RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture

[Linda32]

Hello, first off thanks to whoever opened this section  :)

I'm doing this course by distance learning and have just sent in the first set of mid-module questions.

If these anyone else out there, I'd like to hear from you  :)

Any hints, tips, magazines or books you've bought etc and how you keep your interest.

Linda

[Linda32]

[ACE]

We have people that are doing RHS courses to work along side of us. They find it a great help in understanding some of the jargon.

Find a landscape business, garden designer, even a big estate in your area and volunteer a few hours each week, you will find the skills you aquire invaluable.

The last girl we had is now working as the gardener on the site we were creating when she was learning. She was a very quick learner and also doing a distance course. She said it made it more real for her.

[windygale]

Hi Linda 32, yes i asked Dan to place this section as I'm doing the RHS g2 course as well, Ive just finished assignment 6 (garden design) and found it intense, and wanted help, so when i do assignment 7 I'll be asking for more help, the books i use can be seen on my blog site (look for Windy's spot link) if you need some help just PM me and i'll see if i can help

[Ceratonia]

I did this two years ago and typed up my notes and have emailed them to a couple of people on here previously. I believe the syllabus has changed a bit this year, though.

[Linda32]

Hello all,

I do volenteer gardening at our Millennium Green throughout the summer. The second Saturday of the month from April to October.  :)

I've just got my first set of results back 18/30 was my mark which I was quite pleased about. The tutor pointed out where I'd gone wrong, so I know what to look at now. But also the facts I'd got right  :)

[purple sprouting]

I'm currently doing this course, started in September 2006, but I'm taking the course via evening classes at an agricultural college.

As I have no previous knowledge of Botany and my latin can only be described as weak I'm finding it hard going at the moment.  I've been assured by my tutor that it will continue to be a very steep learning curve for the rest of the course......

It's nice to hear that others are doing the same course and finding that it isn't an easy course to complete.  I can't imagine how I could help anyone else at the moment, but I am willing to try should anyone post for advice that I know anything about (which isn't much at the moment).

I am enjoying the course and have found the other students and the tutor very supportive, so hopefully I will make some kind of progress sooner or later.

Good luck to anyone else doing this course.

[purple sprouting]

A brilliant book (at least for the stage I am at) is one I borrowed from the library - in the eye witness dictionary series (thought these were just for the kiddies, but this book is great).

Eyewitness 'The visual dictionary of plants' published by Dorling Kindersley ISBN 0-86318-833-8  filed in the library non fiction at No 580.  i         

[jennym]

Did the BTEC National Certificate level 3, am willing to try to help if I can.

[windygale]

hi all, OK i asked for this section so i think i should start the  first questions:
design an island rosebed to cover a circular area around 5m diameters, draw a diagram showing which species, & where positioned. the planting should mainly be roses, but you can use ground cover or edging species as well, you can choose whether to use just one or many verities/types of roses------ just click on drawing for bigger view, do you think im on the right track, or do you have any ideas
thanks
windy

[sally_cinnamon]

I'm doing this course by distance learning and have just sent in the first set of mid-module questions.

Hi Linda - I just wondered how you applied to do this by distance learning?  I have been sent the course booklet from the RHS but can't see anywhere about distance learning.  Also, I can't seem to see anything about course fees??? 
???

[wahaj]

I'm doing this course by distance learning and have just sent in the first set of mid-module questions.

Hi Linda - I just wondered how you applied to do this by distance learning?  I have been sent the course booklet from the RHS but can't see anywhere about distance learning.  Also, I can't seem to see anything about course fees??? 
???

look on learning curve...and you can look on the RHS website aswell. RHS level 2 is a more theory and knowledge based certificate. so basically, there's a syllabus....you buy the books and learn everything you need to...and take however long you want. you have to post coursework to your teacher every now and then...and then once you've done all that...there's an exam you need to take.

[kenkew]

I start my 'Botanical' full time in February. Looking forward to it...got a bit of a problem in addition to the norm....the course is in Belgium and is in Dutch (which I don't as yet speak or understand enough of....I also am advised to get my Latin on board....Mmmm, looks like an interesting couple of months ahead!!

[sally_cinnamon]

Hi everyone,
I have just received my distance learning pack for the RHS level 2, from Learning Curve (thanks Windy for the tip off!).  Haven't had chance to look through it fully yet, but looks great!  I was also sent Alan T's "The Gardener's Year" and "Principles Of Horticulture" (Adams and Early), which I presume cover the course content.  Had a quick flick through the assignments this morning - they don't look easy do they!  I'm thinking back to my GCSE biology and most of the terminology isn't looking familiar so I guess I'm going to have a lot of studying to do!  Looking forward to it though.

How is everyone else getting along since their last posts?  Kenkew - how is your Dutch coming along?!

:)

[Lord Steve]

Has anyone just sat the RHS Level 2 cert exams? I sat them both last week ... was wondering how you found them?

[campanula]

our college (West Anglia) is making us do em all in one day - stingy sods. 6 hours of intense anxiety and teeth grinding. guess i will be on the vallium at the very least. 28th June, day of despair!
cheers, suzy

[Linda32]

I'm doing this course by distance learning and have just sent in the first set of mid-module questions.

Hi Linda - I just wondered how you applied to do this by distance learning?  I have been sent the course booklet from the RHS but can't see anywhere about distance learning.  Also, I can't seem to see anything about course fees??? 
???

Hello,

Sorry I havn't replied sooner  :-[ I've no idea how that link came to be there, do links change after a certain period of time  :-\

Anyway http://extending-learning.co.uk/ this is who I'm studying with  :)

[ted72]

I am so excited, my results finally came yesterday after sitting the exam in June and I have passed the first year, so I am very pleased with myself :D

How has everyone else got on?

Return on Tuesday for the second year.

trina

[Gator_al]

Hi all,

As a newbie to the A4A website, I am wondering if anyone out there can give any feedback on some of the distance learning colleges, in particular HCC and KLC?    Living in mid-Wales (2 hours from anywhere) it is going to have to be correspondence topped up with some practical Workshops from somewhere while on holiday.

I am quite interested in the KLC course as it has more of a design slant to their course work than other colleges, which might be to my benefit.  It also means that should I decide on a change of direction then it gives me 12-18 months to decided on further training in design or gardening orientation.  However if you compare their modules (briefly described on the website) with that of the HCC syllabus then I am slightly concerned that you miss out on the plants side (KLC have reassured me that their course does adequately cover the RHS Level 2 exam requirements).  Anyone with experience of KLC I would be interested in any comments.

I would love to know from others how they coped with Distance Learning and have you found a benefit to your gardening/life/new job?

Thanks for looking.

Al

[Ceratonia]

I wasn't impressed at all by the HCC material that I saw; it's certainly in-depth and there is a lot of it, but a lot of it was outdated and/or completely irrelevant to the RHS course. A motivated person who bought and worked through the "Principles Of Horticulture" (Adams and Early) book mentioned earlier in the thread could save themselves a few hundred quid.

It was an old version I saw, so maybe things are better now and I guess it is really the tutor's time that you are paying for. [I did the RHS course at an evening class in Cambridge, so can't comment on that part of HCC's offering.]

You can often find naughty people selling their course material from HCC/KLC etc. on ebay, so you might be able to try before you buy....

[sweet-pea]

Hi Al

I've recently started doing the RHS Advanced certificate through distance learning.  I'm doing it with learningcurve.  I was in the same situation as you when it came to trying to decide who to do it with. Ideally I'd have liked to have done it at college bt there isnt anywhere close enough to me that offers it, so distance learning was the only option.  I looked at the HCC site and learningcurve, can't remember whether I looked at KCL or whether they actually do the Advanced certificate.  I chose learningcurve in the end simply because they were quite a bit cheaper than HCC, but I have no idea how their learning material compares.
So far I have been happy with what I've received, although I have noticed that they don't seem to do a very thorough job of proof reading their material!  My tutor has been ok so far but I haven't had much to ask her yet.  I did find it hard to know how much extra work I'd be expected to do on top of the stuff they send out, but my tutor has since helped with that.
Learning by distance learning is ok although I haven't quite got the hang of diciplinging myself yes so not getting through it as quickly as I'd hoped, but have almost finished the first module, then I'll need to complete the assessment, I think when I get the comments back it'll help to give an idea of whether I'm doing enough work.

I hope this helps a little.

SP