Professional Diploma in Garden Design & Horticulture

Career focused training in garden design

Entry Requirements

General requirements

No previous art or design experience is necessary. Normally the entry standard is a degree, but mature students with sufficient prior learning experience are particularly encouraged. Entry is by interview and numbers are strictly limited. The purpose of the interview is to assess applicants' academic ability, motivation, performance under pressure and the reasons for undertaking the training. English language ability must also be competent and we look for a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System www.ielts.org  or its equivalent. Students are also required to have a laptop computer, access to a colour printer and a broadband internet connection for this course and have basic everyday computer skills (eg using a mouse and keyboard, opening and saving files etc).

Computer skills

Students on KLC's Diploma level courses are expected to use computers during their studies. These will be used for producing presentational material and for CAD and presentation software training.* Important information relating to the course is sometimes communicated via email. For this reason, students should ensure that they are familiar with the general operation and use of computers (for example, they should be able to confidently create, amend, save and distribute documents, and use email) before starting their course. Prior experience in using either PCs or Macs will be equally helpful. Full details of the expected level of ability will be provided at interview.

*CAD software can sometimes cause conflicts with other software on your computer. Current students using PCs seem to have had fewer complications than those using Apple Mac computers, however this will not necessarily be the case with future releases of the software and the choice of which computer to use is entirely yours.

NOTE: The interview is the first step in the formal application process for KLC's full time and blended learning course. At interview, among other topics of conversation, we will ask you to outline how you plan to incorporate 15 hours of study per week or over into your life alongside any existing commitments; this will be of particular concern if you are in full-time employment. Before applying for an interview please ensure that you have the funding available, are of sufficient age and have the required language ability.

To arrange an interview for this course, please contact us on 020 7376 3377 or email info@klc.co.uk.

Course Overview

Online training

Through KLC's website, blended learning students will access a range of online support services. Students download study modules and worksheets from the site, which then keeps track of progress through the course. This allows students access to their study material from anywhere in the world.

Regular online tutorials (about one per term) will be held with a KLC tutor in a virtual classroom. These online tutorials will be given on specific subjects with a live video link to the tutor, course notes and PowerPoint presentations. KLC uses Adobe Connect, which is a secure flexible web communication system that allows online training, web conferencing and online collaboration, and allows students to have an interactive experience with both the tutor and other students in the classroom.

The website also acts as a Learning Resource Centre, so that students can access examples of other students' work, take part in lively discussions on the bulletin board and chat room, view and amend their personal details and access other relevant course information such as their student study guide, course timetable, latest news and the useful links page.

Extensive support throughout studies

Students taking this blended learning course benefit from all the unique support services that we offer our traditional learning students. However, in addition to this, blended learning students are overseen by their course tutor, who will be their mentor, and monitor their progress from day one of their studies through to graduation.

Students will also be given a schedule for their distance learning studies setting down fixed deadlines for projects to be submitted that will ensure that they complete their studies within the specified timeframe.

KLC staff are available (Monday – Friday, 9.00am – 5.30pm) to rapidly respond to any course queries by phone or email. Our maximum response time is usually within one working day, but we will endeavour to respond to blended learning students' queries within 2 hours during office hours.

Blended learning students also have the opportunity to attend a group seminar at every workshop (approximately every 2-3 months) to present recent work to a small group of their peers and to discuss progress.

Timetable for courses at the college

Year one

One Week Foundation Course (16 – 20 April 2012)

• Introduction to your studies
• Introductory technical drawing course – including instruction on drafting plans, elevations and sections
• Inspirational lecture from a leading garden designer showcasing their work
• Introduction to concept boards
• Friday Workshop (1 Day)
• Site survey and analysis for 1st project and client brief for 1st project (15 June 2012)
• 2-day Workshops (Friday/Saturday)
• Horticulture and the principles of planting design and planting plans (21 & 22 September 2012)
• Axonometric drawing and rendering (1 & 2 February 2012)

Year two

One Week Intermediary Course (15 – 19 April 2013)

• Computer aided design (VectorWorks)
• Horticulture (continued)
• One point perspective

Friday Workshop (1 Day)

• Two point perspective (14 June 2013)
• Site survey & analysis and client brief for 3rd project (27 September 2013)

Saturday Workshop (1 Day)

• Project workshop focusing on historical research (9 November 2013)

2-day Workshops (Monday/Tuesday)

• RHS Theory for Level 2 Horticultural Assessments (10 & 11 February 2014 – TBC)

Year three (One Term Only)

One Week RHS Assessment Course (7 – 11 April 2014 – TBC)

• Practical demonstrations for RHS Level 2 Certificate in Practical Horticulture
• Formal assessments for RHS Level 2 Certificate in Practical Horticulture
• Lighting lecture

Three Day Final Course (2 – 4 July 2014)

• Costing a project
• Specification
• Professional practice
• Careers workshop
• Presenting skills
• Inspirational lecture

Course Syllabus

Plant science

• Plant kingdom
• Anatomy
• Functions
• Processes
• Genetics
• Soil (structure, texture, composition and management & other growing media)
• Propagation

Plant care & management

• Receiving and planting out plants
• Watering
• Pruning
• Plant protection
• Feeding and composting
• Weeds
• Pests and diseases
• Beneficial organisms
• Practical horticulture (inc dealing with tools & equipment, powered garden machinery, health & safety)

Garden history

• Ancient and religious gardens
• Mediaeval gardens
• Gardens of the Far East
• Renaissance gardens
• The plant hunters
• The formal garden 1660-1714
• Landscape – early and late
• Gardens from the Gardenesque to the Arts & Crafts 1830-1920
• 20th Century
• Contemporary gardens

Technical design skills

• Scale
• Inking and lettering
• Freehand sketching
• Survey, plans, elevations, sections
• Planting plans and schedules
• Axonometric and isometric drawings
• Perspective drawing
• CAD
• Scale models
• Detailed construction drawings
• Setting out plants
• Reproducing drawings

Presentation techniques

• Visual and verbal communication and presentation skills
• Concept boards
• Graphics
• Rendering
• PowerPoint

The design process

• The client
• The brief
• Site survey and analysis
• Design analysis
• The design concept
• Functional layout drawings
• Design development
• Design principles

Plants and their use in design

• Plant nomenclature
• Plant categories
• Form, texture and colour
• Special garden habitats
• Naturalistic planting
• Special garden themes

Construction

• Feasibility
• Hard landscaping materials and finishes
• Soft landscaping (including green roofs and walls)
• Water
• Construction and structural principles
• Construction details and specification
• Drainage
• Lighting
• Accessibility
• Planning permissions and building regulations
• Costing a project

Environment and sutainability in

• Design
• Planting
• Construction
• Garden practice

Professional practice

• Career planning
• Business planning
• Project management and contract administration
• Legal considerations
• Health & Safety

Contextual studies

• Careers advice
• Careers workshop
• Work experience opportunities
• Working in a design team
• Student-led debates, discourse, research