Landscape construction, gardening and design occupations are in high demand and are forecast to grow over the coming years. So, whether you’re looking for a diverse and interesting trade career or simply want to boost your skills in horticulture and construction – this course is ideal for you.
The Certificate of Landscape Construction is an online professional development course designed to give provide you with a foundation knowledge in landscape construction.
In this landscape construction course, you will learn how to manage equipment for landscape construction projects, determine earthworks for landscape development and plan structures such as buildings, fences and walls.
You will also learn how to manage simple irrigation systems and install garden features including paving, water gardens, rockeries and furnishings. You will learn to determine techniques to create soft landscaping and manage work on a landscape construction site.
On completion of this course, you will have gained foundational knowledge in landscape construction to pursue work on landscape projects or boost your landscape or gardening business.
Course Structure
Unit - Landscape Construction
Unit 1 – Tools and machinery
- Manual handling
- Materials used for constructing tools and machinery
- Ferrous and non ferrous metals
- Safety with electricity
- Engine troubleshooting
- Machine maintenance
- Types of machines
- Buying a chainsaw (safety and using)
- Brush cutters and rotary hoes
- Tool maintenance
- Workshop tools
- Garden tools and hand saws
- Snap lock tools
- Spades and shovels
- Forks and rollers
- Wheelbarrows
- Sprayers (comparing and safety tips)
Unit 2 – Landscape Plans and setting out a construction Site
- Reading landscape plans
- Surveying techniques
- Site plan
- Topographic plan
- Concept plan
- The final plan
- The planting plan
- How landscape plans are presented
- Steps in the design procedure
- Landscape graphics (scale, lettering drawings line types etc)
- How much detail in a plan?
- Surveying techniques
- What to survey
- Design key
- Slope and direct contouring
- Leveling terms
- Setting out the site for landscape construction
- Levelling procedures
- Levelling a sloping site
- Using base lines to set out a site
- Simple way to mark out circles
- Understanding and using triangulation
- Slope, contouring, grid systems
Unit 3 – Drainage in landscape construction
- Drainage in the garden
- What can cause wet areas?
- Problems with wet areas
- Symptoms of poor drainage systems
- What drainage is needed?
- Typical permeability rates
- Solving drainage problems
- Cultivation
- Mixing in soil additives
- Methods of reducing erosion to maintain a slope
- Hard and soft drainage methods
- Improving surface drainage after construction
- Drainage designs
- Draining lawns (including sports grounds)
- Springs and under-ground water courses
- What a landscaper should know about drainage
- Subsurface drainage
- Layout of drains
- Creating a soak away drain pit
Unit 4 – Earthworks
- Levelling terminology
- Slope stability
- The angle of repose of a stockpile
- Soil types and foundations
- Try to maintain vegetation cover where possible
- Stockpiling, moving and biosecurity measures
- Topsoil considerations
- Developing a grading plan
- Required grading drawings
- Grading operations
- Doing the earthworks
- Earth moving machinery
- Cost of earthworks
- Earthworks calculations
- Earth forming
- Creating mounds
- Soil degradation
- Erosion
- Types and control of erosion
- Soil acidification
- Compactions
- Chemical residues
Unit 5 – Surfaces, paths, paving and turf
- Paths
- Load bearing capacity
- Shear strength of soils
- Build a solid foundation
- Paving designs
- Laying pavers
- Paving essentials
- Paving a slope
- Setting out circular paving
- Curved paving
- Concrete and asphalt surfaces
- Beautifying concrete
- Laying a standard concrete path, step by step
- Laying asphalt
- Surfaces made up of loose materials
- Disadvantages of loose surfacing
- Laying pebbles and places uses pebbles
- Laying gravel hints
- Crushed roof tiles
- Maintaining loose surface materials
- Surfaces for children’s play areas
- Changing levels: step by step
- Designing steps
- Materials for treads and risers
- Railings and garden edges
- Using edging to the best effect
- Lawns and turf
- Lawn shape and design
- Selecting turf and turf varieties
- Lawn mixes
- Turf establishment
- Soil preparation
- Seeding
- Sodding/instant turf
- Other establishment methods
- Construction procedure for a playing field
Unit 6 – Construction of garden Structures I
- Garden structures; gazebos, verandahs, storage buildings, cubbies
- Where to build in the garden
- Building floors and foundations
- Retaining walls
- Stabilising the ground expansion joints
- Construction materials
- How to build a brick wall
- Using timber in the garden
- Points to consider when choosing timber
- Timber retaining walls
- Dry stone walls
- Recycled rubber walls
- Wet walls
- Concrete
- Fencing
- Fencing materials
- Supporting the fence
- Children’s play areas
- Child safety
Unit 7 – Construction of garden structures II
- Building a timber deck
- Foundations and supports
- Decking materials
- Handrails & balustrades
- Steps
- Decking around pools
- Rockeries
- How to build artificial rocks
- Planting around artificial rocks
- Mulching in rockeries
- pond design and pond edges
- Construction of a water garden
- How to make a water garden using a liner
- How to make a water garden using a preformed unit
- Rock edging
- Pebble or cobble edging
- Timber edging
- Paved edging
- Pumps
- Submersible pumps
- Pond filtration systems
- Water
- Filtration of water features
- Spas – installation considerations
Unit 8 – Irrigation systems
- Planning an irrigation system
- Types of systems
- Sprinkler systems
- Trickle systems
- Automatic irrigation systems
- Do-it-yourself micro-irrigation systems
- Irrigation – water saving techniques
- How to use irrigation systems
- When to water
- Rate of watering
- Length of watering
- Maintenance of watering systems
Unit 9 – Establishing hedges
- Establishing plants
- Age of plant to be established
- Type of plant to be established
- What to look for when buying a container tree
- Physical plant protection methods
- Staking
- Frost protection
- Hedges
- Plant selection
- How to plant a hedge
- Pruning a hedge
- Pruning or trimming an established hedge
Unit 10 – Workplace safety and management
- Risk management on a landscape construction site
- Duty of care
- Employer duties
- Employee duties
- Manufacturer duties
- Risk assessment of a landscape construction site
- Identifying hazards and risk
- Risk to the project
- Risk to the workers
- The area(s) and people that may be at risk
- The consequences of an event happening
- The adequacy of existing controls
- A rating of the consequence, likelihood and level of risk
- Example of a risk assessment procedure
- Example of a risk assessment form
- Workplace safety
- Manual handling tasks
- Manual lifting techniques
- Using machines to do the heavy work
- Rules for using tools
- The significance of illness
- Safety with tools and equipment
- General safety rules
- Safe work management plans
- Using equipment safely
Assessment
When you study with Australian Online Courses you will be assessed using a competency-based training method. Competency-based training focuses on a learner’s ability to receive, respond to and process information to achieve a competency result. As such, skills-based and knowledge assessments are geared towards attainment to meet industry-defined standards.
Assessment will be comprised of written assignments and exercises, including short answer questions, reports, essays, research projects and reflective tasks. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no entry requirements or pre-requisites for entry into this program.
How long will it take to complete this course?
The approximate study hours for this course is 50 hours. We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply).
Can I purchase optional printed materials?
While printed materials are not available for purchase, PDF copies are available for download and self-printing for this program.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion of this course?
Yes! You will receive a Certificate of Attainment upon successful completion of your assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our e-learning system and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional Development for:
- Landscape construction supervisor
- Landscape gardener
- Landscape contractor
- Landscape business owner
- Garden maintenance
- Landscape retailer/salesperson
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