixes
Wild Flower Meadows
Turf Establishment
Soil Preparation
Sodding/Instant Turf
Golden Rules for Laying Instant Turf
Drainage
Mowing Turf
Mowing Heights
Direction of Cut or Pattern of Cutting
Mower Safety
Other Turf Maintenance Techniques
Fertilising Turf
Weed Control
Preventing Dispersal
Non Chemical Control Methods
Herbicide Use in Turf
Turf Health Problems
Commonly Used Chemical Pesticides
Commonly Used Chemicals; fungicides
Spray Equipment
Domestic Lawn Care Program
Turf Water Needs
Understanding the Movement of Soil Water
Irrigating Turf

8. Setting out a Site to Scale Plans and Drawings
How Landscape Plans are Presented
Setting Out the Site for Landscape Construction

9. Earthworks, Soil Storage and Drainage Systems
Earthworks
Slope Stability
Soil Types and Foundations
Try to Maintain Vegetation Cover Where Possible
Developing a Grading Plan
Required Grading Drawings
Grading Operations
Earth Moving Machinery
Use Experienced Operators
Cost of Earthworks
Earthworks Calculations
Volumes of Irregular Solids
Land Drainage Systems
Drainage Design
Springs and Under-ground Water Courses
What a Landscaper Should Know about Drainage
Sub Surface Drainage
Gradients
Distance between Drain Pipes
Depth of Drains
Types of Drains
Laying the Drain

10. Landscape Construction Procedures and Materials
Paths
Load Bearing Capacity
Concrete Reinforcement
Paving Essentials
Paving a Slope
Setting out Circular Paving
Curved Paving
Concrete Surfaces
Laying Pebbles
Building a Timber Deck
Decking Materials
Decking Around Pools
Changing Levels , step by step
Ramps
Railings
Retaining Walls
Construction Materials
Types of Retaining Walls
Drainage
Timber
Dry Stone Walls
Clay Block Walls
Recycled Rubber Walls
How to Render a Wall
Fencing
Fencing Materials
Supporting the Fence
Tips for Building a Timber Fence

11. Constructing Rock Gardens and Water Features
Rockeries
How to Build Artificial Rocks
Ponds
Construction of a Water Garden
How to Make a Water Garden using a Liner
How to make a Water Garden using a Preformed Unit
Pumps
Pond Filtration Systems
Work Safety
Safe Work Management Plans
Risk Assessment of a Landscape Construction Site
Risk to the Project
Risk to the Workers
The Adequacy of Existing Controls
Risk Control Methods
Example of a Risk Assessment Procedure
Example Risk Assessment of Protected Crop Production
Safety Techniques
Manual Lifting
How to Lift
Using Machines to do the Heavy Work

12. Amenity Bedding Schemes
Flower Bed Layout for Annuals
Other Types of Bedding Schemes
Shapes for Beds
Achieving the Best Results
Colour Themes
Get Your Timing Right and Getting the Most out of Your Flower Bed
Using Perennials
Herbaceous Perennials
Making Garden Beds - The Variables
Planting
Basic Planting Procedure
Staking
Time of Planting
Mulching
Pruning
Water
Popular Annuals
Supporting Herbaceous Plants
Shade Tolerant Perennials
Bulbs which Grow in Shade
Plant with Fragrant Flowers
Fragrant Foliage
Night Scented Plants
Some Evergreen Perennials
Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental Grasses for Year Round Effect
Some Ornamental Grass-like Plants

13. Specialist Garden Areas and Urban Garden Options
Specialist Garden Areas
Garden Ornaments
Plants for the Eclectic Garden
Art Gardens
Plants for Topiary
Hedges
Pleaching
Miniature and Table Top Gardens
Trough Gardens
Urban Gardens; other options
Acclimatising Indoor Plants
How to Care for the Acclimatising Plant
Acclimatising Period
How to Help Indoor Plants Survive
Watering Pot Plants over Short Periods
Fertilising
Re-potting Tips
Inner City Gardens
Types of Inner City Gardens
Community Gardens
Living Walls
Courtyards
Making a Small Courtyard Look Bigger
Natural Garden Planting Design
Planting Design Elements for the ‘Natural Garden’
Some Plants suited to Wild Gardens
Wildlife in Gardens
How Plants Benefit Birds
Using Ferns in Shaded Areas
Sensory Gardens
Low Maintenance Amenity Gardens
Container Plants
Planning the Cropping Program
Getting the Best Out of the Vegetable Plot
Sowing Vegetable Seeds
Sowing and Transplanting Guide
Broad Bean
Beetroot
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Capsicum
Carrot
Corn(Sweet Corn)
Celery
Lettuce
Onion
Pak Choi
Parsnip
Pea
Potato
Pumpkins, Maqrrows and Squash
Silver Beet
Spinach

14. Specialist Pruning Techniques
The Basic Rules of Pruning
Pruning and Rejuvinating
Controlling the Plants Shape and Size
Pruning Overgrown Shrubs
Removing Dead or Diseased Wood
Controlling the Type of Growth
Rejuvenation Limitations
Pruning overgrown climbers and wall shrubs
Pruning Roses
Rejuvenating Old and Overgrown Hedges
Specialist Pruning Techniques

15. Adapting Gardens for Water Sustainability
Conserving Water in the Garden
Reducing run-off
Collecting and Storing Water
Water Quality
Recycling Water
Saving water in the garden
Minimising Plant Water Requirements
Irrigation - water saving techniques
Mulch
Mulch Materials
The Green Roof
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.

Structure
The RHS breaks this certificate into four Units. Our lesson structure relates to those units as follows

Unit 1 - Garden Survey Techniques and the Principles of Garden Design:

Lesson 1 - History of Garden Design and Styles
Lesson 2 - Site Appraisals, Basic Surveying Techniques and Client Briefs
Lesson 3 - Principles and Elements of Garden Design and the Influence of Site Characteristics

Unit 2 - The Selection and Use of Landscaping Elements in the Garden:

Lesson 4 - Hard Landscaping Features and their Contribution to Garden Design and Function
Lesson 5 - The Function of Drainage Systems in the Garden
Lesson 6 - Soft Landscaping Features and their Contribution to Garden Design and Function
Lesson 7 - Turf and its Contribution to Garden Design and Function

Unit 3 - Setting out and Construction of Landscaping Elements in the Garden; Risk Assessments

Lesson 8 - Setting out a Site to Scale Plans and Drawings
Lesson 9 - Earthworks, Soil Storage and Drainage Systems
Lesson 10 - Landscape Construction Procedures and Materials
Lesson 11 - Constructing Rock Gardens and Water Features

Unit 4 - Specialist Elements in the Establishment of Garden and Urban Plantings:

Lesson 12 - Amenity Bedding Schemes
Lesson 13 - Specialist Garden Areas and Urban Garden Options
Lesson 14 - Specialist Pruning Techniques
Lesson 15 - Adapting Gardens for Water Sustainability

SITTING THE RHS EXAMS

This Certificate has 4 exams (one for each unit). Exams are held twice a year by the RHS in February and in June. You must contact and apply to sit exams with the RHS Exams office in Wisely (just outside London). Exam fees are paid to the RHS for these exams. Exams for this course can usually be arranged in most parts of the world.
ACS offices and offices of ACS affiliates would normally be expected to be approved as a location to site these theory exams. Exams can also be conducted under exceptional supervision.
If you require assistance with arranging an exam location, staff at ACS is happy to contact the RHS Education office on your behalf if any difficulty is encountered in arranging an exam location.

RECOMMENDED  E BOOKS  -Written by our Principal and founder, John Mason

Buy, download and rad immediately on your computer, i pad or reader  ... or download a sample extract for free.

Garden Design Volume 1 (e book with around 300 colour photos)  http://www.acsbookshop.com/products/2243-garden-design-part-1-pdf.aspx

Garden Design  Volume 2 (e book with around 300 colour photos)  http://www.acsbookshop.com/products/2245-garden-design-part-2-pdf.aspx

Starting a Garden or Landscape Business (e book)    http://www.acsbookshop.com/products/2241-starting-a-garden-or-landscape-business-pdf.aspx

REFERENCE BOOKS
ACS operates a student bookshop that supplies a range of horticulture texts to supplement our courses.
Many are written by the principal (well known gardening author John Mason), or other staff. All have been reviewed and approved by our academic experts (to be accurate and relevant to students studying our horticulture courses).

• Student discounts are available to anyone studying with ACS Distance Education.
• Both printed books and ebooks (as downloads) available

 http://www.acsbookshop.com/products/2245-garden-design-part-2-pdf.aspx

 

THE ENVIRONMENT OF PLAY by John Mason 2nd edition (publisher: ACS)   Ebook

http://www.acsbookshop.com/products/2087-orchids-a-beginners-guide.aspx

 

TREES and SHRUBS FOR WARM PLACES  by John Mason (publisher ACS)   E Book

http://www.acsbookshop.com/products/2237-trees-and-shrubs-for-warm-places-by-john-mason-pdf.aspx

 

STARTING A NURSERY OR HERB FARM 3rd edition  by John Mason   (publisher: ACS)  EBook http://www.acsbookshop.com/products/2242-starting-a-nursery-or-herb-farm-pdf.aspx

 

GROWING AND USING VEGETABLES and HERBS  by John Mason  (publisher: Kangaroo Press)  Printed Book

• Click on above link for info
• Sample pages available to download for all ebook
• E Books can be purchased online for immediate download (Can be read on a computer, ipad, iphone, lap top, most book readers or similar devices).
• GO TO www.acsbookshop.com for more titles