The Learning Institute

Horticulture Diploma

Course Overview
The course covers all the major horticultural topics - such as lawns, trees, shrubs, the greenhouse, plants and vegetables. We examine them from a professional point of view. In doing so, we'll transform you from an enthusiast into an expert. We'll greatly increase your horticultural knowledge. So you'll know why things happen, as well as how they happen.

You don't have to leave your own garden to study. We bring all the course materials to your door. If you enjoy gardening, the Diploma course will help you get the most from it.

It doesn't matter whether you have a small town garden or a large space in the country. Both present their own challenges. And both are just as satisfying. With our help, you'll have the confidence to embark upon new projects. Perhaps you haven't tried tackling soft fruit, or a rock garden? Possibly you'd like to try greenhouse cultivation, or producing plants from cuttings? By enrolling on the Diploma course, all these things are possible.

And maybe you'd like to be your own boss? We'll show you how you could start selling your own plants, or even set up your own nursery.

Alternatively, we reveal how to get work as a contract gardener or landscaper. You'll discover what types of gardening produce more income. Often the changes are minor, but the financial improvement is immense.

Course content
Introduction to the course
Lawns
How plants work
Vegetables
Ornamentals and propagation
Soil and soil improvement
Trees and shrubs
Flower structure
Fertilization
Fruit
Genetics and selection
Pests, diseases and disorders
Plant physiology
Artificial environments
Water (including transpiration etc.)
Weeds
Ecology
Preparation for the exam
Index
Glossary
Fact sheets

Does the Diploma course involve an exam?
No, we use a continuous assessment process. To get your Diploma, you have to attain an A-C grade in all your assignments. You can re-submit (without cost) any assignments which fall below a C grade.

Qualification
Students who satisfactorily complete the course are awarded the Diploma in Horticulture. They receive the Diploma certificate, and the right to use the letters Dip.H. (Inst.G) after their name.You'll also get a virtual sticker to use on your web site, letters and brochures.

Get the RHS qualification, too!
The course has a second function: it enables you to sit the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society's exam, the RHS (level 2) Certificate in Horticulture.