Lesson Structure:  Landscaping I BHT109

There are 10 lessons:

Introductory Notes

• Plant Collection
• How to Press a Plant
• Example of a Plant Identification Worksheet

1  Basic Design Procedures

• Horticulture and Landscaping
• Plants Change
• Plant Names
• Botanical Families
• Principles of Landscaping
• Design Elements
• Some Design Effects
• Pre-Planning Information

2  History and Styles of Gardening  

• Formal Gardens
• Informal Gardens
• Natural Gardens
• Cottage Gardens
• Oriental Gardens
• Mediterranean Gardens
• Subtropical (Rainforest) Gardens
• Naturalistic Landscaping
• The Permaculture Garden
• Eclectic Garden
• More Styles
• The History of Gardening
• Roman Gardens
• Chinese gardens
• The Dark Ages
• Le Notre
• Rose
• Kent
• Capability Brown
• Loudon
• Repton
• Robinson
• Australian Gardens

3  Drafting and Contracting

• Concept Plans
• Scale Drawing
• Presentation Plan
• Computer Aided Design
• Drawing (Graphics): Scale, What to Draw on, Lettering
• Representing Plants on Landscape Plans
• Design Procedure
• Specifications and Contracts
• Example Layout of a Specification Example
• Knowing Your Work Inside Out Before Starting to Put Together a Specification

4  Basic Landscape Construction

• Drainage and Erosion
• Minimum Grades for Surface Drainage
• Space of Drains
• Walling
• A Rockery
• Steps
• A Guide to Mound Making
• Why Build Mounds?
• Shape Size and Composition
• Methods of Earth Shaping
• Obtaining Infill
• Some things to be careful of
• Play Structures – Design Considerations
• Function
• Cost
• Safety
• Gravel and Bark Paths: Some Guidelines
• Creating a Gravel or Bark Path

5  Surfacings

• Introduction: Gradients, Maximum Grades for Several Uses
• Surfacings
• Artificial Surfacings
• Types of Artificial Surfacings
• Substrates
• Performance Considerations
• Paving
• Extra Comments

6  Furnishings and Features

• Introducton
• Garden Furniture
• Furnishing a Garden
• Outdoor Tables and Chairs
• Choosing Appropriate Furnishings
• Colour of Furniture
• Garden Art
• Framing the View
• Paintings
• Pots
• Statues
• Sculpture
• Water
• Lighting
• What to Light?
• Layout Considerations for Play Structures
• Height from which a child needs to fall to sustain concussion
• Fountains and Water Displays
• Skate Facilities
• Types of Facilities
• Skate Surfaces
• Skate Safety

7  Park Design A

• Park Components
• Differences between Park and Home Garden Design
• Ornaments
• Walls, Fences and Windbreaks
• Enclosed Gardens and Walls
• Gateways and Gates
• Windbreaks
• How Do Windbreaks Work?
• The best windbreaks
• What is Recreational Landscaping?
• Why Parks are Sometimes Under Used
• Park Design Criteria
• Functional Criteria
• Aesthetic Criteria
• Social Acceptance
• Financial Criteria
• Types of Play Landscapes
• Community Participation – How to Make it Work

8 Garden Design

• Introduction
• Example of Home Garden
• Practical Concerns
• Bringing the Outside in
• Considering the type of room and view you get
• Buildings
• Courtyards

9  Design Procedure

• The Design Process
• Groups of Elements
• Components in a Recreational Landscape
• Landscaping Barrow Gardens
• Components in a Recreational Landscape
• Water Garden Design
• Water Effects
• Use of Water Plants
• Formal and Informal Ponds
• Practicalities
• Water Quality and Quantity
• Safety

10 Park Design B

• How to Make Trails
• Planning a Trail
• Types of Trails: Fitness Trails, Sensory Trails, Environmental Trails, Mangrove Trail, Cryptic Puzzle Trail,
• Sporting Facilities
• Gradients for Turfed Playing Surfaces
• Dimensions of Sporting Facilities
• Outdoor Multi-Purpose Courts
• Court Elements
• Specifications
• Usage
• Fun and Fitness Trails
• Motorised Vehicle Parks: Landscape Impact, Noise Pollution, Fuel Crisis, Safety, Types of Motorized Vehicle Parks

Learning Goals:  Landscaping I BHT109

• Distinguish between different plants, to enable identification of the plant species. Understand design elements, principals of design and basic design procedure
• Determine an appropriate style of landscaping for a landscape development
• Develop basic skills of landscape drawing as well as a basic understanding of contracts and specifications
• Discuss the interrelationship between design and construction. Discuss application and availability of materials to ensure efficiency related to good design and construction principles
• Knowledge of what types of materials can be used to cover the ground for various situations, and the gradients or slopes of the ground
• Explain the appropriate use of structures in the landscape; including safety and use of appropriate materials
• Understand the concepts of park and playground design; differentiate between good and bad design
• Describe the characteristics of garden design and how to implement them into a landscape plan, particularly for a home garden situation
• Explain some of the factors involved in landscape design, and how to apply these factors in your design
• Discuss the design of a range of park facilities including trails and sporting facilities

Practicals:

• Explain the complete range of principles, elements and concepts used in landscape design.
• Visit and analyse a broad range of landscape styles, themes and components.
• Perform methods utilised to develop concepts and to create affects.
• Identify, record and utilise pre-planning information for the purpose of design development, and to use a checklist as a guide for surveying a site for a proposed design.
• Perform site survey and client interview with the site owner/manager.
• Explain the significance of effective client liaison, in a specific landscape job.
• Identify historical influences on landscaping.
• Explain the influence on modern garden design, of work by three garden designers who have been prominent in world garden history.
• Develop and compare the appropriateness of three design options for one specific landscape project.
• Draw an extensive range of different landscape symbols on paper, covering soft and hard landscape features.
• Transpose two different landscape drawings, reducing the scale by a specified amount.
• Draw a plan for a landscape, using legible graphic techniques.
• Determine site preparations required for a specified landscape site, including:
  • clearing/cleaning
  • earthworks.
• Explain the legal requirements for cleaning up after a landscaping job in your locality.
• Determine suitable timbers for construction of four different types of garden structures.
• Compare the suitability of different materials for surfacing paths, including:
  • Asphalt
  • Concrete
  • Local gravels
  • Local mulches
  • Timber
  • Ceramics.
• Collect, catalogue and determine appropriate use for different items of garden furniture.
• Design a paved area for a garden surveyed, including: scale drawings and construction instructions.
• Prepare a plant collection of at least eighty different plants incorporating:
  • Pressed plant specimens
  • Scientific and common names
  • Cultural details
  • How to use each of these plants in different landscape situations.
• Evaluate established landscapes based on:
  • Costs
  • Maintenance
  • Function
  • Aesthetics
• Develop detailed planting designs, including plant lists, for three landscape plans, to satisfy given job specifications.
• Analyse and compare the landscape designs of numerous selected homes and public parks.
• Develop and prepare concept plans for landscape areas such as:
  • Outdoor living area
  • Kitchen garden
  • Courtyard
  • Childrens playground
  • Entry to home
  • Neighbourhood park
• Draft a series of four conceptual plans, showing stages in the design of a home garden surveyed.
• Prepare a professional standard landscape design for a client in the learner’s locality, including:
  • A landscape plan drawn on tracing paper.
  • Materials specifications, including types and quantities.
  • Budget details.

Your tutor for this course is:

Susan Stephenson

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.