Advanced Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture

A flexible and extensive amenity horticulture course. Ideal if you want to pursue a career working in parks, urban landscaping, gardens, arboriculture, turf care or commercial horticulture settings as a professional horticulturist.

Course Code: VHT077
Payment Options
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 900 hours
Qualification Advanced Certificate

Become a Professional Horticulturist

Ornamental horticulture is also known as amenity horticulture. It covers a range of different areas of horticulture. Graduates are often highly regarded in various sectors of the horticulture industry.

This is a high-level, flexible horticulture course. It gives you lots of options for where to focus your learning.

This  comprehensive course provides training for people to work in the care and development of gardens, parks, or other areas of amenity horticulture (e.g. tree management, turf management, interior plantscaping) at a technician or management level in positions such as: managers, technical officers, or consultants. It opens up many new avenues in horticulture.

Learn broad-based skills in amenity horticulture

Study this course to:

  • Develop broad skills in horticulture - providing a platform from which to specialise.
  • Grow your awareness of industry and opportunities.
  • Develop your networking skills.
  • Learn from experienced horticulturalists.

Success in ornamental horticulture is not just a matter of being able to do the job, it depends upon the attitude you have and the decisions you make.

Free Student Membership is offered on enrolment to the Australian Institute of Horticulture.

Modules

Core ModulesThese modules provide foundation knowledge for the Advanced Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture.
 Horticulture I BHT101
 Landscaping I BHT109
 Soil Management (Horticulture) BHT105
 Turf Care BHT104
 Irrigation (Gardens) BHT210
 Amenity Horticulture I BHT324
 
Stream ModulesStudied after the core modules, stream modules cover more specific or niche subjects.
 Horticultural Research I BHT118
 
Elective ModulesIn addition to the core modules, students study any 2 of the following 71 modules.
 Arboriculture I BHT106
 Australian Native Trees VHT115
 Australian Natives I BHT113
 Botany I (Plant Physiology And Taxonomy) BSC104
 Cacti & Succulents VHT108
 Carnivorous Plants VHT107
 Fuchsias VHT112
 Garden Maintenance VHT100
 Growing Annuals BHT115
 Growing Camellias VHT109
 Growing Carnations VHT110
 Growing Grevilleas VHT118
 Growing Iris VHT111
 Herb Culture BHT114
 Horticulture II (Plant Knowledge) BHT102
 Horticulture III (Plant Health) BHT116
 Landscape Construction BHT111
 Nursery Hands Course VHT102
 Nursery Sales Assistant VHT103
 Pelargoniums and Geraniums VHT113
 Permaculture I VSS104
 Plant Selection And Establishment BHT107
 Propagation I BHT108
 Research Project I BGN102
 Arboriculture II BHT208
 Botany II (Plant Growth and Development) BSC204
 Conifers BHT230
 Cut Flower Production BHT221
 Cutting Propagation BHT211
 Deciduous Trees BHT244
 Garden Centre Management BHT255
 Green Walls and Roofs BHT256
 Greenhouse Cut Flowers VHT239
 Horticultural Research II BHT241
 Horticultural Resource Management BHT203
 Hydroponic Management (Hydroponics II) BHT213
 Hydroponics I BHT224
 Landscaping II BHT214
 Landscaping III (Landscaping Styles) BHT235
 Lavender BHT228
 Leisure Facility Management I BRE205
 Natural Garden Design BHT215
 Orchid Culture BHT232
 Palms & Cycads BHT233
 Planning Layout And Construction Of Ornamental Gardens BHT242
 Plant Protection BHT207
 Practical Horticulture 1 BHT238
 Protected Plant Production BHT223
 Research Project II BGN201
 Restoring Established Ornamental Gardens BHT243
 Roses BHT231
 Scented Plants BHT229
 Seed Propagation BHT237
 Tropical Plants BHT234
 Weed Control BHT209
 Amenity Horticulture II BHT325
 Biophilic Landscaping BHT343
 Ferns BHT314
 Garden History BHT329
 Horticultural Marketing BHT304
 Horticultural Therapy BHT341
 Irrigation Management (Horticultural) BHT305
 Managing Notable Gardens BHT340
 Organic Plant Culture BHT302
 Perennials BHT316
 Plant Taxonomy BHT344
 Practical Horticulture 2 BHT323
 Proteas BHT318
 Soil and Water Chemistry BSC307
 Turf Repair And Renovation BHT303
 Water Gardening BHT307
 

Note that each module in the Advanced Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.


Plant Knowledge is the Foundation for Good Horticulture

A home garden can commonly have hundreds of different plant species growing in it. Public gardens may have even more. A plant nursery may be selling well over a thousand different cultivars, and sometimes many thousands.

Every plant will grow differently, and to get the most out of the plant, it requires a great deal of knowledge about the different plants you work with. This "plant knowledge" is what distinguishes the best gardeners and horticulturists, from everyone else.

Our courses place a great deal of importance upon teaching you "plant knowledge", perhaps more so than most other horticultural schools. In doing so, we believe that we equip our students with a distinct advantage over students who graduate from other colleges.


Opportunities After This Course

This is an extremely comprehensive course that is designed to assist graduates to gain employment in different areas of ornamental horticulture.

  • You will gain the skills needed to work in ornamental/amenity horticulture.
  • Prepare yourself for work as a professional horticulturist in ornamental/amenity horticulture at management level e.g. a  garden centre manager, garden consultant, manager of grounds and grounds staff, or in technical research, teaching or writing - in fact, any professional level of ornamental/amenity horticulture.

Enrol to gain valuable skills in amenity horticulture.

 

WHY CHOOSE US?

Reputation: well-known and respected.

Industry focus: courses designed to suit industry needs and expectations.

Different focus: develop problem solving skills that make you stand out from others.

Hands-on: develop practical as well as theoretical skills.

Lots of help: dedicated and knowledgeable tutors

Efficient: prompt responses to your questions.

A long track record: established in 1979 with a solid history.

Up to date: courses under constant review.

Resources:  huge wealth of constantly developing intellectual property.

Value: courses compare very favourably on a cost per study hour basis.

Student amenities: online student room, bookshop, ebooks, acs garden online resources.

Use the link below - our student services and academic staff can answer your questions and help you to choose the right course for you. 

Principal of ACS Distance Education, John Mason, is fellow of the CIH.
Principal of ACS Distance Education, John Mason, is fellow of the CIH.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
Member Greenlife Industry Queensland.
Member Greenlife Industry Queensland.
ACS is a Silver Sponsor of the AIH; and students studying designated courses are given free student membership. ACS and it's principal have had an association with AIH since the 1980's
ACS is a Silver Sponsor of the AIH; and students studying designated courses are given free student membership. ACS and it's principal have had an association with AIH since the 1980's

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

Simply click on the ENROL OPTIONS button at the top of this screen and follow the prompts.

You can see the course price at the top of this page. Click 'enrolment options' to see any payment options available.

You can pay by Credit Card, PayPal, Afterpay or bank transfer.

Yes! We have payment plans for most courses. Click 'enrolment options' to see the available payment plans.
We also have Afterpay that will allow you to pay for your course or payment plans in four instalments (if you are in Australia).


What do I need to know before I enrol?

There are no entry requirements that you need to meet to enrol in our courses, our courses are for everyone.
If you are under 18, we need written permission from your parent/ guardian for your enrolment to continue, we can arrange that after you have enrolled.

You don’t need to purchase any additional resources to complete our courses.

We aim to teach you the essentials without you having to purchase any specific computer program.
We recommend that you have access to a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, so that you can easily complete and submit your assignments.

You sure can. We are here to help you learn whatever your abilities.

Yes, if you are enrolling in a Certificate or Advanced Certificate, you might be eligible for credits if you have evidence of your previous studies or relevant experience. More information is here.

We recommend that you are able to browse websites, send emails and conduct online research. You will need to be able to type and submit your assignments.
If you have limited computer skills, we can make special arrangements for you.

This is possible, it depends on the institution. We recommend that if you would like to use our courses that you contact the institution first. Our Course Handbook is a good resource for this.

Our courses are written in English and we only have English speaking academic staff. If you can read and complete your assignments in English, our courses are ideal for you.

Our courses are designed to build knowledge, hands on skills and industry connections to help prepare you to work in the area, running your own business, professional development or as a base for further study.

This course is aimed at providing you with a solid understanding of the subject. It has been designed to take 600 hours, which includes your course reading, assignment work, research, practical tasks, watching videos and more. When you complete the course, will have a good understanding of the area/ industry you want to work in.

It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

The course consists of course notes, videos, set tasks for your practical work, online quizzes, an assignment for each lesson (that you receive feedback from your tutor from) and ends in an exam (which is optional, if would like to receive the formal award at the end), using our custom built Learning Management System - Login.Training.

Our courses are designed for adults to gain professional development and skills to further their careers and start businesses.

Our custom online learning portal allows you to conduct your learning online. There may be practical tasks that you can do offline. You have the option of downloading your course notes or print them to read later.

There is also the option to pay an additional fee for printed course notes and or USB (availability limited to location and deliverability).

Yes, if you don’t have access to the internet, you can receive the course as paper notes or on a USB stick for an additional fee. We can also make alternative arrangements for you to send your assignments to us.

We offer printed notes for an additional fee. Also, you can request your course notes on a USB stick for an additional fee.

Yes, your tutor is here to help you. Simply post any questions you have in your login.training portal or contact the office and we can pass on a message to your tutor.

We are more learning focussed, rather than assessment focussed. You have online quizzes to test your learning, written assignments and can complete an exam at the end of the course (if you want to receive your certificate). You will not receive a pass/ fail on your course work. If you need to add more details on your assignment, we will ask you to resubmit and direct you where you need to focus. If you need help, you can ask your tutor for advice in the student room.

Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

Exams are optional, however you must sit an exam if you would like to receive a formal award. You will need to find someone who can supervise that you are sitting the exams under exams conditions. There is an additional cost of $60 incl. GST for each exam.
More information is here

There are practical components built into the course that have been designed to be achieved by anyone, anywhere. If you are unable to complete a task for any reason, you can ask your tutor for an alternative.

When you complete the course work and the exams (8-9 exams) and you will be able receive your course certificate- an Advanced Certificate. Otherwise, you can receive a Letter of Completion.

You can bundle the short courses to create your own customised learning bundle, Certificates or Advanced Certificates. More information is on this page.

Yes, our courses are built to be applicable for people living anywhere in any situation. We provide the fundamentals, and each student can apply their own unique flair for their own interests, region and circumstances with the one-on-one guidance of a tutor. There is also a bit of student directed research involved.

Employers value candidates with industry skills, knowledge, practical skills and formal learning. Our courses arm you with all of these things to help prepare you for a job or start your own business. The longer you study the more you will learn.

ACS has an arrangement with OAMPS (formerly AMP) who can arrange Professional Indemnity from Australian and New Zealand graduates across all disciplines. Ph: 1800 222 012 or email acs@oamps.com.au.


Who are ACS Distance Education?

ACS Distance Education have been educating people for over 40 years.

We are established and safe- we have been in education for over 40 years.
We are focused on developing innovative courses that are relevant to you now and what you will need to know in the future.
We are focused on helping you learn and make the most of your experience.
You can enrol at any time, you can work on your course when it suits you and at your own pace.
We are connected to many industry bodies and our staff participate in continuous improvement and learning activities to ensure that we are ahead of what learning is needed for the future.

Our courses are not accredited by the Australian Government. However many of our courses are recognised and held in high regard by many industry bodies.

Our courses are written by our staff, who all have many years experience and have qualifications in their speciality area. We have lots of academic staff who write and update our courses regularly.


How do I enrol my staff/ sponsored students?

Yes, you can do a request for a bulk enrolment and request an invoice on our Invoice Request Form

We can prepare an invoice, quote or proforma invoice. Simply complete your details on our Invoice Request form

We can arrange bulk discounts for your course enrolment, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

Yes, we have many students who are in locked facilities, such as prisons or hospitals. We can cater by also offering paper notes at an additional cost.


What if I have any more questions or need more information?

We can assist you to find the right course for your needs. Get in touch with us via email (admin@acs.edu.au) call on +61 7 5562 1088 or complete our course advice form.


What if I change my mind?

Please get in touch with studentservices@acs.edu.au if you would like to be removed from our mail list.

If you would like ACS Distance Education to delete your information at any time (whether you are a customer or a prospective customer), please contact our privacy officer and we will process this ( admin@acs.edu.au ).

If students require a reproduction of their certificate, an electronic copy can be provided at a cost of AUD$35 incl GST. Printed copies are not available.




Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Rosemary Davies (Horticulturist)

Leading horticultural expert in Australia.
Rosemary trained in Horticultural Applied Science at Melbourne University. Initially she worked with Agriculture Victoria as an extension officer, taught horticulture students, worked on radio with ABC radio (clocking up over 24 years as a presenter of garden talkback programs, initially the only woman presenter on gardening in Victoria) and she simultaneously developed a career as a writer.
She then studied Education and Training, teaching TAFE apprentices and developing curriculum for TAFE, before taking up an offer as a full time columnist with the Herald and Weekly Times and its magazine department after a number of years as columnist with the Age. She has worked for a number of companies in writing and publications, PR community education and management and has led several tours to Europe.
In 1999 Rosemary was BPW Bendigo Business Woman of the Year and is one of the founders and the Patron, of the Friends of the Bendigo Botanic gardens. She has completed her 6th book this year and is working on concepts for several others.
Rosemary has a B Ed, BSc Hort, Dip Advertising & Marketing

Jacinda Cole (Horticulturist)

B.Sc., Cert.Garden Design. Landscape Designer, Operations Manager, Consultant, Garden Writer.
She was operations manager for a highly reputable British Landscape firm (The Chelsea Gardener) before starting up her own landscaping firm. She spent three years working in our Gold Coast office, as a tutor and writer for Your Backyard (gardening magazine) which we produced monthly for a Sydney punlisher between 1999 and 2003. Since then, Jacinda has contributed regularly to many magazines, co authored several gardening books and is currently one of the "garden experts" writing regularly for the "green living" magazine "Home Grown".

John Mason (Horticulturist)

Parks Manager, Nurseryman, Landscape Designer, Garden Writer and Consultant.
Over 40 years experience; working in Victoria, Queensland and the UK.
He is one of the most widely published garden writers in the world.

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