CATHIE'S GARDENING SCHOOL COURSES
FRUIT & VEGETABLES,
ORGANIC & WILDLIFE GARDENING
East Horsley Village Hall
Mondays 10am -3pm from Sept 08 to Easter 09
Subjects include: fruit, vegetables, organic and wildlife gardening. Practical tasks and projects are an integral part of the course and carried out in local gardens and allotments, all ideas considered. There is no formal written exam at the end of each module but your knowledge will be assessed if desired.
Wednesdays 10am -3pm from Sept 08 to Easter 09
Subjects include: fruit, vegetables, organic and wildlife gardening. Practical tasks and projects are an integral part of the course and carried out in local gardens and allotments, all ideas considered. There is no formal written exam at the end of each module but your knowledge will be assessed if desired.
Mondays 10am -3pm from Easter 09 to Christmas 09
Subjects include: lawns, water features, weeds, pests and diseases as well as garden design. Practical tasks and projects are an integral part of the course and carried out in local gardens and allotments, all ideas considered. There is no formal written exam at the end of each module but your knowledge will be assessed if desired.
Wednesdays 10am -3pm from Easter 09 to Christmas 09
Subjects include: lawns, water features, weeds, pests and diseases as well as garden design. Practical tasks and projects are an integral part of the course and carried out in local gardens and allotments, all ideas considered. There is no formal written exam at the end of each module but your knowledge will be assessed if desired.
RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture
Planned for January 2010. This is a professional gardening qualification but the exam is not compulsory and the course can be taken just to further your knowledge of the subject. If you do wish to take the exam you can choose a centre and take it either in February or June. The course is a combination of theory and practical sessions and if you have already done some of the C&G modules will find this an advantage!
Please ask to be put on the list, it is never too early to plan ahead and reserve a space! There is no commitment or deposit required at this stage!
GARDENS WANTED
We are always looking for gardens needing attention to run practical classes, workshops, or for garden makeovers. Please ask for details!
C&G/NPTC CERTIFICATE IN GARDENING
This course has been cancelled due to lack of government funding but I am running a similar course at another location, please ask for details!
Fridays 9.30am -3pm from September 2008 to Easter 2009
Fridays 9.30am -3pm from Easter 2009 to Christmas 2009
Modules include: practical tasks, sites, soils and cultivation, trees, shrubs and hedges, beds and borders, propagation. There is a written exam at the end of each module leading to a recognised gardening qualification. The practical tasks are an integral part of the course and are a module on their own.
Currently I am not a registered centre but am making enquiries as to how you may take a formal exam if required.
10 WEEK SHORT COURSES
PRACTICAL PRUNING
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From January 2009 owing to demand I will be running a practical pruning course. Each week we will be looking at the pruning of trees, shrubs, hedges and roses with lots of practise in local gardens. I expect this course to fill up quickly and because of its nature numbers are strictly limited.
Thursdays from 10am until 3pm from January until Easter 2009.
GARDEN HISTORY
Summer 2009 is the time to learn about the history of gardens and the plant hunters. An opportunity for lots of site visits including the Garden History Museum in London.
Thursdays 10am until 3pm from Easter until July 2009.
GARDEN DESIGN AND PLANTSMANSHIP
East Horsley Village Hall
This popular 10 week course has been designed for those students looking to increase their plant knowledge and garden design skills. The course is based around a project proposed by course members and one student will have a garden makeover! Each week we will look at plants and how to identify and name them correctly as well as how they can be used in a planting scheme.
Thursdays 10am until 3pm from September to Christmas 2008.
Practical workshops
Various practical workshops are organised throughout the year. Last year we did pruning, plant naming and tree identification. This year we have done tractor driving and machinery! Any suggestions, suitable premises welcome. It may be an ideal opportunity to have your garden tended for free!!!
Horticultural Consultancy
I can offer a full consultancy service to advise you on every aspect of your garden from a complete makeover to a brief what to do when visit. I can also work with you in your own garden so you can gain full advantage of a 1:1 and learn how to prune every shrub and tree you own! I can provide you with a bespoke garden maintenance programme for yourself or your gardener and help you design it too! Please ask for a quote.
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Garden Design Service
I can design your garden for you and prepare a portfolio as it takes shape. I have an army of horticultural students willing to help create the garden you have always wanted. We can often makeover a garden in a day and it doesn't have to cost a fortune!
Why not give someone the present of a garden makeover for a special occasion?
Garden Maintenance, Hard and Soft Landscaping
Years of experience enable me to recommend experts in every field under my watchful eye of course! I offer an hourly garden maintenance service, clearance, hard landscaping, lawns, planting plans and bespoke maintenance programmes.
Jobs!!
Please let me know if you are interested in work experience. It is an ideal opportunity to come and work on one of my gardens and earn while you learn. You can contribute on a voluntary basis too to gain experience and confidence before embarking on your own garden maintenance career. Once I have seen you working I can even give you a reference!
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Help for new gardeners / gardens
If you are already gardening but need some extra help I can offer this at special rates. Perhaps you have taken on a new garden and need some advice on pruning; I can come and work with you for an hour or two until you gain confidence. It's better than making mistakes so please ask.
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Distance Learning
If you cannot attend college or are physically unable to work I can coach you via post or email. I can answer your questions, identify plants and even guide you through the RHS Certificate in Gardening. The RHS certificate is studied at your own pace and the next exams are in June 2008 and February 2009. You choose where you want to take it (each college has it's own fees). All the information needed is required in bite-size subject booklets. Please ask if you have any special requirements.
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Garden Visits
There are often organized group visits to Kew, Wisley and other gardens, including Highgrove which is by invitation only from HRH Prince Charles.
This is an excellent day out and a good learning experience. Please ask if there is somewhere you would like to go with a group and I will arrange it for you!!
Garden Centre personal shopping Assistant
I can come with you to advise you on which plants to choose depending on individual requirements, drawing on years of experience.
Planting the wrong plant in the wrong place is not just a potentially expensive mistake; it could be hazardous to your health or property!
Please register your email address, through the contact page, to be kept updated on all of the above.