Ever looked out of the window, seen the grass and flowers and thought to yourself “Wow, I’d really love to take up gardening”? If so you might be interested in one of our horticulture courses. We offer a diverse range of courses ranging from garden design to crop growing to courses accredited by the Royal Horticulture Society. Whatever your growing aspirations, ADL has a course to suit.
Horti-what? I just wanted to be a gardener…
Horticulture is best described as the science, art and business of cultivating plants for human usage. If you are involved in growing plants for food, maintaining the appearance of gardens or trying to create new, drought resistant varieties of crops for dryer climates, you have claim to be a horticulturalist. It’s a vast field, stretching from gardeners to farmers to biologists in laboratories, and there’s plenty of different courses depending on what aspect of this huge subject interests you.
Give me some examples.
Okay, let’s say you want to learn to design your own dream garden. You might want to consider our Landscaping Home Gardens course. This course, over ten lessons, will teach you all the fundamentals you need to know to successfully design a garden such as drawing up plans, understanding soils and key planting advice. It’s suitable for beginners or those with some experience already.
Those looking to grow their own food might instead be interested in our Fruit Production course, Mushroom Cultivation or Nut Production. Another popular reason for getting into horticulture nowadays is a desire for self-sufficiency, in which case our Permaculture or Self-Sufficiency courses provide ideal introductions for those looking to be more reliant on themselves.
Finally, for those interested in developing a serious career in the horticulture industry, no matter which aspect they wish to go into, you could not do better than taking one of our RHS courses. These courses, certified by the RHS, are respected across all horticultural fields and will give you the knowledge and qualifications you need to work in this exciting industry.
RHS? What?
The RHS is the Royal Horticultural Society. They are the largest horticultural organization on the globe and are highly respected world-wide. Based in Britain, they have been advancing and promoting the cause of horticulture and development in plant science for over two hundred years. If you have ever heard of the Chelsea flower show, they’re the ones behind it.
Several of our courses are certified by the RHS. This means that, on-top of the high quality of education you get from ADL, you also get a qualification from a world leader in horticulture. You can read more about the RHS here.
So how long will my online horticulture course take me?
The answer to that is generally as long as you need it to – distance learning is done by you, at your own pace. That said, our experience is that our individual horticulture courses will take the average learner approximately 100 hours of home study to complete.
Okay I’m ready! When can I start my online horticulture course?
You can start your horticulture course whenever you wish. Enrol today and you could be starting on your new career at any time convenient to you.
When must I finish the course by?
You can take as long as you like to finish the course. Please note that we do generally require some submission of work from each student at least every six months, however we understand life can be unpredictable. If you have to take a break from your studies for any reason we’re flexible in allowing deferment when you need it.
How much do your horticulture courses cost?
You can get started on our horticulture courses for as little as £325. However if you’re looking to go professional with one of our RHS certified courses these begin from £325 with our complete best value package available at £900.
Are all costs included?
For ADL’s in-house courses and qualifications all costs are included in your package including any exams should you elect to take them. However please be advised that our RHS courses are assessed externally and to complete them you will be required to take an RHS exam the cost of which must be paid directly to the society.
Can the horticulture courses be completed entirely online?
Yes in the case of ADL’s own courses. All materials will be provided to you by your chosen method whether electronically of via correspondence. This included any examinations if you choose to take them.
However our RHS courses conclude with mandatory examinations which must be sat at an approved training centre. Examinations are held typically in February and June and students are advised determine where they will intend to sit the exam prior to enrolling on the course.
Who will my tutor be?
Your tutor will be either Susan Stephenson or Katie Freeth. Both are highly experienced educators with a distinguished horticultural pedigree. Read more about them on our tutor page.
What will I receive when I finish my online horticulture course?
For completing an ADL course and its associated exam you will receive a certificate. However, if you combine multiple courses and complete them all you can be eligible to receive an advanced certificate, a diploma or a higher advanced diploma. See our page here for the awards ADL offers.
For RHS qualifications you will receive the qualifications mentioned in the exam issued directly by the RHS.