Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.
LJN's professional business forum is unrivalled and open to anyone within within the UK landscape industry
LJN's Business Objectives Group (BOG) is for any Pro serious about building their business.
For the researching visitor there's a wealth of landscaping ideas, garden design ideas, lawn advice tips and advice about garden maintenance.
Replies
I did mine at a local hort college and was very fortunate to have an enthusiastic and knowledgeable tutor - I think that was the most important factor for me. I'm doing level 3 by self study. I have a colleague who's completing the old Diploma course with the HCC and speaks very highly of them, sounds like they give him a lot of support.
You get out what you put in. The books they send are good but it does take a lot of further research, like the others I was really into it.
I wanted to do the RHS so people recognise that you have a qualification, and know what you are talking about.
in 2003-4 I also done a city & guilds in garden design, part time one year.
I am now doing a foundation degree in garden design at Sparsholt college.
In an ideal world I would do the course at night school but my nearest provider is an 80 mile round trip away so unfortunately that is out.
Backs up what I have been thinking really, that it will be a valuable course, so thanks again for your input.
Andy
I guess the internet is a lot more of a resource now than it was!
You already have such a great experience and knowledge level I can't think what you might learn that you don't already know. Unless you need the piece of paper for a CV, which as you work for yourself I guess that's not applicable. Why not try to get hold of some old exam papers. You used to be able to purchase them from the RHS for a small fee then you will see the level of the learning. I would be surprised if you couldn't answer the majority of the questions without any research. You might struggle with stuff like hormones (not yours the plants !) but unless you are seriously looking into plant propagation etc. I am not sure its a something you need to know too much about. I did my Level 2 about 7 years ago before the re-jigged the course into modules I wanted to back up my garden design knowledge with some basic horticultural knowledge. The only real benefit was probably the confidence you get from having the piece of paper to say you know what you are doing. If your like me and just like learning why not try something new or something else to compliment your business. I did my Course at Capel Manor Gunnersbury
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Courses/Qualifications/Past-papers
On the filp side of the qualification thing I have come across quite a few people with these 'qualifications', who were useless, I remember one client of mine telling me that her friend was visiting for a few weeks and was an RHS qualified gardener, and she was going to do a little redesigning of the garden, and asked me would I move some stuff if she asked,
Here's the best bit... she asked me to ''dig out all these Sycamores over in the corner'', I asked her if she was joking and she assured me she was serious, so I walked over to them with her and showed her that they were all growing from a tree with a 2ft wide base that had been cut down, she turned on her heels and walked off I couldnt stop laughing.
edward maul said:
Went a sligthly different route City & Guilds, followed by 2 years doing Hort & Landscaping.
One of my most enjoyable times doing those courses.....
It's not about having qualifications at the end of your name, its about understanding the environment/indusrty you work in and having confidence -whether by formal training or good, on the job practical experience.
You're never too old to learn something new and if you don't agree it says magnitudes about you...
colin said:
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next