Understand What is Needed to Preserve or Restore Important Gardens
Conservation and restoration of important gardens is a means of preserving our heritage. Most countries now recognise the significance of historical gardens and the stories they tell about life at particular times. When it comes to caring for these gardens there are many things to know beyond shear enthusiasm.
Study this course to find out how historical information relating to gardens may be preserved and accessed. You'll see how a range of different data can be of value and how it can be used when formulating conservation plans. Learn techniques for restoring old gardens and adding new features in the spirit of the existing theme. Discover how to organise volunteers and other workers, and how to verse funding and allocation of resources so that a project runs smoothly.
What this Course Covers
There are 9 lessons in this course:
- Role and Formulation of Conservation Management Plans;
Researching gardens and designed landscapes and the verification and
analysis of information using: a) Documentary and other forms of archive
information. b) Site surveys and archaeological investigations.
- Consult Public and Interested Parties, Statutory and Non-Statutory Consultees.
- Role of Public and Other Sources of Funding; and Implications of grant aid Criteria.
- Planning for Renewal of Plant Features: Plant surveys,
propagation programs, replanting strategies, role of national
collections of plants, specialist nurseries.
- Developing New Features within Existing Landscapes
- Programming Repair of New and Existing Hard Landscape Features.
- Creating New Gardens and Landscapes.
- Identifying Required Staff Skills: Training schemes,
conservation of skills; use of volunteer labour and associated issues of
management and training.
- Adapt historic gardens and Designed Landscapes for Modern Use
- Presenting historic gardens and designed landscapes -
marketing, PR, visitor facilities, access, circulation, interpretation,
visitor survey. Managing wear and tear on historic gardens and designed
landscapes - theft, vandalism. Managing legislative requirements (eg.
health and safety, equal access).
Workload
Study when, where and however much you want. For most students, the course can be completed with a total of around 100 hours of study; and a commitment close to that may be needed to achieve desired learning outcomes.
Extra Reading
The following books, available through this web site may be relevant supplementary reading for this course:
- Getting Work in Horticulture
- Starting a Garden or Landscape Business
- Plant Pests & Diseases
- Weeds
Assessment
Self Assessment Tests are presented throughout the course. These are essentially an automated quiz. When you undertake a "SAT" or "Self Assessment Test", you will be able to see what you got correct, and what was incorrect; and in that way, you can identify your weaknesses.
Assignments are given at the end of each lesson. You should complete this assignment, paying careful attention to follow what is asked of you. It can be just as important to learn to work to specification, as it is to learn about the topic you are studying. Graduates who develop a habit of working to specification with vegetable growing, will impress others, and will be more efficient when self employed.
A Final Exam is offered upon satisfactory completion of all assignments. This is optional. If you choose to apply for and do this exam, you will have the possibility of obtaining a "formal credit" or "Pass Certification" for this course. A fee applies. The exam may be sat under prearranged conditions anywhere in the world. This college will award you a formal transcript, upon successful completion of the exam, as proof of your results.
Recognition and Ethics
This college is a member of the ACS Affiliates Network; a group of colleges from several countries, affiliated with each other through ACS Distance Education.. Courses are developed with input from all of these colleges, aspiring to reflect internationally accepted standards and needs.
A strict "No Plagiarism" and "No fraud" policy exists. Assignments are checked for plagiarism, and assignments will not be deemed to have been completed, if work is not your own original creation, and is found to have been copied from elsewhere. If the person doing the course is discovered to be different to the name enrolled, the enrolment and any results will be recorded as invalid and any fees paid will be forfeited.
Refund Policy
A full refund less expenses (up to 15% of fees applied) is provided to anyone wishing to withdraw from a course, within 2 weeks of enrolment. This does not apply after the first assignment has been submitted and marked; or after the two weeks has expired.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS INSTITUTION?
We believe that we have an ethical responsibility to make good use of the fees you pay and the time you invest into an education through our college. To this end, our first priority is always your learning. This comes before issues such as formal accreditations, speculative marketing and bureaucratic processes which all too often add considerable costs to the running of colleges, and take resources away from the provision of more valuable services to the student.
This college focuses on facilitating your learning and support to optimise that learning. We recognise that learning is all about improving knowledge and skills in your long term memory. While some colleges may focus on getting you to pass exams, by committing knowledge to short term memory; we understand that such an approach is not true education, and does little to improve your long term career or business prospects.
How This Course Could Help You
This course is geared towards people working in the horticulture industry, in parks or public and private gardens, in conservation, maintenance or restoration, or those who are planning to work in these areas. This course will also help with running or improving an existing garden restoration or maintenance business.
Study this course by itself or along with other horticulture subjects to enhance your understanding of the industry and expand your skills.