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Designed Landscape of BeechHill Hotel

6/2/2015

Within the Lime Avenue at Beech Hill Estate

As part of their Level 5 Major Award in Horticulture myself and the students from Donegal ETB & National Learning Network visited the Skipton Estate in County Derry, now called the Beech Hill, and home to the multi award winning Beech Hill Country House Hotel

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Ashbrook House visit with ETB Students

6/2/2015

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Ashbrook House in Derry/Londonderry

My thanks to Ashbrook House for accommodating our visit recently with Donegal ETB Horticulture students, working towards their Level 5 Major award in Horticulture. The visit was part of their Plant Use module, so it was wonderful to visit such a historic gardens and showcase how careful use of plants and trees, chosen to match the soil, can enhance a property for many many years.

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New Horticulture Programme for Carndonagh in 2015!

6/25/2014

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Gweedore Trainees and their show garden

Great news that FAS/SOLAS/ETB have a new Horticulture programme listed for the Carndonagh area of Donegal.

Another Horticulture Training Course is due to commence in February 2015 (approx), this will be a 40 week full-time course...full details can be seen here

This training is an ideal for those with a keen interest in Horticulture who wish to undertake training leading to a FETAC level 5 major award in Horticulture

For enquiries and for more information you can contact FAS/SOLAS/ETB Letterkenny by following this link

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New Horticulture programme for Gweedore in 2015!

6/25/2014

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Level 5 students beside their show garden entry

Great news that FAS have a new Horticulture programme listed for the Gweedore area of Donegal.

Another FETAC Level 5 Major Award in Horticulture is due to commence in January of 2015, this will be a 43 week full-time course...full details can be seen here

This level 5 is an ideal course for people with a good understanding of Gardening/Horticulture or with an existing level 4 Horticulture qualification.

For enquiries and for more information you can contact FAS Gweedore by following this link

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New Part Time Horticulture Courses in North West Regional College from September 2013

5/15/2013

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The New part-time prospectus is out in the NWRC and there is a number of Horticulture Courses which appear... Enrollment is open from May 21st to 31st August for most...

Hobby and Special Interest Courses, based in NWRC, Springtown Training Centre, Springtown Rd, Londonderry BT48 0LY

Ref T57
Hobby Gardening Tuesday 6-8pm 10/9/13 for 10 weeks £30 and £25 concession

Ref T58
Hobby Gardening Friday 2-4pm 13/9 for 10 weeks £30 and £25 concession

ref T59
Hobby Gardening Friday 2-4pm 29/11 fpr 10 weeks £30 and £25 concession

Ref T61
City and Guilds Level 2 Award in Gardening Mondays 4-7pm for 36 weeks starting 9/9 £145 and £30 concession

Ref T63
City and Guilds Level 1 Award in Horticulture Tuesdays 3.30-5.30 for 21 weeks starting 10/9 £60 and £25 concession

Enrolement now open for all the open in Strand Rd Campus for North West Regional College.
Places for all limited to 16. Courses run subject to numbers etc.

any questions drop me a line gareth@garethaustin.com

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Suntrap Gardens, Gogar, Nr Edinburgh

8/31/2012

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entrance

August was holiday time, and when on holidays I love to visit new gardens or re-visit gardens I've not been to in years, so I decided to call up to Suntrap Gardens in Edinburgh. I've not been to Suntrap in years, not since I did evening classes in Garden Design many years ago and it was with sadness I heard that it was being closed/Sold....so I took a dander up and took a heap of pics...you can read more about the suntrap gardens and their fight for survival here

great planting

old beetle made 'green'

lower part of the gardens

climbing hydrangea on shady wall

lovely vine greets you from the walk to the first courtyard

the first courtyard, double doors out from classroom...idyllic!!

the next courtyard area...inspiring

laburnum archway leading up to woodland walk

woodland walkway

the vegetable garden area, used for training

A reminder that the gardens, grounds, plant centre are all ran with the help of volunteers, an amazing achievement. The gardens used to have students from Oatridge Agricultural College come down and they used to use Suntrap as a training facility but , i think, due to cutbacks the college no longer offers support to the gardens, a real shame in my eyes, there is lots of facilities in Suntrap going unusued due to this...such as large commercial heated greenhouses etc etc...but maybe an increase in useage could see these re-used in the future??

the plant sales area...buy what you see growing in the gardens!!

greenhouse made from old plastic bottles in the kitchen garden area

large leaved ivy used as a cascading plant

paths leading everwhere!! *explore*

another courtyard, this time a formal lawn area

unused heated benches in one of the greenhouses, real shame

unusued shade frames

long pergola covered pathway....

more unused small greenhouses...

one side formal hedgrow, other top trained variated holly underplanted with ferns...class

the range of plants, the range of habitats, the range of themes, the range of settings on offer on such a small space is inspiring....there are plants everywhere...granted there not labelled like in the botanical gardens but i'm guessing there must be well over 4000 varieties of plants on show in Suntrap...maybe someone out there knows??

and the way the volunteers are able to maintain the gardens so well is a tribute to their detication....I only wish something like this existed in Donegal/Derry....or maybe this is what we need to be trying to create?

commercial heated greenhouse...lying unused

rockery gardens...

just wonderful

planting inspiration everywhere

Will the gates of Suntrap Gardens stay open or remain closed? the friends of Suntrap are doing their best to keep the gardens opened, all details are on their website above. I know as much, if I was within distance i'd be down volunteering, helpign to raise the profile, bringing groups in....but its up tot he folks of west lothian and edinburgh to decide whethere an idyllic inspiring horticultural training facility should be kept open or closed....

(I

To the Friends of Suntrap.....I salute you!!

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City and Guilds Level 2 Organic Gardening

8/17/2012

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This challenging level 2 course is ideal for those looking to develop a better alround understanding of sustainability and organic gardening and for those looking to develop their organic gardening skills. It is aimed at anyone whether a home or professional gardener. Participants should have a good existing skill base in gardening with relavent experience from gardening at home or professionally.

Course Content includes:
Organic soil management
Organic pest and disease control
Biodiversity
Creating a sustainable green-space
Organic fruit and vegetable production

Held in North West Regional College, Springtown, Derry.

Start date Monday 10/09/12 – finish date Monday
24/06/13(34 weeks excluding holidays)
time 4.00pm-7.00pm

Cost £145.00 ***Concession £30***

For enquiries relating to enrolement or fees please contact liam.clarke@nwrc.ac.uk for queries on course content please contact myself on gareth@garethaustin.com

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City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Gardening

8/17/2012

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This challenging course is ideal if you have some gardening knowledge and skills, from personal or professional experience. You may want to expand your knowledge or take it to a higher level - perhaps to progress in your career or learning.
Examples of units include:

Understand the basic principles of plant science

Establish and maintain plants outdoors

Plant botany

Introduction to plant selection

Plant naming and botanical latin

Participate in propagation techniques.
full course details can be found here

Start date Thursday 13/09/12 – finish date Thursday
27/06/13 (34 weeks excluding holidays)time 4.00pm-7.00pm
Cost £145.00 ***Concession £30***
For enquiries relating to enrolement or fees please contact liam.clarke@nwrc.ac.uk for queries on course content etc please contact me on gareth@garethaustin.com

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City & Guilds Level 1 Practical Horticulture Skills

8/17/2012

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Enrolement now open for a new batch of C&G level 1 Horticultural classes, this course runs in North West Regional College, Springtown campus and offers participants a good entry into academic horticulture, This level will suit you if you're just starting out and want a good basic understanding of the horticulture industry - enough to get your first job in the
sector or move on to further study. You may be a young learner (14-19) or an adult. get full details on this course from city and guilds website here
The Course Start date Tuesday 11/09/12 – finish date Tuesday
19/02/13 (20 weeks excluding holidays) from 3.30-5.30 each day Cost £60.00 **concession fee £20**. For enrolement or fees enquiries please contact liam.clarke@nwrc.ac.uk for course queries email me gareth@garethaustin.com

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Friday afternoon gardening classes in Springtown NWRC

8/16/2012

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Friday afternoons is when I run a 'Hobby Seasonal Gardening Class' in the Springtown campus of the North West Regional College. This has been one of the most popular classes I offer, users get to sample a whole range of gardening and skills and take home a wealth of information each week. Since I started these hobby classes over 100 students have come and gone...(with many a cup of tea shared!)

This 10 week programme allows gardenrs to brush up and learn new skills on the following areas: Seed Sowing, Taking cuttings, Use of fertilisers, Pest and disease control, Lawn care, Tree and Shrub selection, Container and basket planting, Bulbs and organic gardening techniques....

The existing horticulture facilities in the college allow for lots of hands-on learning, with a new courtyard garden just created allowing users to explore decking construction, container making, scented plant selection etc

Within the college we also have 18 raised beds where we grow a range of seasonal fruits, vegetables, salads and herbs so the Grow-your-own angle is well covered....

we have 2 large Polytunnels on site, one where we grow a selection of indoor-crops such as Basil, tomatoes, Courgettes and other salads, herbs and seasonal produce....

and we have another 30ft long tunnel we use as a Propogation house which we use solely for prouducing all our plants from seed, cuttings and other means.... (also we did a nice bit of block paving with a group in it too).

Enrolement is now open for the next 2 10 week Hobby Gardening Classes in North West Regional College, the cost for the course is £25 and then £20 for concession. Enrolement can be completed via telephone or in person in Strand road campus.

Batch 1 - Running from 14/9/12 to 23/11/12 2-4pm Fridays (course code RNVO0GARDEN DSPA1)

Batch 2 - Running from 1/2/13 to 19/4/13 2-4pm Fridays (course code RNVO0GARDEN DSPA2)

Maximum class size is 16, and it booked and ran on a first-come-first served. You cannot enrol and pay on the first week, enrolements must be made in advance. Any questions on fees etc please contact liam.clarke@nwrc.ac.uk , any questions on content etc please contact myself gareth@garethaustin.com.....

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<<Previous

Designed Landscape of BeechHill Hotel

Ashbrook House visit with ETB Students

New Horticulture Programme for Carndonagh in 2015!

New Horticulture programme for Gweedore in 2015!

New Part Time Horticulture Courses in North West Regional College from September 2013

Suntrap Gardens, Gogar, Nr Edinburgh

City and Guilds Level 2 Organic Gardening

City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Gardening

City & Guilds Level 1 Practical Horticulture Skills

Friday afternoon gardening classes in Springtown NWRC

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