Lessons
There are 12 lessons in this course:
1. The Garden Environment
- The ecosystem
- Microclimates
- What do you want in a garden
- Components of a garden
- Landscaping with water
- Choosing a construction method for a water garden
- Making a pool with a liner
- Other types of water gardens
- Water garden effects
- Creating a waterfall
- Cascades
- Fencing and safety
- Plants for water gardens
2. Landscape Materials
- Tools
- Tool maintenance
- Garden clothes
- Construction materials
- Concrete and cement
- How to mix concrete and mortar
- Reinforcing, rodding, expansion joints
- Gravel and mulched paths
- Outdoor furniture
- Timber: types, stains, paints, preservatives
- Plastics, Metal, Ulpholstery
- Furniture design
3. Using Bulbs, Annuals and other Low Growing Plants
- Annuals
- Scented annuals
- Coloured foliage
- Flower bed layout
- Bedding schemes
- Selecting annuals according to height
- Annuals in containers
- Bulbs
- Scented bulbs
- Amaryllis
- Gladioli
- Narcissus
- Dahlia
- Hyacinth
- Iris
- Ranunculus
- Using Herbs
- Types of herb gardens
4. Landscaping with Trees
- Introduction
- Successions
- Fast growing trees
- Choosing plants
- Trees in the landscape
- Problems with trees
- Plant applications for trees, shrubs, ground covers
- Trees with damaging roots
- Trees with narrow canopies
- Aesthetic criteria for planting design
- Procedure for planting design
5. Ground Cover Plants
- Introduction
- Ground Covers: conifers, climbers, creepers, ornamental grasses
- Low grasses to grow
- How to build raised beds
- Grevilleas
- Thryptomene
- Brachysema
- Chorizema
- Ardenbergia
- Kennedya
- Herbs: Thyme, chamomile, mint, alpine strawberry, etc
- Landscaping with ferns
6. Walls and Fences
- Introduction
- Getting the style right
- Different fences
- Plants to grow on trellis
- Espaliers
- Garden arches
- Choosing the rich arch
- Timber and metal arches
7. Paths and Paving
- Introduction
- Where to use surfacing
- Paving: different types of materials
- Selecting materials
- Concrete
- Gravel
- Asphalt
- Edging
- Edging materials
- Maintaining an edge
- Aesthetics
8. Treating Slopes and Other Problem Areas
- Erosion control
- Helping plants establish on a slope
- Drip irrigation, mulches, tree guards
- Pocket planting, slope serration, wattling, spray seeding, etc
- Shade
- Plants suited to shade
- Ferns and shade
- Windbreaks, hedges and screens
- Gardening in coastal areas
- Design and planting a firebreak
- Fire resistant plants
9. Garden Features
- Colour
- Complementing colours
- Outdoor living areas: Patios, seating, garden structures, pool areas, pool surrounds
- Rockeries
- Drystone walls
- Wet walls
- Garden buildings and structures
- Siting garden buildings
- What to build
- What to do with the floor
- Planting around a garden building
- Protective structures
- Types of greenhouses
- Decorative planters
- Choosing and siting a planter
- Garden lighting
- Lighting trees, paths, ponds etc
- Letterboxes
10. Designing for Low Maintenance
- Introduction
- The cost of garden maintenance
- What costs
- Expensive to maintain areas or features
- Less expensive to maintain areas
- Gardening in dry areas
- Overcoming dry soils
- Drought tolerant plants
- Hardy plants for inner city gardens
11. Develop a Landscape Plan
- The site planning process
- Site analysis
- Design concept
- Master plan
- Keeping it to scale
- The importance of space
12. Management of Landscape Projects
- Introduction
- Mistakes to avoi
- Earthmoving
- Importing soil
- Workplace safety
Please note:Each lesson requires the completion of an assignment. These are submitted to your tutor, marked and returned to you with any relevant feedback, suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Learning Goals
- Determine the resources required for a landscape development, including materials and equipment.
- Determine appropriate plants for different locations within a landscape.
- Determine the appropriate design and construction for landscape features, including walls, fences, pavers and buildings.
- Determine treatments for problem areas in a landscape, including slopes and hostile environments.
- Analyse maintenance requirements for a landscape.
- Develop a landscape development plan, in accordance with a client brief, and in liaison with the client.
- Plan the management of a landscape projects.
Practical (Set Tasks)
Your Practical Tasks – Things You Will Do!
- Determine landscape materials readily available in the learner’s locality, including soils, gravels, mulches, and timbers.
- Differentiate between landscape applications for twenty different types of timber.
- Compare a range of materials in terms of function and aesthetics, including five types of mulches and five types of gravel.
- Determine applications for five different specific items of machinery in landscape construction including a chainsaw, an earth-moving machine, a rotary hoe, and a tractor.
- List the minimum equipment required to construct two different landscapes in accordance with project specifications.
- Determine criteria for selecting plants to be planted in 3 specified locations.
- Explain the impact of trees in two specific landscapes, on both the environment and aesthetics of those landscapes.
- Determine twenty different herbaceous plants, to grow in three different specified locations within the same garden.
- Prepare a design for an annual flower display bed of 50 sq. metres.
- List five groundcovers suited to plant in four different situations, including full shade, half shade, full sun and hanging baskets.
- Prepare a planting design for a 100 sq. metre area of garden, using only groundcovers and trees.
- List ten trees suited to each of the following cultural situations, in your locality: waterlogged soil; sandy soil; heavy soil; saline soil; fire-prone sites and near drainage pipes.
- Explain local government regulations which are relevant to landscape design and construction.
- Develop design criteria for different garden structures, in specified situations, including a pergola, swimming pool, steps and a garden seat.
- Compare the design and construction of six different types of barriers, including walls and fences.
- Design a fence for a landscape designed by you, including: construction detail drawing(s), materials specifications and a cost estimate.
- Compare ten specific surfacing materials, in landscapes visited by you, including paving products, stone and gravel.
- Design a set of steps, including construction detail drawing(s), materials specifications and a cost estimate.
- Design a set of retaining walls, including construction, drawings, materials needed and a cost estimate.
- Compare different types of garden buildings observed by you, including sheds, gazebos, car ports and garages, in terms of cost, durability, aesthetics and maintenance required.
- Determine two different methods to treat a specified erosion problem.
- Determine landscape preparations required for different soil types including clay, sand, shale, rocky soil and loam.
- Describe four interim stabilisation techniques, including hydromulching and jutemaster.
- List fifteen plant species which will adapt well to problem situations.
- Determine ten plants suitable for each of a range of different soil types, including: clays, sands, acidic soil and alkaline soil.
- Develop landscape plans, including illustrations and written instructions, for three difficult sites.
- Determine landscape features that contribute towards the reduction of maintenance requirement on a landscaped site.
- Compare the weekly maintenance requirement of a specific low maintenance garden, with that of a specific high maintenance garden.
- Compile pre-planning information for an existing landscape, which owners require to be redeveloped in order to reduce the maintenance requirement.
- Prepare a detailed landscape design to achieve low maintenance.
- Develop a ten week maintenance program, for a specific landscaped area visited by you.
- Compare copies of two landscape briefs for projects advertised in the tenders column of a newspaper.
- Develop a “client” brief, through an interview with a potential landscape client.
- Survey a landscape site to confirm details in a client brief.
- Develop three alternative concept plans for a landscape, in accordance with a client brief.
- Determine the preferred option, from three concept plans presented to a client at a tape recorded meeting.
- Prepare a detailed landscape design, conforming to decisions made during a discussion of alternative concept plans.
- Prepare a quotation, based on a specified landscape plan.
- Analyse the design of a landscape in comparison with the “Brief”.
- Prepare a work schedule according to both specifications and plans.
- Monitor the progress of landscape work on a project, by keeping a logbook or work diary.
- Assess standard of work carried out on a completed landscape project, against landscape plans for that project.
- Select appropriate equipment, including tools and machinery, for a specified project.
- List occupational health and safety regulations when dealing with machinery and equipment, which is relevant to a specified project.
- Schedule the supply of materials and equipment for a project, in the logbook.
- Develop contingency plans for a landscape development which addresses different possible irregularities including bad weather, security problems, weekend watering.
- Explain how to finalise a specified project prior to handing over.
- Explain the importance of monitoring a contract, through a specified project.
- Develop guidelines for supervision of construction for a specified landscape project.
More Information
CHOOSING PLANTS
Plant selection is an important part of any landscape design work. If you don’t choose your plants carefully your design is unlikely to be successful and the effects of poor plant selection may be expensive to rectify, for example the cost of removing a very large tree from a small garden.
When selecting plants to be included in your landscape designs you should consider the following factors:
Pre-planning considerations – including the site characteristics i.e. slope, soil etc, as well as the location of services and buildings, local bylaws and owners preferences.
Use – what particular task or tasks do you want the plant to fulfil i.e. shade, appearance, windbreak etc
Climatic considerations – which plants are best suited to the particular climatic conditions in which the landscape is situated. This includes the frequency, strength and duration of rainfall, winds and frosts as well as temperature and humidity levels.
Longevity – how long is the plant likely to live?
Hardiness – is it prone to attack from pests and diseases, is it readily affected by pollutants etc?
Lireodendron tulipifera -full tree-resized
Growth characteristics – how big does it grow and how quickly, does it have invasive roots that are likely to block drains or lift footpaths, buildings etc, is it deciduous so that it provides shade in summer and allows light through in winter, could the plant become invasive i.e. a weed?
Safety – do the plants have thorns or prickles that may cause injuries, can it cause an allergic reaction, are parts of it poisonous, is it likely to drop branches, is it likely to burn easily (i.e. Eucalypts)?
Maintenance – does it require pruning, staking and regular feeding, does it drop leaves or fruit that may need to be swept or raked etc?
Hardiness – is it prone to attack from pests and diseases, is it readily affected by pollutants etc?
Availability and cost – are the plants you desire readily available, what do they cost-are substitutes readily available?
Before purchasing any plants you should carefully inspect them:
• Roots – should be light-coloured (if necessary, remove from pot to inspect). Avoid shrivelled, rotting or blackened roots…these indicate that the plant has been stressed and is in an unhealthy state. Also avoid roots which are spiralling…these indicate that the plant is pot bound.
• Foliage – should be unmarked with lush new tips. Plants which do not have new leaves or plump buds indicate that the plant is not in top condition.
• Shape and height of the plant – stressed plants will appear stunted and may have thickened stems. Consider the height of the plant in relation to the pot…spindly, tall plants may be pot bound and/or suffering from a lack of nutrients.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.
General
Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.
Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.
Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.
Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.
Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.
Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.
Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.
Enrolment
Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.
Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.
Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.
Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.
Assessment
Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.
Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.
Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –
Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.
Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.
Qualifications
Q. What qualification will I receive?
A. For individual modules, you would be awarded a Certificate endorsed by TQUK (Training Qualifications, UK), providing you complete all assignments and the exam. If you just want to complete only the assignments and not sit for the exam or finish a Project, then a Letter of Achievement would be awarded. For more details on qualifications available please click here.
Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?
A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.
Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.
Tutors
Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.
Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.
Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.
FAQ - RHS Theory Qualifications
