City and Guilds Level 2 Landscape

About the course

This introductory study programme is designed to give you a broad understanding of the construction, maintenance and planting of landscape features It provides a balance of both practical and theoretical instruction and is an ideal preparation for those learners who wish to progress to our more advanced Level 3 Diploma study programmes or for those who wish to enter the industry at craft level.

Areas covered include plant and soil science, construction of hard landscape foundations and surfaces, the maintenance of hard landscape features, general gardening and the use of machinery specific to your chosen sector. An important element on this course will be a period of work experience wherever possible within an industrial placement.

Year 1

Year 1

Establish and maintain plants outdoors

You will learn the names of plants and gain an understanding of their needs. You will be taught different planting techniques and you will also learn basic maintenance skills including pruning, weeding and mulching.

Understand the basic principles of plant science

You will be taught in this unit about plant structures and functions: roots, shoots, leaves, phloem, xylem etc and also how plants grow and develop, photosynthesis, transpiration, osmosis and diffusion!

Undertake work related experience in the land-based industries

This unit is designed to prepare you for the world of work, not only through practical hands-on experience but also through understanding the needs and demands of the industry in which you want to work, and understanding your own abilities, strengths and self-development needs.

Construct landscape foundations and surfaces

This unit will cover the basic hard landscape construction skills including marking out different shapes and using surveying equipment, levelling, understanding how drainage and foundations are installed and also mixing and laying concrete.

Introduction to land-based machinery operations

The emphasis within this unit is on practical skills using relevant machinery covering the essential skills of operating and maintaining equipment and machinery. You will be taugth the importance of health and safety whilst operating such machinery as compact tractors, strimmers, pedestrian mowers and rotovators.

Setting out from a plan

Maintain winter and summer sports turf surfaces

A practical unit covering the construction, maintenance and repair work on a variety of structures and surfaces. You will be taught how to use a range of tools and equipment, how to maintain estate boundaries, surfaces and habitats and understand how to work safely.

Entry requirements & additional information

Entry requirements

You must be aged 16 or over and have a minimum of 2 GCSEs at grade D or above, one of which must be English Language.

Learning and assessment

Assessments will include assignments and practical work.

Progression

The vast majority of students usually progress onto the Level 3 City and Guilds Diploma Suite if they gain sufficient merits on the Level 2 Diploma.

Careers

Careers are available in the landscape sector constructing and maintaining gardens. You could also work within the public parks and heritage gardening sector.

Special requirements

Sensible outdoor clothing is expected for practical work. Steel toe-cap boots/wellingtons are essential and overalls are recommended for practical sessions. Students should also have suitable waterproof clothing for wet weather.

Extra costs which may be incurred:

· Safety boots £20 -£30

· Light outdoor clothing (waterproofs) £20-£40

· Annual summer camping trip £100

· Stationery £10 - £30

Work experience

For the Work Related Experience module, learners will be expected to seek a one day per week unpaid placement within their chosen sector during terms two and three. This placement must be approved by the College in advance and your progress will be monitored by visits from your tutor. Work placements may lead to an offer of part or full time employment for those learners who perform well on this module.

Landscape

Landscaping involves the design, construction and maintenance of urban and rural environments – to develop ‘greener living’ in these areas. It’s a real government focus and includes everything from gardens, parks, streets, waterways, leisure facilities and open spaces through to large urban redevelopments. There are fantastic career opportunities as the landscape industry is made up of nearly 8,000 businesses employing around 140,000 people, including local authority departments, heritage garden attractions and commercial landscape companies.

Staff and students won Gold for their entry at the Southport Flower Show in 2015.

Show Garden Success

Work experience doesn’t get much better than here at Myerscough. Our learners have helped build award-winning gardens across the country - from a Gold-Medal entry at Chelsea Flower Show to Gold and Silver Gilts at Southport Flower Show! They’ve also been involved with garden builds for the BBC DIY SOS project in Blackpool and show gardens at the RHS Tatton Flower Show and Chorley Flower Show.

Students on the Myerscough College APL Programme

Association of Professional Landscapers

Myerscough has developed a unique partnership with the Association of Professional Landscapers and the Landscape Skills Academy. The scheme, which represents a first for the sector, has a clear vision to produce the next generation of landscaping professionals. It showcases the latest products, tools, equipment and practice, to fully prepare learners for their future careers in the landscape sector.

Superb facilities

Our landscaping students have access to some of the best facilities available. There’s a purpose-built teaching unit that comprises four fully-equipped landscape and construction workshops. There are dedicated garden plots for project work, a CAD suite and drawing studio and five hectares of inspirational grounds.

They say: Elliot Smith

"Myerscough ticked all the right boxes for the landscape studies that I had my heart set on. The Level 3 Diploma course is brilliant, and I particularly liked the balance between practical and theory-based work."