Garden Design (Landscaping) Online Course
| Full Fee | $595.00 incl GST - Best Value! |
| Payment Plan | $800.00 incl GST |
Exam Optional
Tutor Support Yes unlimited by email
Qualification Certificate
Study the practicalities of building a garden landscape
This online landscaping course develops your knowledge of how to construct or build a landscape – as distinct from designing a landscape. Learn to construct or build a garden the “right” way. This course provides a good grounding for someone entering the landscape industry.
Course Aims:
- Manage equipment for landscape construction projects, including tools and machinery.
- Determine earthworks for a landscape development.
- Plan the construction of different landscape structures including buildings, fences, and walls.
- Manage the installation of a simple irrigation system in gardens.
- Determine construction techniques for different building or installing different garden features; including paving, water gardens, rockeries and furnishings.
- Determine techniques for creating soft landscaping.
- Manage work being undertaken on a landscape construction site.
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Detailed Course Outline
This course is made up of a number of lessons or units. Each of these has self assessment questions, a set task (practical homework) and an assignment which you can upload online. Click below to read about each of the lessons and what you will learn.
There are 10 Lessons in this course:
Tools and Machinery
- Manual Handling
- Materials used for Constructing Tools and Equipment; ferrous metals, non ferrous metals
- Safety with Electricity
- Engine Troubleshooting
- Machine Maintenance
- Types of Machines
- Chainsaws: safety, buying, using
- Brushcutters
- Earthmoving and Cultivating Equipment; rotary hoes, ploughs, cultivators, etc
- Workshop and Hand Tools; spanners, chisels, hacksaws etc
- Hand saws, Rakes, Spades, Shovels, Rollers, Wheelbarrows, Sprayers, etc
Landscape Plans and Setting out a Construction Site
- Reading Landscape Plans, Scale, etc
- Understanding and Using Triangulation
- Slope, Contouring, Grid Systems
Drainage in Landscape Construction
- Introduction to Drainage
- Testing Drainage
- Improving Drainage
- Improving Soil Water Infiltration
- Improving Drainage after construction; sand slitting, aerating, sub soiling
- Sub Surface Drains; types, layout, outlet, gradients, pipe spacing, etc
- Surface Drainage
- Soil Testing; testing nutrients, pH, toxins
Earthworks
- Levelling terminology
- Levelling Procedure
- Levelling a Sloping Site
- Earthmoving
- Earthmoving Machinery; Bobcat, Backhoe, Dozer
- Use an Experienced Driver
- Topsoil Considerations
- Earth Forming: creating Mounds
- Building Raised Garden Beds
- Earth Quantity Calculation
- Soil Degradation
- Erosion; water erosion, wind erosion, controlling erosion
- Soil Acidification Management
- Managing Soil Compaction
- Managing Chemical Residues
Surfaces, Paths, Paving and Turf
- Introduction
- Surfaces for Play Areas
- Concrete; concrete, cement, mortar, variations in treatment and use
- Loose Surfacing Materials: advantages and disadvantages
- Bark Surfaces, Crushed tiles, pebbles, etc
- Paths; concrete, asphalt, etc
- Paving; laying pavers, setting out circular paving, curved paving, edges to paving
- Lawns and Turf; shape, design, establishment
- Garden Edges
- Playing Field Construction
- Sand Based Technology
- Constructing Steps
Construction of Garden Structures I
- Buildings in a Garden; gazebos, verandahs, storage buildings, cubbies, etc
- Where to build a building
- Floors and Foundations for Buildings
- Walls; brick construction, coping, expansion joints, etc
- Fencing
- Retaining Walls
- Wooden Walls
- Construction with Rock or Masonry; dry walls, wet walls
- Home Playgrounds
- Using Timber in the Garden
- Differences between Softwood and Hardwood
Construction of Garden Structures II
- Compost Bins
- Traditional Features: gazebos, statues, gates, arches, sundials, bird baths, urns, tubs, pergolas, pleached alleys, etc
- Wooden Decks
- Constructing a Deck
- Greenhouse and Shadehouse; types, construction, installation
- Water Features; Waterproofing, keeping water clean
- Landscaping a pond
- Tennis Courts
- Spas
- Rockery Construction
- Artificial Rock Formation
- Mulching Rockeries
- Garden Furniture
- Lighting in the Garden
Irrigation Systems
- Planning an Irrigation System
- Types of Systems: sprinkler, drip, automatic, etc
- Using and Maintaining an Irrigation System
Establishing Hedges and Other Plants
- Factors affecting successful plant establishment
- Physical Plant Protection Methods
- Hedges; site preparation, plant selection, spacing, planting, pruning, hedge maintenance
Workplace Safety and Management of Landscape Construction Work
- Risk Management on a Landscape Construction Site
- The Risks
- Keeping a Work Site Safe
- Duty of Care
- Significance of Illness
- Protective Clothing
- Safety with Tools and Equipment
- Safety with electricity and different types of equipment
- Tool Maintenance
When you have completed the lessons of your Certificate course, you will be given the option of taking the optional exam. It's okay if you don't want the exam, we still issue your Careerline Certificate. For Advanced Certificates however, the exam is compulsory (per module) and are included in the course fee.
Course Tutor(s)
Barbara Tremain BSc. (Hons) Horticulture, RHS Adv. Cert,. RHS General, City & Guilds Garden Design, Permaculture Level 3 (UK)
Barbara brings to Careerline a wide range of horticultural experience and knowledge Barbara has a keen interest in herbalism, edible wild plants and has lead into studies of many plant based complementary medicinal systems, qualification as a Bach Flower remedy practitioner and studying Ethnobotany. Barbara has practiced and studied horticulture as well as combining it with her love of travel in many countries including the UK, US and Australia and has also studied Permaculture and runs her own horticulture business. Within the past two years she have also worked for Groundwork SW with 18-24 year old unemployed people, this work and the mentoring scheme has allowed me to teach informally. It has been a delight to nurture the interests of keen learners in horticulture and garden design. Meanwhile the business has covered a variety of Garden Design projects, from wildflower gardens to seaside situations, and has included some work with Chelsea Gold multi-winner John Moreland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay in installments?
Yes! We offer great payment plans, however full payment up front is the cheapest. You can choose the best payment plan for you from the course page, or call us on 07 55368782 to talk to one of our course consultants for a custom plan.
Can I study from anywhere in the world?
We have many international students. Careerline's range of courses are suitable for any one, anywhere in the world.
Do I get a discount if I enroll in a second course?
Yes. You may claim a 5% fee discount when you enroll in a second course, and a further 10% off a three-course package.
Do I have to sit an Exam?
No. If you are enrolled in a Certificate course (100hrs), the exam is optional. You will be issued with a certificate which proves that you are competent in all units, if you choose not to sit the exam.
Do you have set start dates?
There are no set start dates, you may start at any time. Our courses are all self-paced. As our home page says, ‘Courses for Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime’. ‘Anytime’ includes the start time of your choice. However, we do encourage our students to submit assignments on a regular basis. Wherever possible, we suggest developing a study routine.