judith lea wrote:
Clarice , beware of some colleges who offer distance learning courses
at a basic level; for instance KLC only offer RHSII and you will only
receive a certificate, not a Diploma

Entirely wrong as for your advice with the pruning of apple trees in
spring as per your post of Sun 3 Dec 2006 15:02 where you stated:

"I am by no means an expert but I know that apple trees should be
pruned
in Autumn, you can do it now. Your damson should be left until Spring,

when the sap is rising, to prevent infection of disease. Lilac, I have
pruned in Autumn and it comes good every year".

Please don't give wrong advice!!!!!

As for the Chelsea school of design they don't do RHS. I've studied
RHSII at Manchester city college. The KLC Garden design course gives
the following:-

QUALIFICATION Open Learning Diploma in Garden Design
ASSIGNMENT 27 pieces of project work including two final projects
DURATION Average time taken to complete the course is 18-24 months,
allowing 12-15 hours a week - although there is no time limit on the
course

Business management
There is particular emphasis on business practice so that on completion
of the course, students will have the know-how to manage their own
business and KLC will give advice on CVs, portfolio presentation and
career direction.

WHAT'S INCLUDED?
Order the course today and you will receive:

Five modules (inc p&p)
A study guide
Project and assignment work
All distance learning tuition
Insurance of manuals against loss or theft in transit


DIPLOMA COURSE SYLLABUS

MODULE 1
Tutorial 1 - Client Relationship
Tutorial 2 - The Design Brief
Tutorial 3 - Plant Nomenclature
Tutorial 4 - Principles of Garden Design
Tutorial 5 - The Site Survey
Tutorial 6 - History of Garden Design 1: Introduction and Ancient
Gardens
Tutorial 7 - The Site Analysis
Tutorial 8 - Drawing up the Survey and Site Analysis Plan
Tutorial 9 - Concept Boards
Tutorial 10 - The Functional Layout Plan
Tutorial 11 - Planting Principles, Themes and Styles 1

MODULE II
Tutorial 12 - Graphics and Lettering
Tutorial 13 - Planting Principles, Themes and Styles 2
Tutorial 14 - History of Garden Design 2: Religious and Medieval
Gardens
Tutorial 15 - Problem Sites
Tutorial 16 - Preparation for Drawing
Tutorial 17 - Working in Plan
Tutorial 18 - Form, Texture and Colour
Tutorial 19 - The Planting Plan and Schedules
Tutorial 20 - History of Garden Design 3: The Far East and Feng Shui
Tutorial 21 - Patterns, Shapes and Grids

MODULE III
Tutorial 22 - Sections and Elevations
Tutorial 23 - Structural Plants: Trees, Shrubs and Climbers
Tutorial 24 - Hard and Soft Landscaping 1: Basics and Drainage
Tutorial 25 - Garden Buildings 1
Tutorial 26 - Professional Practice 1: Starting Up
Tutorial 27 - Hard and Soft Landscaping 2: Stone, Concrete and Brick
Tutorial 28 - History of Garden Design 4: Renaissance Gardens
Tutorial 29 - Colouring and Rendering
Tutorial 30 - Hard and Soft Landscaping 3: Loose Surfaces, Timber,
Edgings and Lawns
Tutorial 31 - Axonometric and Isometric Drawings
Tutorial 32 - History of Garden Design 5: Formal Gardens

MODULE IV
Tutorial 33 - Garden Maintenance
Tutorial 34 - Garden Buildings: Conservatories
Tutorial 35 - Professional Practice 2: Administration
Tutorial 36 - Garden Accessories
Tutorial 37 - Planting 2: Annuals, Biennials and Perennials
Tutorial 38 - Garden Structures
Tutorial 39 - Perspective Drawings
Tutorial 40 - History of Garden Design 6: The Landscape Tradition
Tutorial 41 - Freehand Drawing

MODULE V
Tutorial 42 - Professional Practice 3: Running a Garden Design Project
Tutorial 43 - Garden Furniture
Tutorial 44 - Water Features
Tutorial 45 - Presentation Techniques
Tutorial 46 - Sculpture
Tutorial 47 - Lighting and Irrigation
Tutorial 48 - History of Garden Design 7: The Victorian Garden
Tutorial 49 - Professional Practice 4: Contracts and Specifications
Tutorial 50 - Construction Drawings
Tutorial 51 - History of Garden Design 8: The 20th Century Garden
Tutorial 52 - Professional Practice 5: How to Charge


PROJECT WORK
Project Work is submitted at the end of each Module and relates to the
Tutorials within that Module. The work includes both residential and
commercial garden designs - for example the preparation of a briefing
questionnaire; a site survey and analysis; preparation and drawing of
functional layout plans; making mood/concept boards; sourcing and
specifying hard landscaping materials and garden buildings; drawing and
colour-rendering plans, elevations, perspectives and axonometrics;
preparing planting schedules and drawing up planting plans; creating a
colour wheel; designing gardens for different situations/purposes;
producing construction drawings and specifications for the workforce;
planning and specifying garden lighting; installing water features. At
the end of the course there are two final projects - one residential
(based on a real garden) and one commercial (a library courtyard) to be
completed.

Students are required to work throughout the course on a History of
Garden Design Notebook and Plant Portfolios, which are submitted at the
end of the course with Module V work, and to keep a sketchbook, which
is submitted twice.

HTH.








when you complete the project,
qualifications that are fine in themselves but basic. Their course
would be very suitable. for someone with little or no gardening
experience but if you want to get into garden design and you already
have some little experience, go for a Diploma course, as far as I know,
they do not offer a Diploma course in garden design but they do offer
Diploma courses in other subjects.

There is a very good college near me called Easton Horticultural
College, Norwich. I don't know if they offer distance learning Diploma
courses but Julia Parker-Barret is their garden design lecturer and it
may be that she would be able to give you information and advice, her
number is (01603) 731214