QUALIFICATION KLC Certificate in Planting Design and RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture OBJECTIVE In-depth part-time study of every aspect of planting design that will allow students successfully completing the course the option to sit the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture examination DURATION One day a week (Thursday) over three terms of ten weeks. There are no half-term breaks (Total of 30 days) LOCATION Hampton Court Palace

KLC is an approved RHS examination centre for the RHS Level 2 General Certificate in Horticulture

This course is based at Hampton Court Palace and offers students the unique opportunity to gain practical experience in the 20th Century Gardens, which appropriately used to be the apprentices’ garden, whilst working towards the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture examination.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
No previous art or design experience is necessary but students must be at least twenty years old. English language ability must also be competent and we look for a minimum score of 6 on the International English Language Testing System (http://www.ielts.org/) or its equivalent. To apply for this course, students must complete the Student Questionnaire and Enrolment Form.

SECURITY
Please note that as a student on this course, we will need to undertake a security check so that you can be provided a security pass to gain access to Hampton Court Palace.

The course provides an in-depth study of every aspect of planting design and is suitable for amateur gardeners and designers, as well as professional designers and gardeners who want to improve their plant and planting design knowledge. Through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, design workshops and plant identification sessions, you will build up a substantial plant portfolio, allowing you to recognise and name a vast array of shrubs, trees and plants. Under the guidance of our qualified design tutors, you will learn how to maintain and care for plants and understand the requirements of different environments and conditions, particularly seeing the 20th Century Gardens change through the seasons. The course will also show you how to survey a garden and draw up a planting plan that will allow you to communicate and develop your creative ideas on paper.

At the end of the course, students will not only be prepared for the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture examination, but will have also developed a specialist skill that can help to completely transform an outside space. It is also a subject that demands passion and will no doubt form the basis of a life-long pleasure.

RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture Examination to be sat February 2010.

* The fee for the RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture examination is included in the cost of the KLC course, but is optional if a student is just studying for their own enjoyment.

THE SYLLABUS

• Plants through history – including their significance, symbolism and practical uses
• Plant classification and nomenclature – how and why plants are named, including family, genus, species, cultivars and varieties
• Plant categories – from the largest (trees and shrubs etc) through to the smallest (perennials and bulbs etc)
• Basic botany and plant science – what is a plant and how does it function and grow? Includes pollination and fertilisation
• Soil science – what is soil composed of and how to improve and manage it
• Plant propagation – including planting, sowing and all propagation techniques
• Plant management – pruning, feeding, watering (including control and management of pests and diseases)
• Plants in practice - applying the principles and examining specific examples of plant husbandry, growing fruit and vegetables, flowers for cutting/arranging
• Surveying a garden – how to carry out a site survey and analysis (in order to produce a planting plan for a client)
• How to draw a planting plan – a step by step guide to drawing a planting plan with supportive drawings and illustrations
• Computer Aided Design – an introductory presentation
• Designing with plants – the principles of planting design. How to use form, texture and colour in a planting scheme
• Creating successful planting combinations – looking at plant associations and what makes them succeed
• Working with different planting environments and conditions – creating planting schemes that will suit different sites and locations. Working to a client’s brief for different themes and situations