RHS LEVEL 2 CERTIFICATE IN THE PRINCIPLES OF HORTICULTURE - SYLLABUS OUTLINE
The Royal Horticultural Society
Level 2 Certificate in THE PRINCIPLES OF Horticulture
The RHS Level 2 Certificate is part of a progressive programme of horticultural examinations awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society. Successful candidates can then proceed to the RHS Level 3. This is a revised syllabus replacing the RHS Certificate in Horticulture Syllabus. There are some changes which are highlighted below:
· Examinations can be sat either in February or June.
There are 8 Units in Total:
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1.Understanding garden features, plant selection and planning
Includes:
¨ Basic surveying techniques.
¨ Site appraisal and data collection for planning purposes.
¨ Basic principles and elements of design used in garden planning.
¨ Characteristics of garden styles.
¨ Use of hard and soft landscaping materials.
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2.Understanding the choice, establishment and maintenance of garden plants and lawns
Includes:
¨ Selection and establishment of a range of plants.
¨ Establishment and maintenance of lawns and wildflower grassland.
¨ Plants for seasonal display (bedding).
¨ Maintenance of trees, shrubs, climbers, hedges, roses and ground cover.
¨ Maintenance of annual borders and Herbaceous Perennial borders.
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3.Understanding the production of outdoor vegetables and fruit
Includes:
¨ Site selection.
¨ Cultural operations to produce out door food in a garden situation.
¨ Production methods for a range of vegetable crops.
¨ Production methods for a range of fruit crops.
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4.Understanding protected environments and their use in plant cultivation
Includes:
¨ Elements of the environment under protection.
¨ Structural and cladding materials.
¨ Controlling the environment under protection.
¨ Containers used in protected environment.
¨ Plants in the protected environment (uses, establishment and maintenance).
¨ Care of plants in an interior situation.
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5.Plant Classification, structure and function
Includes:
¨ Naming of plants.
¨ Identification of structures and function of plant structures.
¨ Plant physiology.
¨ Plant reproductive processes.
¨ Plant growth and development.
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6.Plant nutrition and the root environment
Includes:
¨ Soil profiles.
¨ Physical properties of soil.
¨ Organic matter and soil organisms.
¨ Soil water.
¨ Soil pH.
¨ Plant nutrition.
¨ Soil cultivations.
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7.Understanding plant propagation
Includes:
¨ Propagation by seed.
¨ Conditions for successful propagation in a garden situation.
¨ Factors influencing successful propagation by cuttings.
¨ Production of plants by vegetative techniques.
¨ Budding and grafting, definition of terms and reasons for using these methods.
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8.Maintaining Plant health
Includes:
¨ ¨ Importance of safe, healthy and environmentally sustainable practices.
¨ Weed control.
¨ Plant pests, identification, damage caused and methods to limit the effects.
¨ Plant diseases, identification, damage caused and of control.
¨ Plant disorders and methods of avoidance.
¨ Methods of crop and plant protection. Identifying pests and damage caused
¨ Environemtally friendly controls of pests, diseases and weeds.
A full syllabus can be downloaded from the RHS website:
www.rhs.org.uk/RHSWebsite/files/e6/e688724a-cb10-4932-87fe-3b928cdfac59.pdf
Elements from each part are taught together. We see this as being especially beneficial when it comes to learning plant names and their care. Although the different parts are examined separately, each subject has relevance to others and only by studying them all can a full understanding and appreciation of plants and their growth be achieved. This knowledge can then be applied to practical situations. Understanding of basic horticultural and scientific principles and applying these principles to everyday gardening and horticultural practices is the aim of the course.
Above is a summary of the syllabus and a full copy is included with the first Study Pack at the start of the course.
THE GARDEN SCHOOL
EGOOL, KILMOVEE, BALLAGHADERREEN
CO. ROSCOMMON, REP. OF IRELAND
TEL: 00353 94 9649943
EMAIL: ciaran@thegardenschool.ie
