Garden Design and Maintenance Diploma
Whether you are thinking of starting a career outdoors as a gardening expert or you are already working in the industry and are thinking of starting your own garden company, then the Garden Design and Maintenance Diploma is the right choice for you.
Introduction to the Garden Design and Maintenance Diploma
This information packed course will teach you the basics you need to start your own gardening company or boost your career within the gardening industry. You can turn your hobby into a successful business by completing the twenty nine modules and passing the multiple choice question test.
The modules cover everything from basic gardening to pest control, landscaping and more. The course takes approximately fifteen hours to complete and on successful completion, you will have the ability to download and print your industry recognised diploma.
When applying for a position within the gardening industry, your potential employer will be able to confirm your certification online. During your studies you will enjoy the convenience of studying at your own pace with no set schedule and from anywhere using any device, as long as you have a connection to the internet to access the modules.
What You Will Learn
The twenty nine modules included in this Garden Design and Maintenance Diploma are brimming with information to help you jump start your gardening career and turn your hobby and passion into a money-making opportunity.
- Learn the basics of gardening from the various soil types to plant planning and purchasing.
- Identify an effective garden planning process from the initial consultation with the client through to site surveys, maintenance planning, to the final and completed project.
- Know different garden design styles. Learn how to gain inspiration throughout the day, how to design a mood board and how to implement your design effectively for the best results.
- Understand site surveys, approvals and measuring techniques. Learn how to use survey maps, photographic records and what surveys and appraisals you are going to need before you begin.
- Learn the benefits of project planning.
- Know the five forms that should be included in all your client packs.
- Learn more about drawing a plan and essential graphic skills.
- Know the various surfaces and materials, understand what hard landscaping is and how to deal with it.
- Know the secrets of great soil.
- Understand the importance of the right plan selection and care. This includes use of colours to make an impact.
- Gain valuable plant knowledge that you can use daily to make the best choices based on your design, garden location and finish.
- Learn how to identify high maintenance areas within any garden. Know the different options when it comes to low maintenance planning.
- Learn the importance of sustainability. Know what plants to use, about water conservation and how to recycle and reuse when working in any garden.
- Learn essential tips for reducing maintenance in difficult to manage and overgrown gardens.
- Know what equipment you are going to need, what equipment you will need for certain jobs and what each item is capable of.
- Get a good understanding of the most common garden pests, natural and chemical pesticides, integrated pest management and how to come up with a pest management plan that will work.
- Identify effective solutions for difficult gardens from adding container plants to adding additional irrigation and more.
- Know what to plan in a herb and vegetable garden.
- Know what you need to start your own gardening business to achieve success.
- Learn more about marketing your business, health and safety in the workplace, insurance, tax and record keeping, just to name a few of the points covered in this industry recognised course.
- Gain valuable insight into raising flower beds, laying patios, decking, fencing, know more about artificial grass, how to lay lawn and how to build a fish pond.
Benefits of the Garden Design and Maintenance Diploma
This course is designed to provide you with a wide range of benefits, including:
- An easy to understand syllabus that you can learn at home and in your own time.
- Improve your career prospects with an industry recognised diploma.
- Learn using any device at any time.
- Enjoy ongoing support during your studies.
Course Modules/Lessons
Module 1: Gardening Basics
- Soil type, soil evaluation & soil improvement: learn about the different types of natural soil and additional plant mixers which can be used to stimulate plant growth.
- Garden planning & preparation: Understand the importance of initial planning on paper, before beginning the practical aspects of gardening.
- Plant planning & purchase tips: Determine plant types and their uses, discover plant purchasing techniques.
- Maintenance-Soil Nourishment & Watering: Learn the different materials essential for the nourishment of soil to facilitate growing and maintenance of healthy plants.
Module 2 : Garden Design Process
- The importance of the initial consultation, ongoing discussions, clarity and onsite analysis.
- The necessity of site surveying and garden concept plans to aid the decision making process and avoid potential mishaps.
- The basic elements of good garden design, including the plant options, hardscapes, texture and color elements.
- How to gain knowledge around garden project management, garden coaching and maintenance planning for the completed project.
Module 3 : Garden Design Styles
- The importance of gathering inspiration daily from all avenues of your life, nature, other gardens, books, online and your creative inspiration
- About how creating a garden design mood board assists both the owner and garden designer in creating a visual effect of the ideas, colors, plants and overall theme that is preferred
- About implementing your design choice
- About the option of a virtual mood board created from an array of images
Module 4 : Survey, Site Appraisal & Measuring Techniques
- About the materials and areas of measurements required for surveying a site for garden design
- About the various scales used in recording site measurements on survey maps
- About the correct photographic recordings and survey map drawing requirements
- What site appraisal records and site survey check-lists you need
Module 5 : Planning Your Projects
- The benefits of project planning regardless of the size of project.
- The importance of creating timelines, chronological action step lists and available resources
- About developing preliminary plans and baseline plans when planning a garden project
- The importance of being flexible, documenting all actions and transactions and keeping the lines of communication open
Module 6 : Proportion Illusions & Effective Use of Space
- About the use of forced perspective
- Ways to incorporate and create optical illusion methods to enhance small garden spaces so they appear larger
- How to effectively use the space available to you
- About the techniques available to you to create more space when designing a garden plan
Module 7 : Drawing a Plan & Graphics Skills
- The time you need to allocate for each dog walk
- The length of time you should leave between appointments
- The order in which to take care of each of the pets you’re responsible for
- Insurance vulnerabilities when you include additional services for clients when they are on holiday
Module 8 : Surface & Materials / Hard Landscaping
- The different considerations before deciding on which garden surface materials to choose for each landscape for effective style & functionality.
- About the different hard landscaping options which can be used for varying garden requirements and preferences from solid garden flooring options like stone and concrete to softer, uneven options such as glass beadings or pebbles.
- How to determine different types of hard landscaping combinations such as wood and metal, gravel and stone or glass beadings, which can be achieved to create unique, attractive garden flooring surfaces.
- About the use of hard landscaping materials that are used to turn dull spaces into stunning visual displays and create functional but attractive garden areas.
Module 9 : Secrets of Great Soil
- The composition of the various soil types including their textures and unique components
- The advantages and disadvantages of the different types of soil and what can be done to enhance each for increased fertility
- The types of plants that are best suited to each soil type: sandy, chalky, clay, peat, silt and loam
- The secrets of creating great soil by use of organic, natural materials.
Module 10 : Plant Selection & Care
- The advantages of planting native species to enhance your garden and surrounding wildlife species.
- How to make best use of space constraints and other factors to adhere to when planning the spatial aspects of plant-life.
- About color themes and the color wheel so that the garden plants, shrubs and trees chosen complement the existing background and client preferences.
- About the effect of sunlight and climate features in relation to plant selection
Module 11 : Plant Knowledge
- The three groups of fish, and examples of breeds within each group
- The temperatures to maintain for each type of fish
- The frequency to test water for nitrates
- The amount of water needing changed, when and how to change it
Module 12 : Low Maintenance Gardens/Planting
- How to Identify High Maintenance Areas in an Existing Garden
- The Different Tpes of Low Maintenance Gardens
- How to Use Gravel, Soil, and Turf to Make the Garden Maintenance Lower
- About Planting Few Varieties, but More in Number
Module 13 : Sustainability
- Why creating a garden with plants that are maintainable is important
- Why edible plants are sustainable
- About Saving Water for Conservation
- About Reusing and Recycling Materials in the Garden
Module 14 : Garden Maintenance
- How to reduce maintenance if it is getting out of control
- About pruning and deadheading for appropriate care of plants
- How fertilizer enhances the soil
- About winterization in a temperate climate is an essential part of owning a garden
Module 15 : Equipment
- What equipment you will need to run a garden design & maintenance service
- How to choose the right tools for each job
- What each piece of equipment is capable of
- About racks & stakes for vine plants
Module 16 : Pest Control
- What garden pests are
- Natural versus Chemical Pesticides
- About Integrated Pest Management
- About Coming up with Multiple Treatment Plans
Module 17 : Solutions to Difficult Gardens
- About adding container plants to keep the plants owners love without possible difficulties
- How changing irrigation and watering systems can make a difficult garden easier to manage
- About adding new plants with an eye towards low maintenance or new landscaping for easier gardens
- How sometime starting over is the best option
Module 18 : Vegetable and Herb Gardens
- What to plant
- How to plant vegetable and herb gardens
- How to fertilize the garden
- About canning
Module 19 : Running your own Gardening Business
- About tailoring your services to meet the needs of groups of customers
- How to identify what people are already spending on pet care
- The simplest route to starting your own business
- What will drive a prospect to make the hiring decision and become a paying client
Module 20: Marketing and Social Media
- About website business marketing
- About marketing and social media for a bricks and mortar company
- Why networking is still important
- About advertising costs
Module 21: Health and Safety
- Health and Safety Laws including the Policy Statement
- Responsibilities of an employer, employee and safety officer
- Risks involved in gardening
- Employee Training requirements
Module 22: Insurance, Tax, and Record Keeping
- The different types of insurance required
- About income business tax structure
- About record keeping software
- Hiring an accountant
Module 23: How to Build Raised Flower Beds
- Benefits of raised beds
- Materials to use for raised beds
- Ideal dimensions for raised beds
- Step by step directions of how to make a raised bed
Module 24: How to Lay a Patio
- What materials to use for a patio
- Things to consider while planning and laying a patio
- What is an ideal size for a patio
- Step by step guide
Module 25: Decking
- How to plan a deck
- How decide on the ideal placement for decking
- What materials and tools you will need
- Step by step guide to building decking
Module 26: How to Put Up Garden Fencing
- What factors to consider while deciding upon a fence type
- The types of fences available and where to use them
- How to calculate the amount of material you will need to construct a fence
- How to put up a fence with vinyl coated welded wire fence with T posts
Module 27: How to Turf a Garden and Lay a Lawn
- About choosing the right grass or turf for the lawn
- How to prepare the soil for turf
- How to take care of turn to establish a lawn
- A step by step guide to laying turf
Module 28: How to Lay Artificial Grass Areas
- Why there is a need for artificial turf
- The types of turf available
- The materials and tools you will need
- Step by step guide to laying artificial grass
Module 29: How to Build a Garden Pond
- About choosing the right site for a pond
- How to select the correct lining
- About the materials and tools needed to build a pond
- Step by step instructions to build a basic pond
FAQ's
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Who can take the Garden Design and Maintenance Diploma course?
There are no entry requirements to take the course. -
What is the structure of the course?
The course is broken down into 29 individual modules. Each module takes between 20 and 90 minutes on average to study. Although students are free to spend as much or as little time as they feel necessary on each module. -
Where / when can the course be studied?
The course can be studied study at any time and from any internet connected device -
Is there a test at the end of the course?
Once you have completed all 29 modules there is a multiple choice test. The questions will be on a range of topics found within the 29 modules. The test, like the course, is online and can be taken a time and location of your choosing. -
What is the pass mark for the final test?
The pass mark for the test is 70%. -
What happens if a user fails the test?
If the user doesn’t pass the test first time they will get further opportunities to take the test again after extra study. There are no limits to the number of times a test can be taken. -
How long does it take to complete the Garden Design and Maintenance Diploma course?
We estimate that the course will take about 15 hours to complete in total, plus an additional 30 minutes for the end of course test.