Fancy a career in horticulture? If so, then our ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY courses are perfect for you!

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The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has a long history dating back to 1804, it was founded originally under the name of the Horticultural Society of London by Sir Joseph Banks and John Wedgewood; the main aim of the society was to collect information about plants and encourage good horticultural practice.

The Royal Horticultural Society has active science and educational departments and offers a variety of educational opportunities, from lectures on specific topics and courses leading right through to the Master of Horticulture qualification.

BMC has been involved with the society programmes for many years. The qualifications are aimed at those people who not only wish to pursue a career in horticulture, but also for those leisure gardeners who wish to have their knowledge formally assessed.

Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture

Evening Class - Aspects of the Domestic Garden

Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning, Construction and Planting

Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Health and Applied Propagation

Royal Horticultural Society Courses at BMC

Royal Horticultural Society Level 2 courses BMC is now offering the following:-

a) Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture comprises 8 units, studied on a day-release basis.b) 2 units selected from the 8 at level 2 providing an introduction to the domestic garden. The selected units dealwith both the ornamental and productive components of the garden, studied on an evening class basis.

Royal Horticultural Society Level 3 courses As a progressive step further from the level 2 qualifications, BMC is offering the following:-

a) Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Gardening Planning, Construction and Planting (4 units) studied on aMonday morning.b) Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Plant Growth, Health and Applied Propagation (4 units) studied on a Mondayafternoon.

(You can undertake both courses and come for the full day if you wish).

Eligibility for Level 2 and 3 courses These courses are available to school leavers, mature students, junior professionals and leisure gardeners. There are no academic entry requirements. However, candidates for the level 3 courses should acknowledge that the standard of achievement is the equivalent of an A Level, NVQ Level 3 or National Diploma. Prior to undertaking the Level 3 course, it is advised that candidates have studied and preferably achieved at least one of the following:-

RHS Certificate in Horticulture (Level 2) GCSE in English and/or Science grade A-C

Career Opportunities There are many exciting career opportunities within the Horticulture industry, for example:

• Landscape Gardener

• Estate Manager

Estate Gardener

… and many, many more.

• Designer

• Greenkeeper

Groundsman

• Horticulturist

• Plant Breeder

Nursery Manager

Love what you do, do what you love! Have you ever wondered which careers make people the happiest and most satisfied? According to a 2012 City and Guilds survey, Florists and Horticulturists come out tops for job satisfaction. 87% said that they were happy at work, compared with 48% of IT and telecom workers, and just 44% of bankers.

Why Choose BMC?BMC has been delivering Horticulture qualifications for over 50 years and our expert team of staff have significant industry experience and links which will support you in becoming a fully qualified professional in this industry.

We have worked with RHS for many years to train several generations of horticulturists. The success rates of our students are fantastic, standing above the national average and many of our students have gone on to win national prizes for their work.

Our stunning 850 acre estate is the perfect setting for these courses and our brand new teaching facilities are of the highest quality.

Our FacilitiesBrooksby Campus is housed on a stunning 850 acre country estate, which provides the perfect setting for our horticulture provision. The Big BMC Transformation has provided the best quality facilities, including brand new glass houses, featuring automatic vents and temperature controls which ensure optimum conditions for growing plants. We have an extensive range of plants across our estate for our students to work with.

BMC’s Award Winning Students

BMC celebrated another fantastic year in 2014 as horticulture students, past and present, swept the board and gained some highly respected prizes at the BBC Gardener’s World Live show in Birmingham.

Students were given the opportunity to design a show garden for the RHS Birmingham Flower Show and BMC’s Carla Tewley fought off competition from 17 other entrants to be awarded a prestigious RHS Gold medal for her garden which was titled ‘The Jewel of Birmingham’.

As well as Carla, a host of BMC alumni scooped up a number of top prizes which included: Chris Cooper-Hayes and Tony Harding both won RHS Gold and Best in Category, Ben Corah, June Feehan and Margaret Dobbs won RHS Gold, Soo White and Juliet Douglas won RHS Silver Gilt and Faye Ellard won RHS Silver Gilt.

This course provides an excellent grounding in many aspects of horticulture and associated topics. There is an introduction to the wide range of ornamental plants used in the garden, elementary design, growing fruit and vegetables, understanding soils, dealing with commonly occurring plant problems and also how to propagate new plants.

BMC’s Award Winning Students

Our Courses Explained

RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture

Course Content:

The Units cover 8 topic areas:-

1. Plant classification.2. Plant propagation.3. Soils and plant nutrition.4. Maintaining plant health.5. Garden features, plant selection and planning.6. Establishment and maintenance of garden plants and lawn.7. Growing fruit and vegetables.8. Growing plants under protection.

Units 1-4, offer some of the fundamental aspects of science and processes in horticulture which underpin the further units 5-8.

Topics for study in units 1-4 include:-

• Plant naming• Elementary botany• Producing new plants from seeds, cuttings and grafting• Soils and fertilizers• Introduction to pests, diseases and weeds

Topics for study in units 5-8 include:-

• Introduction to garden design and planning• Plant selection for a variety of situations• Lawns, bedding plants, basket displays, herbaceous plants, trees shrubs, climbers, alpines

and water gardens• Growing fruit and vegetables• Growing plants under glass

Course Arrangements:

The course is studied on a Monday or Tuesday from 9.30am - 3.15pm. Depending on the day you select the course commences on 21st or 22nd September 2020 and culminates with the examination in June 2021.

Please state on your application whether you prefer Monday or Tuesday.

Tuition Fees: £595 plus exam fees of £136 (for those who wish to take the qualifying exams).These exam fees are valid until August 2020 (subject to change)

Entry Requirements:

This course is available to school leavers, mature students, junior professionals and leisure gardeners. There are no formal academic entry requirements.

The evening class provides a thorough introduction to the 2 major components of most gardens. You will get to know a wide range of ornamental plants, how best to select these and plan the layout effectively through elementary design; as well as looking at the productive disciplines of fruit and vegetable growing plus salad crops. It is aimed at those who cannot attend the day classes – but would still like to develop their abilities and knowledge.

The taught detail of the course is based on units 5 & 7 (see previous page), of the Level 2 Principles of Horticulture - as such it is not a formally regulated RHS qualification - however if you are successful in this programme, the units can be added to at a later date, to make up either or both of the RHS Level 2 Certificates.

Evening Class - Aspects of the Domestic Garden

Course Arrangements:

The course will commence on 12th January 2021 and culminate with the examination in June 2022. The course runs on Tuesday evenings from 6.30pm - 9.00pm.

Tuition Fees: £350 plus exam fees of £34 (for those who wish to take the qualifying exams)These exam fees are valid until August 2020 (subject to change)

Entry Requirements:

This course is available to school leavers, mature students, junior professionals and leisure gardeners. There are no formal academic entry requirements.

Level 2 Course Examinations

Whilst taking the exams is not compulsory, we do actively encourage students to enter as they provide an excellent learning focus. The exams are on offer twice a year in February and June. The courses at BMC prepare students for the June series initially. Each unit is assessed by a separate short written exam. Those students wishing to work towards the exams must be prepared to expand their knowledge through periods of self study within the different topic areas to supplement work done at college. This could amount to 2-4 hours per week as we build up towards the examination.

Our Courses Explained

This course expands and bulids upon the ornamental and landscaping knowledge gained at Level 2.

BMC’s Award Winning Students

Our Courses Explained

Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning, Construction and Planting

Course Content:

The Units cover 4 topic areas:

1. Selection and use of landscaping elements in the garden.2. Setting out and construction of landscaping elements in the garden.3. Design, theory and garden survey techniques.4. Specialist elements in the establishment of garden and urban plantings.

Topics for study in units 1-4 include:

• Overview of the history of design styles• The design process in practice• Practical use of automatic levels• Production of scale drawings• Evaluation of both hard and soft landscape features such as paths, patio, walls, fence, trees and hedges• Plant selection for specific situations• Setting out from scale plans, steps, walls, fences and pergolas• Construction of rock and water features• Specialist garden areas such as courtyards, roof gardens and woodland areas• Specialist pruning techniques• Sustainability e.g. Water conservation, recycling and green roofs

Course Arrangements:

The course will commence on Monday 21st September 2020, and culminate with the examination in June 2021. Specific dates will be given out when exam dates are set, however the day and times will be the same - Monday from 9.30am - 1.00pm.

Tuition Fees: £470 plus exam fees of £108 (for those who wish to take the qualifying exams).These exam fees are valid until August 2020 (subject to change)

Entry Requirements:

There are no formal entry requirements but it is advised that you would have already completed the Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture, or have a GCSE in English and/or Science grade A-C. A short telephone interview may be carried out.

The course will commence on Monday 21st September 2020 and culminate with the examination in June 2021.

Specific dates will be given out when exam dates are set, however the day and times will be the same -

Monday from 1.45pm - 4.30pm.

Tuition Fees: Course Fees: £450 plus exam fees of £108 (for those wishing to take the qualifying exams). These exam fees are valid until August 2020 (subject to change)

Level 3 Course Examinations

The written examinations are on offer twice a year in February and June. As with the level 2 exams it is not compulsory to enter, however we do actively encourage students to enter as they provide an excellent learning focus. The day release programme at BMC prepares students for the June series initially. The papers vary in length according to the unit being assessed.

Those wishing to work towards the qualifications must be prepared to expand their knowledge through periods of self study within the different topic areas to supplement work done at college. This could be 3 to 5 hours per week as we build up towards the examinations.

This course expands and builds upon the applied sciences and knowledge of processes gained at level 2.

BMC’s Award Winning Students

Course Content:

The Units cover 4 topic areas:

5. Plant taxonomy, structure and function.6. Management of plant health.7. Root environment, nutrition and growing systems.8. Applied plant propagation.

Topics for study in units 5-8 include:

• Classification of the major divisions of the plant kingdom• Specialist plant tissues, detailed flower structure• Process of photosynthesis and respiration• Movement of water and solutes throughout the plant• Tropisms and the use of plant hormones• UK soil types, growing media, nutrition and growing organically• Plant protection against pests disorders and diseases• Examples of integrated control• Plant health passports• Legislation covering safe use, handling and disposal of pesticides• Understanding the anatomy, physiology and environmental factors influencing successful seed and

vegetative propagation

Course Arrangements:

Entry Requirements:

There are no formal entry requirements but it is advised that you would have already completed the Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture, or have a GCSE in English and/or Science grade A-C.A short telephone interview may be carried out.

Our Courses Explained

Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Health and Applied Propagation

Further Information

A detailed syllabus and past examination papers can be purchased from:

Royal Horticultural Society

Examination Section

Wisley

Woking

Surrey

GU23 6QB

Tel: 01483 224234

Alternatively they can be downloaded from the RHS Website: www.rhs.org.uk

Exam entry, guidance & awards

Thorough guidance and preparation is given, as we appreciate it may be some time since individuals have taken formal examinations. Advice will also be given regarding when to take the written exams. The RHS offer a deferral system. As these exams are on offer twice a year some students decide to spread the workload, perhaps taking some papers in the June series and deferring the remainder until the following series in February.

Our records in these awards is good, standing above the national average. In 2004 one of our students won the Hector Harrison Award for the Best Student Nationally in the RHS Level 3 Certificate. In 2007, another student was awarded the Centenary Prize for the Top Student Nationally in the Level 2 Certificate Examinations. This success in the Centenary Prize was repeated again in 2011, and in the same year another candidate was awarded the Anne Menhinick prize which goes to the best student aged under 30.

RHS Booking Procedures 2020/21

Thank you for your enquiry regarding our RHS courses. It is important that you read and follow the steps of the application procedure below.

• To apply for the course you must complete a BMC application form and submit it to the Short Coursesdepartment. To avoid disappointment please ensure that you meet all entry requirements for the selectedcourse and submit your application at your earliest convenience.

• The course tutor will review all applications and call all suitable candidates for an informal telephoneinterview.

• If you are successful you will then receive an offer letter from us requesting a deposit and return of theacceptance slip to confirm your place.

• In order to accept and secure your place on the course specified on your offer letter you must returnthe slip at the bottom of the letter to the Short Courses department along with £100 deposit per course.Please note that deposits are non-refundable.

• Your place is not booked until we receive your deposit and acceptance slip.

• Payment may be made over the telephone by Debit or Credit Card. Please phone us on 01664 855423. Asan alternative, cheques should be made payable to “SMB Group.”

• Please return the slip and your deposit to; Short Courses, Brooksby Melton College, Asfordby Road, MeltonMowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 0HJ. If you have any questions please telephone 01664 855423 or emailbusiness@smbgroup.ac.uk

• Once your deposit has been received you will be sent confirmation of your booking, with further details onyour payment options and your enrolment instructions.

• Payment options – if you choose to pay the balance in full on the day of enrolment you will receive a5% discount. Alternatively, you might want to pay by Direct Debit where we will take up to a third of the totalcost on the day of enrolment by credit/debit card, cash or cheque, and two subsequent Direct Debitpayments.

Cancellation Policy

• If you wish to cancel a booking for a short course, written confirmation must be received by BrooksbyMelton College’s, Short Course department a minimum of 28 days before the commencement of the course.If a written cancellation is received 15-27 days before the commencement of the course, a cancellation feeof 5% of the full course fee will be chargeable. If a written cancellation is received less than 15 days beforethe commencement of the course, a cancellation fee of 10% will be chargeable. This policy does not affectyour statutory rights.

Recognising and Valuing Diversity

• Brooksby Melton College has a strong commitment to recognising equality and diversity and individuallearning. Our aim is to enable all individuals to achieve to the best of their ability. Admission to a coursewill be agreed on the basis that an individual is likely to benefit from it and not on irrelevant grounds suchas gender, ethnic origin, creed, disability or age. Should you feel that you have been treated unfairly byanyone connected with the College and have not received impartial service you should contact the AssistantPrincipal who will investigate your concern and inform you of the outcome.

If you are interested in finding out more about our RHS courses please contact our Short Courses team on 01664 855 423 or email business@smbgroup.ac.uk

For more information about BMC’s Horticulture and Floristry programmes of study you can call us on 01664 855 444 or email courseenquiries@brooksbymelton.ac.uk

Or come to one of our open days or taster days, visit www.brooksbymelton.ac.uk/events to book your place.