CERTIFICATE IN HORTICULTURE (LANDSCAPING & GARDEN DESIGN)

ONLINE TRAINING IN BOTH HORTICULTURE & LANDSCAPING

• Developed to train you in both horticulture and landscaping in the one certificate
• Free student membership available for both Australian Institute of Horticulture and the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (UK).
• Flexible, self paced, practical course - learn to design gardens, identify hundreds of plants, establish and care for plants professionally.

Lesson Structure

There are 30 lessons in this course:

1. Plant Identification
   • Introduction
   • Botanical/Horticultural Nomenclature
   • The Binomial (Taxonomic) System
   • Botanical Classification
   • Plant Families and Species
   • Hybrids, Varieties, Cultivars
   • Plant Family Names
   • Pronunciation of Plant Names
   • Significant Genera and Families they belong to
   • Meanings and origins of Plant Names
   • Pressing Plants (to create a herbaria collection for reference)
   • Introduction to Amenity Plants
   • Flowering Plants
   • Lower Plants – Conifers, Ferns
   • Rhododendrons and Azaleas
   • Roses
   • Bulbs
   • Practical – Plant Review Worksheets
2. Parts of the Plant
   • Plant Identification Skills
   • How to increase your Plant I.D. Skills
   • Terminology
   • Lead Types
   • Structure and Arrangement of Leaves and Leaflets
   • Common Leaf Shapes
   • Flower Structure
   • Parts of a Flower
   • The Inflorescence
   • Types of Flowers – bisexual, unisexual, monoecious, dioeceous
   • How a Seed Forms
   • Plant Structure
   • Stems and Stem Modifications
   • Leaves and Leaf Modifications
   • Roots and Root Function
   • Root Modifications
   • Morphological Changes as a Plant Matures
   • Cell Structure and Histology
   • Cell Components
   • Plant Cell Types
   • Plant Tissue Comparisons
   • Photosynthesis
   • Factors Affecting Photosynthesis
   • Respiration
   • Rate of Respiration
   • Transpiration
   • Environmental Factors Affecting Transpiration and Water Uptake
   • The Nitrogen Cycle
   • Terminology
3. Plant Culture – Planting
   • Planting
   • Environmental Influences on Plants
   • Potting Up Plants
   • Potting Shrubs and Trees
   • Introduction to Gardening Basics
   • Terminology
   • Common Mistakes when Planting
   • Plant Selection Criteria
   • Economics of Planting
   • Ongoing Costs
   • Longevity
   • General Hardiness
   • Aesthetic Criteria
   • Basic Planting Procedure
   • Fertiliser
   • Staking
   • Bare Rooted Plants
   • Timing of Planting
   • Considerations, Variety, Time, Locality, Mulching
   • Laying a New Lawn – Soil Prep, Levels, Sowing, Raking in, Watering
   • Turf Grass Varieties – Couch, Fescue, Rye, Bent, Kentucky Blue
4. Plant Culture – Pruning
   • Fruit or Vegetative Buds
   • Reasons for Pruning
   • Removing Dead or Diseased Wood
   • Controlling Growth Type
   • Controlling Shape and Size
   • Rejuvenation
   • Basic Pruning Rules
   • Home Orchard Pruning
   • Fruit Tree Pruning Styles
   • Before Pruning
   • Considerations while Pruning
   • Pruning Terminology
5. Plant Culture – Irrigation and Machinery
   • Water and Irrigation
   • Infiltration and Drainage
   • Types of Irrigation
   • Flood Irrigation
   • Sprinkler Irrigation
   • Trickle Irrigation
   • Power Tools
   • Types of Power Tools
   • Power Tool Maintenance
   • Oil
   • Buying Power Tools
   • Chainsaws – Use, Starting, Chain Sharpening
   • Mowers – types. Guidelines for use, Care
   • Brush Cutters/ Strimmers
   • Mulchers
   • Rotary Hoes
   • Hedge Trimmers
   • Irrigation Objectives and Feasibility
   • Understanding Soil, Water and Plants
   • Gravitational, Capillary and Hygroscopic Water
   • Measuring Water Available to Plants
   • Calculations – Field Capacity, Wilting Point
   • Available Moisture Range
   • Root Depths for Different Plants
   • Estimating Plant Water Requirement
   • When to Irrigate
   • Symptoms of Water Deficiency and Excess
   • Types of Sprinkler Systems and Sprinkler Heads
   • Design and Operation of Irrigation Systems
   • Cyclic Watering
   • Pulse Watering
   • Irrigation Scheduling
   • Selecting Surface Irrigation Methods
6. Soils and Media
   • Potting Mixes
   • Factors Affecting Fertiliser Application
   • Soils
   • Sampling Soils
   • Soil Composition
   • Colloids and Peds
   • Soil Texture and Structure
   • Soil Chemical Properties
   • Improving Soils – texture, structure, fertility
   • Soil Terminology
7. Soils ad Nutrition
   • Introduction
   • Nutrient Elements
   • Macronutrients
   • Nitrogen
   • Phosphorus
   • Potassium
   • Magnesium
   • Calcium
   • Sulphur
   • Micronutrients
   • Soil pH and Nutrient Availability
   • Soil Ameliorants
   • Total Salts
   • Salinity
   • Sources of Salt
   • Control Methods for Salinity
   • Soil Sodicity
   • Water, Air and Nutrients
   • Soil Temperature
   • Key to Diagnosis of Nutritional Problems
   • Fertilisers
   • Composting
   • Compost Ingredients
8. Propagation – Seed and Cuttings
   • Introduction
   • Seed Propagation
   • Hygiene
   • How to Sow Seeds in Containers
   • Seed Germination
   • Seed Sources
   • Seed Storage
   • Factors Affecting Seed Storage
   • Germinating Difficult Seeds
   • Seed Dormancy
   • Treatments to Break Dormancy
   • Cutting Propagation
   • Cutting Types – Softwood, Hardwood, Semi Hardwood, Herbaceous, Stem, Tip, Heal. Leaf, etc
   • Factors affecting Rooting of Cuttings
   • Plant Breeding
   • Hybrid Seed Production
   • Maintaining Genetic Identity in Seed
   • Hand Pollination
9. Propagation – Other Techniques
   • Division
   • Aseptic Micro Propagation
   • Grafting
   • Budding
   • Layering
   • Tip Layering
   • Mound Layering
   • Simple Layering
   • Compound Layering
   • Aerial Layering
   • Natural Layering – Suckers, Runners, Offsets, Crowns
   • Propagation with Specialised Stems and Roots – Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, Rhizomes, Pseudobulbs
   • Propagating Bulbs – Bulblets on Scales, Stem Cuttings, Bulbils, Basal Cutting etc
10. Identification and Use of Plants – Landscape Application
    • Plants in the Landscape
    • Choosing Plants – criteria
    • Inspecting Plants Pre Purchase
    • Trees for Landscaping
    • Factors for Tree Selection
    • Potential Tree Problems
    • Choosing Shrubs for Different Purposes
    • Groundcovers
    • Building Plant Knowledge of Many Tree and Shrub Genera
    • Trees for Different Conditions
    • Planting Techniques
    • Soil Restrictions on Planting
11. Identification and Use of Plants-Problem Situations
    • Establishing Trees
    • Tree Size & Age at Planting
    • Root Containment at Planting - Container Type, Bare Rooted or Balled
    • What to look for when Buying a Tree
    • Plant Protection at Planting – Staking, Frost Protection, Sun Protection, Cages
    • Controlling Birds
    • Props
    • Cabling & Bolting
    • Quick Reference Plant Directory
    • Container Growing Outside
    • Street Tree Reporting
12. Identification and Use of Plants – Indoor
    • Introduction to Indoor Plants
    • Why Indoor Plants Die
    • Potting Mixes
    • Drainage holes in Pots
    • How to Pot a small Plant to a Larger Pot
    • Potting up Hanging Baskets
    • Plantscaping with Ferns
    • Fern Families and Genera
13. Pests
    • Chemical Pest Control
    • Law
    • Chemical Labelling
    • Non Chemical Pest Control
    • Care when Using Chemicals
    • Entomology & Insect Control Methods
    • Types of Insect Poisons – contact, intermediate, stomach, translocated or not
    • Integrated Pest Management
    • Insecticide Use with IPM
    • Preventative Actions in the Garden
    • Understanding Pesticides – Reading the Label
    • Toxicity, Activity Spectrum, LD50. Persistence, Volatility, etc.
    • Chemical Types -Inorganic, Biological, Organophosphates, Organochlorines, Carbamates, etc.
    • Review of Specific Chemical Products
    • Diatomaceous earth, Soaps
    • Fungicides
    • Ways of Applying Chemicals – Spraying, Dusting, Granules, Irrigation injection
    • Safety Procedures when Using Agricultural Chemicals
    • Differentiation of Pests, Diseases and Viruses
    • Review of most Common Pests
14. Diseases
    • Fungicides
    • Plant Pathology
    • Identifying a Problem – Parasitic, Non Parasitic
    • Treating a Problem
    • Diagnosis of Plant Disorders – Visual Appearance, Possible Cause, Appropriate Treatment
    • Common Diseases
    • Anthracnose
    • Blight
    • Canker
    • Damping Off
    • Galls
    • Leaf Spot
    • Mildew
    • Rots
    • Rust
    • Smut
    • Mould
    • Wilt
    • Other Common Diseases
    • Turf Fungal Diseases
    • Plant Virus Detection and Diagnosis
    • Arboriculture and Tree Health
15. Weeds
    • What is a Weed
    • Steps to Controlling Weeds
    • Weed Control with Suffocation
    • Weed Control with Burning
    • Cultivation to Control Weeds
    • Other Non Chemical Weed Control Methods – Grazing, Mowing, Flooding, pH change, Biological Controls
    • Weed Control with Herbicides
    • Modes of Action
    • Regulations and Laws - Restricted Use & Supply
    • Avoiding Spray Drift
    • Types of Herbicide Chemicals – Aliphatics, Amides, Ureas, Carbamates etc.
    • Herbicide Resistance and Tolerance
    • Safe Use of Weed killers
    • Safety Guidelines and First Aid in relation to Chemical Use
    • Cleaning Up a Chemical Spill
    • Identifying Weeds
    • Controlling Weeds in Different Places – fence lines, base of trees, garden Beds, Hard Surfaces
    • Types of Weeds
    • Noxious Weeds
    • Environmental Weeds
    • Common Weeds
    • Terminology
16. History of Landscaping
    • Garden styles
    • Types of gardens
    • History of gardens
    • Principles of Design and Planning Information
17. Principles of design
    • Pre planning information
    • Using colour
    • Natural garden design
    • Eclectic gardens
    • Minimalist gardens
    • Plant application
    • Aesthetic criteria for design
    • Procedure for planting design
    • Entries
    • Birds in the garden
18. Drawing and Costs
    • Cost effective design
    • Garden style versus costs
    • Construction decisions
    • Planting decisions
    • Maintenance decisions
    • Garden investment
    • Determining costs
    • Drawing techniques
    • Computer aided design
19. Irrigation
    • Sprinkler systems
    • Micro irrigation
    • Planning an irrigation system
    • How to use a watering system
    • Automatic watering systems
20. Garden Designs
    • Park design
    • Home garden design
    • Cottage garden design
    • Trail design
    • Types of trails (fitness, sensory, cryptic, environmental)
    • Recreational landsacaping
    • Playground design
    • Barriers and walls
    • Gradients and dimensions
21. Earthmoving and Drainage
    • Levelling & basic surveying
    • Earthmoving equipment
    • Earth forming
    • Creating mounds
    • Raised beds
    • Importing or improving soil
    • Soil shaping
    • Soil degradation
    • Soil rehabilitation
    • Earthworks calculations
22. Materials
    • Using, choosing & preserving timber
    • Recycled timber
    • Rock work
    • Concrete
    • Coloured pebbles and gravel
23. Paths, Walls and Fences
    • Paths: guidelines, gradients, surfaces
    • Walls & sleeper walls
    • Types of fences
    • Building a wood fence
    • Garden structures
    • Play Structures
    • Skate facilities, motor vehicle parks
    • Pavers, stone and gravels
    • Contracts and specifications
24. Equipment
    • Manual tools and equipment
    • Power tools for landscaping
25. Water Features
    • Planning a water garden
    • Types of water gardens
    • Water quality, depth, area, safety etc.
    • Water effects
    • Finishing touches to a water garden
    • Fountains
26. Garden Art: Statues, Sundials and Figurines
    • Garden rooms: How to design a garden room, what to put in a garden room
    • Positioning garden art
    • Painting in the garden
    • Pots
    • Sculpture and statues
    • Outdoor furniture
27. Landscaping for Sports and Games
    • Fun and fitness trails
    • Outdoor multi purpose courts
    • Skateboarding
    • Types of playgrounds
    • Park design criteria
28. Landscape Management
    • Role of a manager
    • Management processes
    • Law and business
    • Communication skill
    • Marketing
    • Industry awareness
    • Landscape management
29. Industrial Relations: Unions and Workers
    • Work scheduling
    • Unions
    • Workplace health and safety
30. Maintenance of a New Landscape
    • Protecting young plants
    • Replanting
    • Pruning
    • Weed control
    • Maintaining turf

What You Will Do

• Review the historical evolution of gardens.
• Obtain pre-planning information and use of that information to draw plans.
• Identify different principles and styles of landscape designs.
• Analyze garden designs.
• Develop graphic skills, and a knowledge of drawing materials and techniques.
• Prepare cost estimates for a landscape job.
• Describe surfacing materials and their effects.
• Explain the quality and cost of different landscape materials.
• Develop a knowledge of plants, both native and exotic, suitable for local conditions.
• Select plants for difficult sites and conditions.
• Describe advantages and disadvantages of various pipes, sprinklers and pumping equipment.
• Recommend irrigation systems for different landscape situations.
• Design a simple irrigation system.
• Design a natural garden and the value and relevance of using native plants.
• Analyze and report on a cottage garden design.
• Analyze and report on a playground design.
• Prepare a playground design for a school or public park.
• Draw layout plans for a range of gardens.
• Conduct a detailed survey of a site, prepare a detailed plan based on that survey, estimate costs and develop contract documentation for that project.
• Explain earthworks and soil preparation techniques used in landscaping.
• Describe alternative techniques for establishing and growing plants.
• Explain a range of landscape construction techniques including building fences, walls, rockeries, paths, water gardens, paving and drainage.
• Compare different landscape materials with respect to their quality, cost, availability and application in garden construction.
• Describe the correct procedures for the proper and safe removal of a limb from a tree, and for the felling of trees.
• Develop a detailed maintenance program for a garden.
• Demonstrate the ability to prepare for, and plant a new lawn.
• Explain how to establish turf on a steep slope.
• Write and advertisement for a landscaping business.
• Explain basic management procedures.
• Show a reasonable level of communication skill.
• Explain health and safety requirements on a landscape site.
• Describe the relevant identifying physical features of flowering ornamental plants.
• Demonstrate how to use prescribed reference books and other resources to gain relevant information.
• Dissect, draw and label two different flowers.
• Collect and identify the shapes of different leaves.
• Demonstrate how to identify between family, genus, species, variety and cultivar.
• Describe how to prune different plants.
• Demonstrate how to cut wood correctly, on the correct angle and section of the stem.
• Describe how to plant a plant.
• Demonstrate an awareness of different irrigation equipment, sprinklers, pumps and turf systems available by listing their comparative advantages and disadvantages.
• Demonstrate competence in selecting an appropriate irrigation system for a garden, explaining why that system would be preferred.
• Define water pressure and flow rate and how to calculate each.
• Explain the need for regular maintenance of garden tools and equipment.
• List factors that should be considered when comparing types of machinery for use in garden maintenance.
• Describe the soil types commonly found in plant culture in terms of texture, structure and water-holding and nutrient holding capacity.
• Describe methods of improving soil structure, infiltration rate, water holding capacity, drainage and aeration.
• List the elements essential for plant growth.
• Diagnose the major nutrient deficiencies that occur in ornamental plants and prescribe treatment practices.
• Describe soil pH and its importance in plant nutrition.
• Describe the process by which salting occurs and how to minimise its effect.
• Conduct simple inexpensive tests on three different potting mixes and report accordingly.
• Describe suitable soil mixes for container growing of five different types of plants.
• List a range of both natural and artificial fertilizers.
• Describe fertilizer programs to be used in five different situations with ornamental plants
• Demonstrate propagation of six (6) different plants by cuttings and three from seed.
• Construct a simple inexpensive cold frame.
• Mix and use a propagation media suited to propagating both seed and cuttings.
• Describe the method and time of year used to propagate different plant varieties.
• Describe and demonstrate the steps in preparing and executing a variety of grafts and one budding technique.
• Explain the reasons why budding or grafting are sometimes preferred propagation methods.
• Explain in general terms the principles of pest, disease and weed control and the ecological (biological) approach to such control.
• Explain the host‑pathogen‑environment concept.
• Describe a variety of pesticides for control of pests, diseases and weeds of ornamental plants in terms of their active constituents, application methods, timing and rates, and safety procedures.
• Photograph or prepare specimens, identify and recommend control practices for at least five insect pests of ornamental plants.
• Photograph, sketch or prepare samples, identify and recommend control practices for three non‑insect ornamental plant health problems (e.g. fungal, viral, bacterial).
• Describe the major ways in which diseases (fungal, viral, bacterial and nematode) affect turf, the life cycle features that cause them to become a serious problem to turf culture and the methods available for their control.
• Identify, describe and recommend treatment for three different weed problems.
• Collect, press, mount and identify a collection of ten different weeds, and recommend chemical and non-chemical treatments which may be used to control each.
• List and compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of different weed control methods.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How Practical is this Certificate

Very practical!  The online study guide provides both information to read, but also instructions for very practical set tasks to undertake beyond the computer. These tasks take you outside, into different landscapes near your home, to survey, investigate, observe, photograph and have discussions with people about different landscapes. You will submit assignments at the end of each lesson, and receive personalised feedback and guidance from an experienced and qualified. Real people are with you every step of your learning journey.

What is the Main Focus of this Course?

Many landscape certificates emphasise design, soft landscaping (ie. the plants) or hard landscaping (the non living components). This certificate differs in that it balances all three of these aspects. In our experience, the graduate who has a broader and more balanced outlook, is better able to adapt to changing trends and varying demands from clients.

Do I need to Use Computer Aided Design?

You will sketch design ideas, but don't worry if you are not an artist. The course touches on computer aided design, but you don't have to buy and use expensive computer software. Some designers draw with a pen & paper, others use CAD.  If you need to do a deep dive into CAD, we do have an additional course for that.

What does Landscaping Work Involve?

Landscape contractors and tradesmen actually create the landscape. Sometimes they may design it as well, and sometimes they do not. Designing a landscape is a job that requires a mixture of artistic and practical skills, but not necessarily the ability to do the planting, build a rockery or fence, install a drain or lay paving. The physical construction of a garden is the job of the contractor, and their work teams.

Constructing a landscape is a job that has a beginning and end and because of that fact, most people who build the landscape, will work as a contractor or for a contractor. This type of work is often called 'hard landscaping' because it involves working with hard materials such as bricks, paving, and concrete.

Landscape contractors need to be not only skilled at construction, but also competent businessmen; able to evaluate the costs involved in undertaking a project and produce an estimate or quotation. They need to be able to organise sub-contractors and any additional staff to undertake a project.

On large jobs (commercial and public projects), the duration and scope of a project can be immense and a landscape contractor may need to work under direction from a landscape architect or designer, and/or a project manager. On larger projects, the contractor may spend a lot of their time organising materials and equipment, and giving instructions to a large team of employees. Often landscape contractors who head bigger firms will complain that they never get to actually do any physical work, and they spend most of their time behind a desk, in a car or talking to people.

In contrast, a smaller contractor may work alone or in partnership with one other - mostly on small residential projects, engaging sub-contractors or employing additional staff on occasion - as and when the need arises. These smaller contractors need to be able to do  anything that is required, from planting to weed control,  laying pavers, building retaining walls and fences, creating drainage systems, installing garden furnishings, spreading gravel  and operating small machinery.

Other landscape gardeners may specialise in 'soft landscaping'. That is, they work predominantly with soft materials such as soil and plants. These landscapers may work independently or in conjunction with hard landscapers whereby they come up with the planting design to complement the construction work, and they implement it. They may also deal with things like removing or replacing other plants, pruning existing plants, conditioning the soil, installing containers or window boxes, balcony and roof terrace design, and so forth. In much the same way that landscape contractors, or hard landscapers, may sometimes deal with plants and soft materials, soft landscapers may use some hard materials e.g. installing wall fountains or trellis panels, fences, etc. That said, they mainly focus on plants. 

Reference Books

ACS publishes a range of Landscaping and horticulture eBooks written to align with the needs of students doing this course. They can be provided as supplementary reading on request when needed.

Example:

"Starting a Garden or Landscape Business" by John Mason (Our principal), is a particularly valuable read for anyone considering a career or business in landscaping. This book has sold thousands over the years, and we've had a lot of feedback from people who have used this asa a starting point to establish what has grown into a very successful landscape business.

• eBook supplied on request for free to enrolled students.
• Printed books available to purchase. 

www.acsbookshop.com

A GRADFUATES STORY 

After being employed in various local horticultural businesses and becoming frustrated at the lack of quality and knowledge displayed by many landscape orientated businesses in the area, Jamie decided to go it alone and formed Greenhort Design which is now entering its fifth year of existence.

During the early years of Greenhort, Jamie was busily gaining further knowledge by achieving formal qualifications at Australian Correspondence Schools. He was encouraged to join key industry organisations as a part of his studies.

A year later, Jamie became a member of The Australian Institute Of Horticulture (AIH) and was elected inaugural Chair of the Gold Coast branch, a position he held for three consecutive terms. Jamie's dedication to the industry saw him appointed on various industry advisory committees, form strong ties between the local nursery industry and help initiate the move to establish a botanic garden on the Gold Coast.

Jamie has also spent time lecturing at TAFE, a local vocational college, and spent several years hosting a radio show on the local ABC. Jamie has written garden features for a local internet magazine and The Gold Coast Bulletin daily newspaper as their garden columnist. He served as the Gold Coast selector for the Australian Open Garden Scheme for 5 years, and retains a keen involvement in local horticultural projects.

After that, Jamie turned his full attention to commercial design. "For the past 18 months I have been mainly designing/drafting ACAD residential development landscape plans and childcare centers nationwide for Council submission. I now employ several full-time drafters and designers as the demand for our services has increased ten-fold."

Jamie believes that a lot of his success in the horticulture industry can be attributed to ACS Principal John Mason and past tutor Paul Plant who both encouraged and supported his directions.

Employment Opportunities

• Start your own business as a landscaper and/or gardener.
• Become a garden designer.
• Contract your services to larger businesses such as property developers, architects, planners or engineers.
• Work in a plant nursery or garden centre as an in house expert.
• Garden renovation expert.
• Land Management -parks, residential, commercial.
• Broadcast or print media.
• Training, teaching.