Home Studies Course -Training Program to landscape the Ornamental Garden
This is a great course for landscape consultants, garden designers, horticultural advisors, project managers, or anyone else who works with landscapes and needs to improve their ability to survey, evaluate and plan development work on a site.
Every site has a unique set of micro climatic and soil conditions. Other factors such as the site’s exposure to traffic, pests and disease, will also be unique. All of these things are relatively uncontrollable; although the way the landscape is designed will impact on these characteristics as well.
Examples:
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Planting large plants can modify existing microclimates by buffering temperature fluctuations, changing light intensities etc.
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Changing contours can alter soil temperatures, soil moisture, exposure to light, as well as drainage patterns, etc.
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Treatments of surfaces can change drainage characteristics, soil conditions,
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Buildings, drainage pipes, services (electricity, gas etc)can be affected by the nature and type of landscape treatment
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Some styles of landscape are going to cause greater changes to a landscape than others.
Lesson Structure
There are 10 lessons in this course:
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Site Appraisal, Interpretation and Risk Assessment
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Scope and Nature of Site Survey
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Prior Site Use
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Tree Data
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Tree Impact and Suitability
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Building Construction Data, etc
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Child Proofing a Garden
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Managing Slippery Surfaces
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Risk Assessment of a Landscape Construction Site
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Keeping a Work Site Safe
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Preparing Site Plans and Specifications
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Base Plan
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Topographic Plan
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Design Drawing
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Different Types of Lines
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How Much Detail in a Plan
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Completed Designs
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Influence of Site Characteristics
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Introduction
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High Impact Site Changes
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Creating User Friendly Gardens
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Providing Shade
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Understanding the Sun's Path and changing effects
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Determining Shadow length
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Making a Garden Warmer
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Paths•Garden Features
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Entries, Exits, Gateways
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Fragrant Plants
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Focal Points
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Types of Gardens
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Dry Gardens
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Extending a Garden's Potential
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The Use of Hard Landscape Features
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Hard Surfacing
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Laying Pavers
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Concrete Use
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Pebble Gardens
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Fences
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Inexpensive Fencing
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Rockeries
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Stone Walls
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Planning for Children's Play Provision
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Setting out a Site to Scale Plans and Drawings
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Soil Handling and Storage
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Excavation
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Changing Levels
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Slope Stability
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Soil Types
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Foundations
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Maintaining Vegetation for Soil Stability
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Developing a Grading Plan Grading and Filling Operations
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Earthmoving Equipment and Operators
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Cost of Earthworks
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Land Drainage Systems
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How Much Drainage is Needed
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Solving Drainage Problems
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Creating a Drain Pit
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Draining Turf
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Springs and Underground Water
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Sub Surface Draining
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Rainwater Harvesting and Storage
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Bore Water
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Grey Water
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Diverting Storm Water
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Water Quality
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Ground Preparation Techniques
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Working Soil
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Cultivation Equipment
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Making Garden Beds
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Raised Beds
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Sunken Gardens
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No Dig Beds
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Earthmoving
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Buying Soils
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Changing Ground Shape
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Construction of Paths and Patios
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Paths
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Soft and Hard Paths
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Load Bearing Capacity
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Paving
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The Effect of Paving Design
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Paving on a Slope
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Paving Maintenance
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Verandahs
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Timber Decks
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Decking Materials
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Hand rails and Balustrades
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Steps
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Decking Round Pools
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Paints and Stains
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Heavy Work: Lifting with machines or without
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Construction of Steps, Ramps, Dwarf Walls and Fences
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Changing levels
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Steps
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Ramps
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Railings
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Retaining Walls
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Types of Retaining Walls
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Building a Brick Wall
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Dry Stone Walls
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Rendering Walls
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Wet Walls
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Fencing and Fencing Materials
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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Explain how to conduct a site appraisal and interpret the results.
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Conduct risk assessments associated with planning layout and construction of ornamental gardens
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Produce and interpret site plans and specifications using basic survey measurements.
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Explain how site characteristics may influence choice of garden design style.
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Evaluate and explain the contribution made by hard landscape features to design and function
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Describe the practical procedures for setting out a site to scale plans and drawings.
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Describe and explain the reasons for correct soil moving and storage during construction works.
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Explain the factors which determine the design and specification of land drainage systems and describe procedures for setting out and installing land drainage.
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Explain requirements for a range of ground preparation techniques for different landscape features.
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Specify a range of materials and outline procedures for construction of paths and patios.
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Specify a range of materials and outline procedures for construction of Steps, Ramps, Dwarf Walls and Fences
The first task on any landscape development is to collect information about the site.
A site survey may be simple or complex in scope.
The scope of a survey may be determined by a range of factors including:
- Law – sometimes there may be legal requirements to survey and plan for specified issues such as fire risk, flood management, pest or insect management, botanical and wildlife conservation, etc.
- Site sensitivity – some sites are more sensitive to development. Changing levels or removing vegetation can increase risk of weed problems, erosion, flood or other issues. Previously developed sites may contain pollutants.
- Funding – limited finance may restrict the extent to which a site may be surveyed.
Data that might be required in a Site Survey:
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Vegetation and/or animal surveys.
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Soil tests.
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Presence of pests (eg. termites).
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Presence of industrial waste or other pollutants.
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Environmental data (rainfall, temperature range, shade/light levels, wind).
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Condition of existing features.
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Drainage patterns.
RISK ASSESSMENT OF A LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION SITE
A detailed risk assessment of the operation should be conducted on commencement of landscaping work, and should be reviewed monthly, or improved as soon as an additional risk is identified. It is too late to improve after an accident has occurred. A near accident or a small mishap is justification to review and upgrade the assessment.
A standard risk assessment should include background information and the purpose of the project:
This should state location of the work, including the address. The address should include postal address, physical location, Registered Plan and Lot number
- Access - directions as to how emergency services can access the property, and a layout of the site
- Proprietors - name and contact details of owners and management
- Insurance company - details and policy number
- Previous use of the site - if you are not sure of previous uses, do some research so you can provide a history of the site, it may be important if for example it was part of a cattle property and there was a dip site close to your work area
- Intended purpose and operational functions - clearly state your intended progress plan and landscape products and procedures.
The Area(s) and People That May Be At Risk
This part of the risk assessment should include:
• Site layout, landscape drawings landscaping works and staff facilities
• Quantity of staff and their work movements - names, addresses and phone numbers of all staff, their positions, responsibilities and work areas.
The Risks
You need to define the risks, and outline what and how things can happen. Compile a list of things that could go wrong - for example, working with machinery in confined spaces, retaining wall collapses, even overexposure to sunlight or noise. You must also outline and what strategies you have in place to alleviate risks.
The Consequences of an Event Happening
If a problem did occur - what would you do to manage the situation?
• Have you an approved procedure and time for the procedures to be implemented.
• Where are the closest doctors and hospitals and a route to get there.
• Who do you have to contact?
• Do you have their telephone numbers located in an easy to find location?
The Adequacy of Existing Controls
Safety plans:
• Have you a safety plan approved and is your staff aware of how to implement it?
• What are the chances that something will go wrong when you are not present?
• Is Staff fully aware of the safety plan?
• Have your plan assessed by the safety officer onsite and ask for his suggestions?
FREQUENT QUESTIONS
Why Choose This Course
- Unique course materials (developed by our staff) and more current than some colleges (many reviewed annually); as a result, ACS graduates can be more up to date.
- We work hard to help you understand and remember it, develop an ability to apply it in the real world, and build networks with others who work in this field (It’s more than just serving up a collection of information –if all you want is information, buy a book; but if you want an education, that takes learning to a whole new level).
- Start whenever you want, study at your own pace, study anywhere
- Don’t waste time and money traveling classes
- We provide more choices–courses are written to allow you more options to focus on parts of the subject that are of more interest to you; a huge range of elective subjects are offered that don’t exist elsewhere.
- Tutors are accessible (more than elsewhere) – academics work in both the UK and Australia, 5 days a week, 16 hours a day. Answering emails and phone calls from students are top priority.
- We treat students as individuals –don’t get lost in a crowd. Our tutors communicate with you one to one.
- Extra help at no extra cost if needed. When you find something you cannot do, we help you through it or will provide another option.
- Support after you finish a course –We can advise about getting work, starting business, writing a CV, etc. We can promote students and their businesses through our extensive profile on the internet. Graduates who ask will be helped.
- Support from a team of a dozen professional horticulturists, living in different parts of the UK, and in both temperate and tropical climate zones of Australia.
About ACS
ACS was started in 1979 by John Mason, who at the time was a gardening author, horticultural consultant and lecturer in horticulture at several colleges across Melbourne (in Australia). Over the summer that year John discovered that there were thousands of applicants going to be turned away from horticulture courses at Burnley Horticultural College (now Melbourne University). There were simply too few courses being offered for the number of people wanting to study horticulture in Australia. This situation prompted a move to establish a correspondence course at Burnley; but after months of unsuccessful lobbying for support from government; John wrote a course, and with help from a colleague at Council of Adult Education, marketed it.
Standards were originally set in line with what were seen to be the standards of Australia's top horticultural college; and over the years, those standards have never been reduced. This makes our courses longer and more demanding than some other colleges; but it has also led to us building a credibility that stands tall in the horticulture industry across the world.
In the early 1990's John started visiting the UK and becoming involved with the horticulture industry there. Around the mid 1990's ACS began offering RHS courses, and in 2003, John was formally recognised for his contribution to British Horticulture by being made a fellow of the Institute of Horticulture. ACS, as a school, established an office and staff in the UK in 2001, and has expanded considerably since then. Today it is formally affiliated with five other colleges in the UK (including Warwickshire College); all of who license and deliver ACS courses.
A team of leading horticulturists work for the school's horticulture department, including 12 faculty members in both the UK and Australia
How You Study
- As soon as you enroll, we send an email to explain it all.
- We direct you to a short orientation video (downloadable over the internet) to watch, where our principal introduces you to how the course works, and how you can access all sorts of support services
- You are either given a code to access your course online, or sent out a CD or course materials through the mail (or by courier).
- Work through lessons one by one, each lesson typically having four parts:
- An aim -which tells you what you should be achieving in the lesson
- Reading -notes written and regularly revised by our academic staff
- Set Task(s) -These are practicals, research or other experiential learning tasks that strengthen and add to what you have been reading
- Assignment -By answering questions, submitting them to a tutor, then getting feedback from the tutor, you confirm that you are on the right track, but more than that, you are guided to consider what you have been studying in different ways, broadening your perspective and reinforcing what you are learning about
- Other - Your work in a course rarely stops at just the above four parts. Different courses and different students will need further learning experiences. Your set task or assignment may lead to other things, interacting with tutors or people in industry, reviewing additional reference materials or something else. We treat every student as an individual and supplement their learning needs as the occasion requires.
- We provide access to and encourage you to use a range of supplementary services including an online student room, including online library; student bookshop, newsletters, social media etc.
- We provide a "student manual", that is a quick solution to most problems that might occur
Recognition
- ACS has a highly respected international profile: by employers and academics alike. People are more aware of us than many other distance education schools –just do a search for “horticulture distance education courses” and see what comes up on the internet; or search for ACS Distance education on Facebook or Linked in, and see how many connections we have compared to other colleges.
- Recognised by International Accreditation and Recognition Council
- ACS has been educating people around the world since 1979
- Over 100,000 have now studied ACS courses, across more than 150 countries
- Formal affiliations with colleges in five countries
- A faculty of over 40 internationally renowned academics –books written by our staff used by universities and colleges around the world.
Extra Books or Reference Materials
- The course provides you with everything that you need to complete it successfully.
- Assignments may ask you to look for extra information (eg. by contacting nurseries, visiting gardens or searching the internet), but our school's resources and tutors are always available as a back up. If you hit a "roadblock", we can quickly send you additional information or provide expert advice over the phone or email; to keep you moving in your studies.
- Some students choose to buy additional references, to take their learning beyond what is essential for the course. If a student wants to buy books, we operate an online bookshop offering ebooks written by staff at the school. Student discounts are available if you are studying with us. The range of e books available is being expanded rapidly, with at least one new ebook being written and published by our staff every month. See www.acsebook.com
Learn How to Design a Garden or Landscape by Home Studies -Garden School Landscaping Training Program -UK Horticultural College
