RHS Level 2 Certificate

Year 1 Week 26 – Garden planning: site and user requirements. Revision techniques.

Learning Objectives

Site Appraisal 1.1 Describe potential restrictions which may limit work on the site,

including financial constraints; difficulties with access for plant, equipment and materials; topography (degree and extent of slopes); boundary constraints; and restrictions on the time the works can be carried out.

1.2 State what existing garden features need to be identified, including buildings, hard landscape features, and the trees and plants that are to be retained.

Plants 2.1 Name FIVE evergreen and FIVE deciduous trees (large shrubs),

suitable for planting in a domestic garden. State details of their decorative merits, height and spread and site requirements; describe a situation where each could be used effectively.

Revision Identify THREE active revision techniques Identify TWO less effective revision techniques

Site appraisal

A methodical review of the site Use questionnaires to gather the information so

that points are not missed. Consideration of the views, aspect and climate,

soil, existing features and services, together with a measured survey, will produce a scale plan.

In a site appraisal it is important to assess the existing features that will remain so that these can be incorporated into the eventual design.

Site characteristics

Make a sketch plan and take notes – keep careful records.

Location and physical character– aspect, climate, micro-climates, views, slope, drainage

Existing features – to keep or to remove? Location of services. Soil – pH, depth, structure and texture. Several

samples needed across the site as it will not be uniform.

Site appraisal - topography

‘Topography’ : the configuration of a surface and the relations between its man-made and natural features. Particularly in the design context, the mapping of the changes in surface level of the site.

Slopes and hollows must be recorded accurately onto the survey plan and taken into account in the layout of the site.

Design responses to slopes

Terracing can be used to make a steeply sloping site useable

Expensive and requires expert construction of retaining walls

Design responses to slopes

Making a virtue of a slope – for example by designing a stream garden with a zigzag path beside it

Environmental factors in design

Prevailing wind – where should windbreaks go? Aspect – where does the sun fall at different times of

day? Where should seating areas be positioned, what need for shade is there?

Views – borrow favourable views and hide ugly ones. Views into the garden – creating privacy

Soil – pH (hard to change and will therefore affect what can be planted); depth (if insufficient then raised beds can be used).

Garden planning – you can’t always get what you want.

Limitations on what can be achieved may be:– Physical – access to the site, topography, size of plot.

Identified by site appraisal.– Legal – restrictions in conservation areas, contained in

title deeds (especially front gardens) etc.– Financial – a limited budget may limit what can be

achieved or mean that implementation of a re-design may have to be phased.

– Time – an extensive make- over will take a concentrated effort over a long time for a large plot. Ground works can only be done in dry weather, planting is best done in autumn or spring.

Exam Preparation - introduction

Registration – complete form, fee, to be returned ASAP.

Revision – how to get started? Revision planning – ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to

fail’ Revision techniques – reading, remembering and

‘doing’. The more active your approach the more you will remember.

Get started now!

Revision – Getting Started

Do what you can. If you only have half an hour a day then study for half an hour.

Plan how you will cover the material – aim for three reviews of each topic

Just reading the material is not effective – try working with the information, making connections and using varied approaches

Little and often is better than hours on end and then nothing for days.

Learning outcomes

Site Appraisal 1.1 Describe potential restrictions which may limit work on the site,

including financial constraints; difficulties with access for plant, equipment and materials; topography (degree and extent of slopes); boundary constraints; and restrictions on the time the works can be carried out.

1.2 State what existing garden features need to be identified, including buildings, hard landscape features, and the trees and plants that are to be retained.

Plants 2.1 Name FIVE evergreen and FIVE deciduous trees (large shrubs),

suitable for planting in a domestic garden. State details of their decorative merits, height and spread and site requirements; describe a situation where each could be used effectively.

Revision Identify THREE active revision techniques Identify TWO less effective revision techniques