Learning with Experts

RHS Level 2: Plant Specification

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You can buy this course through your business or organisation for individuals and groups up to 20. To find out more contact us

Course overview

RHS Level 2: Principles of Plant Growth and Development: Plant Specification course looks at how to choose the right plant for the right place, from selection to sourcing plants sustainably.

This course is part of the new RHS Level 2 syllabus, and is only available as part of the complete RHS Level 2 Certificate in Principles of Plant Growth and Development collection of courses.

You’ll learn how to assess a site and how to make plant selections based on your assessment.

Then we’ll look at plant characteristics and sustainability when selecting plants for your site.

This course includes the principles for the process of bringing plants on your site – from specifying which plants to include, receiving plants on site, planting, and maintaining.

Lesson summary

Site-based criteria
In this lesson we’ll look at how to assess your site and make planting decisions based on the natural and site factors that could impact plant growth.
Plant-based criteria
You’ll learn how to consider plant requirements when choosing the best plants for your site, and how to match plant characteristics to your site, while considering sustainability.
Plant specifications
In this lesson we’ll look the most important factors to consider when specifying which plants to use – from plant types to production methods and environmental considerations.
Receiving plant material on site
This lesson covers the practicalities of plant delivery from checking for quality to reporting issues and quarantining new plant materials.
Planting and post-planting care
You’ll learn the principles of how to establish your new plants with your planting process including plant density and support systems.
Maintaining new plantings
This lesson covers the plant maintenance tasks for the first 12 months – from weed control to watering and their impact on plant establishment and growth.

Learn with Expert feedback

  • Learn directly from horticulture and RHS approved tutors Dr Noel Kingsbury, Tom Cole, Ki Tong, Dr Stephen Millan, and Chris Whitelock
  • 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

meet the expert

Chris Whitelock

Senior RHS Examiner, horticultural consultant, trainer, and former Head of Horticulture.

Read more

Why choose Learning with Experts?

Start whenever it suits you, and immerse yourself in motivational lesson tutorials with expert guidance.
Enhance your learning and personal growth with lesson assignments. Each course includes an optional assignment at the end of every lesson.
Drop a friendly message or respond to your assignment feedback. Our world-class experts are just a click away, ready to help you!
Stay informed about your own progress and those of your peers, and take joy in celebrating achievements along the way.
Chat and share ideas with passionate communities of learners from around the world.

Frequently asked questions

What is an online classroom?

Our online classroom has been developed to allow you to learn from our experts in a sociable environment alongside up to 20 other students. After each video tutorial led by your expert, you will be encouraged to practice what you have learned with optional assignments - these can be seen by the other students in your class, who are free to share their own thoughts and questions with you.

You will be encouraged to take part in an ongoing class discussion where you can discuss ideas, post images or work, and comment on each other’s assignments. It’s a great way to learn from other like-minded people who share your passion from all over the world.

This means not only do you benefit from people who are outstanding in their field, but also from a close-knit group of like-minded people whom you can learn alongside. Group learning has shown to greatly improve not just the experience of studying, but also how well you retain the knowledge, and we have built our classroom experience around this fact.

When can I start my course and how long will it take?

You can start your course any time within 12 months after receipt of your purchase confirmation email. Once you start, you’ll have lifetime access — meaning you can revisit the lesson videos and notes whenever you want.

Our courses are designed so that you can study at your own pace, some prefer to binge learn while others like to spread their studying over a longer period of time - it’s completely up to you. To give you a rough time frame, each lesson video is approximately 30-40 minutes long, and we recommend that you spend around an hour on each assignment.

How often can I speak with the Expert?

If you opt for the Expert version of your course, the time you have to interact with your tutor is limited to course length. You will have one week per lesson to chat to your tutor and to have your assignments marked, and during this period you can ask them as many questions as you would like.

To find out the length of each course, head to the product page and look at the Course outline to see how many lessons it contains. e.g. a four lesson course assumes that you will have completed the assignments within four weeks.

Your tutor interaction period will start as soon as you enter the classroom. If you find that you are struggling to complete the assignments in the allocated time or you wish to put this function on hold, just get in contact with one of the team via the support button and we will help you out.

Support and full FAQs

If you need any help with a course, be it one you’ve started already, or one you are looking to purchase, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Support email address, or view the full FAQ’s here.

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Awards and accreditations