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The Plant Course

This is one of the two core courses for The Plant School and is based at The Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London, with days at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and The Savill Garden, Windsor Great Park. The course aims to give the student a good grounding in plant knowledge and runs one day a month through the academic year. It is ideal for enthusiasts who are committed to learning more about plants. Visiting lecturers talk on their specific subjects and there are practical plant visits. No prior qualifications are required for this course.

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The Syllabus

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The course covers the following subjects over a total of 10 days.

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  • Plant identification, plant families and plant naming as stipulated by The Royal Horticultural Society

  • Choosing the right plant for the right place

  • Bulbs, ferns, grasses and alpines

  • Plants for autumn colour and scented plants

  • The winter garden, plant hardiness and climatic zones

  • The best cultivars of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants

  • Plant hunters and plant collecting

  • Root systems and the biological clock

  • Practical sessions on plant flower structure and floral formulae

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There is one project which runs over the whole course. This is on a specific topic related to plants and takes up one further day per month. It is assessed and marked and contributes towards the final course marks. In addition there are a series of eight homeworks designed to extend the range and understanding of topics covered during the course. These are assessed and marked and contribute towards the final course marks. They are expected to take between ½ to 1 day each.

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Course Dates

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Remaining dates in academic Year 2023-2024​​

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  • Wednesday 6th March

  • Wednesday 10th April

  • Wednesday 8th May

  • Wednesday 5th June

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Academic Year 2024-2025 - *APPLICATION INTAKE NOW OPEN*

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  • Wednesday 11th September 2024

  • Wednesday 9th October

  • Wednesday 6th November

  • Wednesday 4th December

  • Wednesday 8th January 2025

  • Wednesday 5th February

  • Wednesday 5th March

  • Wednesday 9th April

  • Wednesday 7th May

  • Wednesday 4th June

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Certificate

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This is one of two certificate courses run by the The Plant School. Students who complete the course work to a satisfactory standard will be considered for the certificate at the end of the course.

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Course Fees

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The fees for the course are £1395 and are payable in full before the beginning of the autumn term. A place is confirmed on the course by sending a non-refundable deposit for £100 together with the completed application form.

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