Topic: RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture

[kenkew]

Well, for what it's worth...here's my bit. I did the course...sort of!
 The instructor took an instant dislike to me. Apparently I asked too many many questions! (In Dutch, too!) eg: He showed us a garden he'd designed with a new tree he'd planted in front of the window which looked out onto a triangular garden..I asked him why he'd put the tree there and not at the end of the tiangle for the occupants to 'cast their eye on'. Also wasn't there a problem with restricted view, and slippy leaves on the patio and restricted light?...Mmm! Didn't go down well.
 The next day he asked my infront of the whole class, 'What's that tree over there, Ken?'
 The tree wasn't in leaf and was about 50 metres away. I asked him if I could have a closer look, but he said I had to tell him from 'here'. I said it looked like beech. His face lit up...'No! Wrong!' he said. 'It's Oak!'
 So I asked him which species it was. He said, 'An Oak.' I said, 'Yes, but there's hundreds of species, which one is it?'
 He said, 'It's an Oak...an Oak tree...don't you know that?'  And he walked off.
 (My next step was major mistake) Next day I took in my 'World Definitive Tree Guide'...! Woops, I pointed out that there were 500 species of oak!
 This and other examples of him having having a go at me led him to remarking on my report...'Needs further instructions on how to dig holes and clean paths before taking part in the next module'....I read his report out to the class and the 'committee' and they all but fell off their chairs....I was happy to be out of it!
 

[SueSteve]

I've been thinking about doing a course, I left uni a year ago and now I feel I want to learn something.  I don't really want to repeat material that I have already covered though!
I did a degree and PhD (did not finish) and was a lecturer, my subject matter included soils, living landscape, soil and plant relationships, british forests. I know all about soils, climate, ecology, nutrients, succession etc.
But want to learn about are the non native plants, gardens and design.

[Gator_al]

Hia SueSteve,

I decided on the KLC course because it had a bit more of the design element, also in the latest Gardener's World they were advertising and offering £70 off, which may have been the clincher for me!!!

Not sure I can advise you on the material and wanting to repeat it, as it sounds like you have a good background.  I thought I knew a little (very) - based on TV and a maddening collection of plant books - but I have to say when I looked at the example questions in their registration book I realised how little I actually knew.  Which I am kind of glad about, if I had picked it up and thought know that, know that it may not have been such a challenge.  I know some people have said that they would be able to have sat the RHS Level 2 having studied the RHS reading list but for me I am not sure without a structured way of studying I would be able to keep up the motivation and also getting back in to the design element is exciting for me.

Have just received the manuals and starting the read through.  Two things, if you do decided on the KLC course they do give you the option of 28 day money back if you are not happy.  And second, not sure if it is allowed, but I am sure I could copy the example questions from the registration pack (it is a couple of pages) and send them to you, if it might help you decide whether to do a course or not.

All in all, really glad i have decided to do it and lets hope that the enthusiasm keeps up!

Al

[VP]

Hi,

I'm a A4A newbie AND an RHS Level 2 Student by Distance Learning. I went down the KLC route because my RHS membership gave me a £100 discount. Those of you worried about the plant knowledge side of things on this course needn't as part of the assessment includes drawing up 50 plant profiles in trees, shrubs, bulbs etc. categories. You need to provide a lot of detail on the 50 chosen plants, plus 3 companion plants - that gives you plenty of plant knowledge as the portfolio builds up. KLC also has a student forum for each course they offer, very similar to this one, so it's a good way of keeping in touch with some fellow students. Anyone considering this course should note that KLC are merging with the English Gardening School, so I expect the courses on offer and materials will change in the next year or so.

I chose distance learning as I'm unsure if we'll be staying in our current location. If we were, I would definitely have chosen to study at the local agricultural college in spit of it being over £200 more than the distance learning. I'm finding it very difficult to motivate myself to study at home. I prefer the practical gardening on offer in my garden and allotment and reading lots of gardening books/magazines, blogging about gardening etc. etc. than knuckling down with the actual manuals!

I hope this helps for anyone else considering KLC or the distance learning route!

[elemental]

I wondered if there was anyone who wanted to join a couple of us who study together through a text/voice enabled chat program called Paltalk.
Here are the details for anyone who wants to join us. We hope to be open most evenings at least for a couple of hours but as time goes on and we have more members we can open longer hours:

1. Go to www.paltalk.com
2. Download palscene
3. After installing chat program you get yourself a username by clicking on the blue link that says 'new user. get nickname'(!)
4. The room is in 'Education>Study Groups'. To get to a room click on 'browse all rooms'. But you will only get in if the room is open. So might be a good idea if you let us know your username so we can add you to our pal list and invite you when the room is open

Hope this makes sense! It does seem a bit confusing at first. Any problems let me know either here or via pm.

Good luck and hope to see you there!
Eve
PS. Here is a link to the rhs forum where I first posted this:
http://www.rhs.org.uk/ibb/posts.aspx?postID=14665

Also here is a link to the webpage of the study group which is another way of getting in!
http://chat.paltalk.com/g2/group/1149000475/DisplayGroupDetails.wmt

[betula]

I am studying City and Guilds
 National certificate in Horticulture level 2.
You study for two years and is a mixture of practical and theory.We spend one day a week in college with lots of homework and assignments.We take our final exam in June.The fee is around the £400 mark but I think if it is the first time you have studied at this level it is free.I have had a great time and as a bonus made new friends.I am learning all about one stroke and two stroke engines at the moment and as I have never as much as looked at an engine it is a challenge.I would say to anyone go ahead and do it,you learn so much.Good luck to everyone.

[fluffygrue]

Did anyone take the Horticulture 2 exam yesterday? (The second Level 2 exam). Just wondering what folks thought of it.. :)

[betula]

I am doing C and G our final not till June.Have you just taken an RHS final?
If so was it what you expected,harder or easier. :)

[hopalong]

I have just enrolled on the RHS Level 2 Certificate course (one day a week from September) at Capel Manor College, so I'm interested in seeing what people have already said about this course and look forward to sharing feedback with people who are doing it now. Is anyone else in the same position?

I want to broaden my knowledge, understanding and skills and am hoping it is not too elementary. It does not sound as though it is. I have learned a fair amount over 30 or more years of gardening, but am not very good on the science or on some aspects (e.g. propagation).

[Tulipa]

Ooooh Enjoy yourself.  I like Betula have just done the City and guilds and wish I could do it all over again.  I really enjoyed having the best excuse to talk gardening with lots of like minded people, it also made me think about aspects of gardening I hadn't looked at before and make me look at things differently.. :)

T.

[ted72]

Well folks, I finally got my results after 2 years of turning up at college on a Tuesday evening.

I PASSED... yippee!! :D

Hope everyone else did well.

trina

[betula]

I am so pleased for you.Well done.Tulipa and I both passed. ;D ;D ;D

[Tulipa]

Oooh, well done Trina, as Betula says we both know how you feel, it's lovely isn't it.  Congratulations! ;D ;D

The only thing is I miss it so much now..... :'(

T.

[hopalong]

Just done the first exam today for the Level 2 Certificate. Scarey! Not many questions on things I'd gone to a lot of trouble to revise (e.g. soil science) and too many on things that I'd skimped (e.g. greenhouses).  Sod's law.  Didn't go on this course in order to do exams, but learning about soils, nutrients, plant biology etc. has certainly been interesting and surprisingly useful.

[betula]

Best of luck ;D

[hopalong]

Thanks betula. All of us found it tougher than we'd expected, but we're glad it's over - the first part, anyway.  We're all going on a trip to Cambridge Botanical Gardens on Monday as a special treat. :)

[betula]

We went to wisley.

We were going to kew as well but the coach never turned up :(

Have a great time :)

[tonybloke]

Thanks betula. All of us found it tougher than we'd expected, but we're glad it's over - the first part, anyway.  We're all going on a trip to Cambridge Botanical Gardens on Monday as a special treat. :)

take your own food, or plenty cash! seriously, the winter border is stunning, and the outcrop style rock garden is huge. hope the weather is good for you, why not pop to anglessy abbey while you are that close? they have a fantastic long winter garden, and the sight at the end of the walk is stunning!
http://www.angleseyabbey.org/gardens/winterwalk/index.html

[hopalong]

Thanks betula. All of us found it tougher than we'd expected, but we're glad it's over - the first part, anyway.  We're all going on a trip to Cambridge Botanical Gardens on Monday as a special treat. :)

take your own food, or plenty cash! seriously, the winter border is stunning, and the outcrop style rock garden is huge. hope the weather is good for you, why not pop to anglessy abbey while you are that close? they have a fantastic long winter garden, and the sight at the end of the walk is stunning!
http://www.angleseyabbey.org/gardens/winterwalk/index.html

Thanks Tony.  Really looking forward to the Winter Garden.  I'll ask the tutors if there's time to pop into Anglesey Abbey - never been there but heard a lot about it.

[Ceratonia]

Thanks betula. All of us found it tougher than we'd expected, but we're glad it's over - the first part, anyway.  We're all going on a trip to Cambridge Botanical Gardens on Monday as a special treat. :)

take your own food, or plenty cash! seriously, the winter border is stunning,

The Botanic garden isn't at its best right now; a lot of ongoing development work means that not all of the greenhouses are open and the buildings which held the cafe and shop have been demolished to make way for a new educational centre which should be fantastic when it opens.

That said, it's still a special place and has far too much interesting stuff to see in a single day's visit. The winter border is looking (and smelling) lovely right now.  And if you thought the food & drink was expensive in the botanic garden, better not go into the touristy parts of Cambridge.......