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RHS Level 2 Certificate: Principles of Plant Growth and Development

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    $1,530

    Includes personal feedback and tuition. More

Course Description

RHS Level 2 Certificate in Principles of Plant Growth and Development is an internationally recognised qualification from the Royal Horticultural Society.

This RHS course is based on the new 2022 syllabus and the outline of course content for each course is shown below.

This price includes online RHS exams and registration.

You'll be taught by Dr Noel Kingsbury and Tom Cole - both qualified horticulture experts with experience teaching RHS students, and RHS approved tutors.

The RHS online course is suitable for everyone; from gardeners looking to expand their knowledge of plants, garden design and wildlife, to those already in horticulture careers or planning a career change.

Why study with Learning with Experts?

  • Learn directly from horticulture and RHS approved tutors Dr Noel Kingsbury and Tom Cole
  • Start your course at any time
  • Study at your own pace
  • Join a small friendly online classroom & interact with other students on your course
  • Complete mandatory assessments after each lesson and practice as you learn

The collection includes the following classes:

  • RHS: Plant Science 1 (1)
  • RHS: Plant Health (2)
  • RHS: Plant Nutrition (3)
  • RHS: Plant Specification (4)
  • RHS: Plant Science II (5)
  • RHS Planting Styles (6)
  • RHS: Horticulture and Society (7)
  • RHS: Biodiversity (8)

RHS Level 2 Course Tutors

Dr Noel Kingsbury

Writer, designer and horticultural consultant, Noel lives and breathes gardening. A true expert in his field, Noel has worked closely with world famous designer Piet Oudolf (among others). He is best known for his ecological approach to planting design.

Tom Cole

Tom Cole is an RHS Associate. He regularly lectures and has his own landscape and maintenance business. He is a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio Essex and a contributor for many garden magazines.

You'll learn

Each of the RHS Level 2 courses is listed in detail below but in summary you'll learn:

  • plant science
  • plant naming
  • plant adaptation
  • internal and external plant structures including leaves, stems, flowers and roots
  • pollination and fertilisation
  • photosynthesis and respiration
  • plant health
  • plant nutrition
  • plant specifications for design projects
  • horticulture and society including garden volunteers and community gardening and wellbeing
  • encouraging biodiversity as a horticulturalist and Biodiversity Action plans

What is the RHS Level 2 Online Course?

The Royal Horticultural Society's Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture is an internationally recognised RHS qualification designed for those just starting out in gardening as well as experienced gardeners.

To complete your RHS qualification you need to sit the RHS Level 2 exams (there are 2 exams for this course).

How is the course structured?

The course includes on-demand video lessons, downloadable course notes, mandatory assignments for each lesson and access to our small interactive classrooms (limited to 20 students).

To obtain the RHS Level 2: Principles of Horticulture qualification you study the RHS courses with us, complete the mandatory assignments and then sit exams with the RHS.

Our course will leave you fully prepared for the final exam. You can interact with the world-class tutors, having them mark your assignments and provide you with your own personal feedback.

Each unit will be assessed by a separate written exam covering all learning outcomes specified in the unit. Examinations take place normally in February, June and October.

Is this qualification right for me?

This qualification is available to anyone over 16 years of age, from anywhere in the world. Our tutors are used to teaching people for whom English is a second language. All that is required is a keen interest in gardening.

We have students of all levels on our RHS courses - from people starting out in their horticulture careers to those who already have other professional horticulture qualifications.

The RHS have designed this course to be ideal for:

  • anyone who is working as a professional horticulturist,
  • anyone who wants to make a career change into gardening and horticulture,
  • anyone who wants to expand their gardening knowledge.

How long does the course take?

This collection is entirely flexible and fits around your schedule, so you can go at your own pace. To fully qualify you'll need to sit exams which normally take place either in February, June or October. When you start the course we'll register you for your exams.

Each lesson includes:

  • On-demand video lesson (around 30 minutes) - presented by the expert
  • Mandatory assignments (which takes on average 3 hours to complete)
  • Downloadable lesson notes with slides

Do I need to have completed RHS Level 1?

No, RHS Level 2 is run entirely separate to RHS Level 1 and you don't need to have completed RHS Level 1 (or plan on completing it) in order to study RHS Level 2.

RHS Student Membership

As a Learning with Experts' student, you qualify for the £10 RHS student membership (saving you £39.95 annually).

The membership includes The Garden magazine, priority booking and discounted ticket rates for RHS Shows (including RHS Chelsea Flower Show and RHS Hampton Court), unlimited days out at the RHS Gardens and over 200 partner gardens across the UK and abroad. Contact us for more details.

Buying for your gardening business or employees?

Contact us for VAT invoices or buying multiple courses (click the speech bubble in the bottom left).

More RHS qualification questions?

Read more on our blog post or just click the speech bubble in the bottom right of your screen to ask us about RHS qualifications and the RHS Level 2 online course - we'd love to hear from you!

Buy now and start whenever you like

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    Develop your learning further with personal tuition from Expert Tutors

    • Start courses whenever you like
    • Personalised assignment feedback & coaching
    • 46 marked assignments
    • Online classroom with up to 20 classmates
    • Group chat & direct message with tutor & classmates
    • Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
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    $1,530
    $3,480 if courses bought separately

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Buy this course for a business or group

You can now buy this course through your business or organisation for individuals and groups up to 20

Gardening classroom - how it works

  • Start anytime

    Watch video tutorials led by expert tutors

    Watch video tutorials led by expert tutors
  • Test yourself

    Practice what you learn with inspiring assignments

    Practice what you learn with inspiring assignments
  • Personal tuition

    Get assignment feedback from expert tutors

    Get assignment feedback from expert tutors
  • Share ideas

    Collaborate and chat directly to classmates

    Collaborate and chat directly to classmates

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Awards & Accreditations

  • CPD Accredited (provider 50276)
  • Good Web Guide
  • Red Herring Winner
  • Education Investor Awards 2021 - Finalist
  • Royal Horticultural Society
  • Digital Education Awards 2023 Winner for Digital Health and Wellbeing Learning Product of the Year
  • Digital Education Awards 2023 Winner for Adult Home Learning Product of the Year