Rhs courses

zugenie

I was thinking of doing the level 2 in Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance & 3 in Principles of Garden Planning, Construction and Planting before they are no longer available. Has anyone done them and would you recommend it? If you did them online was booking the exams a pain?

Chris-P-Bacon

I've done then ..and yes, I'd recommend them. 
I did them a while ago having said that - FWIW I took the exams at Reaseheath College who quite readily accommodated external students. Although, even then, the colleges that excepted external exam candidates was getting harder to find. 
Good luck tho..

Kay177

I'm nearly finished taking level 2 - I'm doing mine through Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh who've been pretty good (it's all online).

The booking is easy - you fill in a form, they send you the payment request and you're booked (you take the exams online - there aren't many places that let you sit in person now!)

I'm not sure you get both level 2 and 3 done in time. Certainly for level 2, you've only got 3 opportunities to take the exams - Feb 23, June 23 and Feb 24 - there is quite a bit of theory for the first 3 units that is more like gcse science! Is there a particular reason you want to do them before the curriculum changes? 

zugenie

@Kay177 they don’t seem to be providing an equivalent course (with garden design/planning) in the new courses. The level 3 exams are running into 2025, so as long as i enroll before 1st april 2023 i should be ok!

Allotment Boy

I did the level 2 diploma at Capel Manor.  We did have external student sitting the exams. Not sure of the current situation. 

Kay177

From what I've seen on the forums for RGBE, people have been reporting that places have stopped taking external candidates - I know at Merrist Wood near me they say it's too much hassle for them.

I was pleasantly surprised by the online exams though - I think they worked really well. And you get to miss the anxious waiting around beforehand