Garden Management and Plant Selection

Course Content

• Selecting and growing plants for situations such as ponds, seasonal bedding, hedging,  small gardens as well as specialist plant groups e.g. alpines, ferns, grasses and  bamboos.
• Identifying plants by relevant characteristics.
• Maintenance of parks and mixed borders, care and management of naturalistic  plantings.
• Fruit and veg cultivation of a range of top fruit, soft fruit and vegetables on a small  garden scale.
• Basic design principles will address the use of plant materials, colour, form, texture,  structure and layout.
• Factors in managing estates and parks.

Prior Qualifications

Students will be required to have formal horticultural education prior to admission.  Evidence of such qualifications will be assessed by SETU Waterford prior to admission. The following table gives a list of horticultural qualifications to gain entry to these awards. Students presenting with suitable qualifications examined in English will be deemed to have demonstrated proficiency in English.

Title: FETAC Award in Horticulture 5M2586 and level 6 award 6M4334

Duration: 2 years

Programme: Any recognised FETAC provider of horticultural programme

Title: Teagasc – Certificate in Horticulture

Duration: 1 year full-time programme

Programme: Students must have attended a Teagasc Horticultural College – Kildalton College, Warrenstown or National Botanic Gardens. This original Certificate in Horticulture programme was more extensive than the current FETAC Award in horticulture 5M2586.

Title: Teagasc – Advanced Certificate in Hortitculture

Duration: An add on year to the Certificate in Horticulture

Programme: Students must have attended a Teagasc Horticultural College – Kildalton College, Warrenstown or National Botanic Gardens. 6.

Title: ACOT/Teagasc/FETAC Diploma in Horticulture

Duration: 3 year programme

Programme: Students must have attended an ACOT or Teagasc Horticultural programme

Title: Dept of Agriculture/ACOT Senior Certificate in Horticulture

Duration: 2 years

Programme: Department of Agriculture / ACOT Horticulture programme

Other horticultural qualifications, which meet or exceed the above standards e.g. the BSc. in Horticulture will be accepted and others such as those from Greenmount College NI or other UK, European Horticultural colleges, or foreign institutions will be considered and evaluated by SETU Waterford as to their appropriateness.

Progression, Employment, Transfer of Certificate Graduates

Students who subsequently choose to apply and enter into Year 1 of the BSc in Horticulture will receive exemptions for modules they have successfully passed at the appropriate year. 

Students who wish to enter the BSc in Horticulture as transfer students into either Year 2 or Year 3 must meet the entry requirements as set out in the existing established transfer mechanism. Exemptions for modules students have successfully completed will be granted. Students wishing to transfer into Year 3, an award year, will be advised as to the appropriateness of accepting a record of educational achievement rather than a certificate.

These minor awards offer structured continuous professional development opportunities to those already working in the industry.

The Certificate in Garden Management  and Plant Selection offers structured continuous professional development opportunities to those already working in the horticulture industry. This level 7 certificate will allow quicker progression to supervisory or managerial roles and will also allow candidates to diversify and update their horticulture knowledge.