Occupational Certificate: Garden Designer

The purpose of this part-qualification is to prepare a learner to function as a Garden Designer.

A Garden Designer responds to the homeowner's needs and the environment. Garden Designers establish feasible gardens through conceptualising sustainable garden designs using artistic flair and creative problem-solving.

Typical graduate attributes include creativity, problem-solving, and artistic flair.

A qualified learner will be able to

• Gather information regarding a client brief, site potential, and parameters to inform the design concept of simple residential sites and food gardens that pose limited site complexities and design challenges.
• Visualise and draft a feasible ornamental and/or food garden design concept by combining creative, artistic, and problem-solving skills.
• Produce a finalised ornamental or food garden design solution through detailed development of the approved concept.

Rationale

The Garden Designer is a part-qualification of the Higher Occupational Certificate: Landscape Designer. This part-qualification will enable learners to exit at an appropriate level with sufficient skills to exit learning and earn an income as a Garden Designer, as well as providing a seamless entry into the Higher Occupational Certificate: Landscape Designer. It, therefore, also reduces the timeframe of learning before a learner can become employable.

Garden design is critical in bringing about healthy and sustainable outdoor spaces and places for human use and enjoyment. The world's population is increasing, and the need for green, well-designed open spaces at the garden, landscape, park, and city level is ever increasing. In line with the increasing pressures on the environment and natural resources, it is becoming imperative that gardens are designed responsibly and sustainably. When considering the above, the need for and benefit to society and the benefit to the landscaping and gardening sector become clear. The benefits communities and schools may gain from food and vegetable gardens are often overlooked but is growing in popularity and contributing to sustainability.

Economically, appealing gardening can increase property and resale values, lower energy costs, improve business and sales, and create positive perceptions for areas.

This part-qualification aims to equip learners with the competence and knowledge to design an ornamental or food garden effectively and efficiently, thereby producing sufficient information in the form of plans and bills of quantities in order for the garden design to be constructed. In addition, learners will be able to provide customers with a garden design that meets the needs and requirements of the client functionally and appealingly.

Typical learners include school leavers, graduates from learning institutions, and persons employed in the horticultural industries with experience in landscape construction and/or maintenance with a keen interest in wanting to design outdoor spaces. This part qualification is a stepping stone in providing appropriate entry into the Higher Occupational Certificate: Landscape Design.

Sectors within the landscaping and gardening industry offering possible employment opportunities typically include the following:

• Garden design industry i.e. construction and maintenance where designs are required for residential properties.
• Communities wanting to establish food gardens.
• Self-employed in a niche market.

Learners can be employed as Community Garden Designers and Facilitators, Garden Designers, and Technical Advisors. This part-qualification forms an integral step in the career and learning path for persons employed or wishing to build a career in the landscaping industry. It is one of several qualifications and may build on the Landscape Worker, Landscape Assistant, Horticulture Team Leader, and Landscaping Supervisor. This part-qualification may prepare learners for further studies in landscape design, architecture, and technology. Furthermore, to clarify the parameters between the two and appropriate exit skills for the parent and part qualifications, the following applies:

• Landscape design parameters refer to residential landscapes which may pose some design challenges (referring to site conditions, climatic challenges, and existing infrastructure), which could include accommodation of multiple functions and site features requiring special consideration.
• Garden designs contain sufficient information enabling construction from the drawings. Garden design parameters refer to home gardens of limited challenges, featuring typical household use and limited to single use and food gardens, excluding earthworks or earth shaping.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL for Access to Training/Exemption.

Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme if they do not meet the formal minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme.

Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated, and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider which offers that specific qualification/part qualification/skills programme. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access based on the NQF level descriptors.

For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded.

RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) or Final Integrated Supervised Assessment (FISA).

Learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded.

A valid Statement of Results is required for admission to the EISA in which confirmation of achievement is provided that all internal assessment criteria for all modules in the related curriculum document have been achieved.

For a Skills Programme, the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP) must ensure all modular competency requirements are met prior to the FISA and keep a record of such evidence.

After successfully completing the EISA/FISA, RPL learners will be issued the QCTO certificate for the qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme. Quality Partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications and part-qualification is approved by the QCTO.

Entry Requirement

Any NQF Level 3 qualification.

This part-qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skills, and Work Experience Modules

Knowledge Modules

• 216201-001-00-KM-08: Introduction to Ornamental and/or Food Garden Design, Level 4, 1 Credit.
• 216201-001-00-KM-09: Ornamental and/or Food Garden Design Theory, Level 4, 4 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-KM-10: Ornamental and/or Food Garden Design Drawing, Level 4, 3 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-KM-11: Ornamental and/or Food Garden Design Process, Principles, and Practices, Level 4, 8 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-KM-12: Introduction to Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Compliance for Ornamental and/or Food Garden Designs, Level 4, 2 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-KM-13: Plants and Planting Design for Ornamental and/or Food Gardens, Level 4, 5 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-KM-14: Principles and Practices relating to Ornamental and/or Food Garden Installation, Level 4, 3 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 26

Practical Skill Modules

• 216201-001-00-PM-07: Gather and Interpret Information on Client Expectations and Design Requirements Pertaining to the Design Solution, Level 4, 2 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-PM-08: Establish Site Potential and Parameters to Maximise the Development of Ornamental and/or Food Garden Designs, Level 4, 4 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-PM-09: Explore Information Resources for Solving Ornamental and/or Food Garden Design Challenges, Level 4, 6 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-PM-10: Conceptualise a Feasible Ornamental and/or Food Garden Design Solution, Level 4, 14 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-PM-11: Develop an Ornamental and/or Food Garden Design Solution which is Practical, Aesthetically Appealing, and Fit-for-purpose, Level 4, 17 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-PM-12: Produce, Document, and Communicate Sustainable Ornamental and/or Food Garden Designs, Level 4, 10 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 53

Work Experience Modules

• 216201-001-00-WM-04: Ornamental and/or Food Garden Design Inception Phase, Level 4, 4 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-WM-05: Ornamental and/or Food Garden Conceptualisation Phase, Level 4, 7 Credits.
• 216201-001-00-WM-06: Ornamental and/or Food Garden Design Solution, Level 4, 10 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 21

1. Establish the needs of the client and site features to inform the ornamental or food garden design solution.
2. Explore hard and soft landscape materials and determine suitability according to the need and site conditions.
3. Collate and synthesise site information within its context and the impact on the ornamental or food garden design solution.
4. Produce the ornamental and food garden design solution which takes cognisance of the site parameters, client needs, and aesthetic requirements.
5. Communicate and present outcomes of agreements, site analysis, the design solution, and technical information using visual and written formats.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

ELO1: Establish the needs of the client and site features to inform the ornamental or food garden design solution.

• Communicate with and interview the client to determine the client's needs and to confirm the brief.
• Conduct a site assessment to identify site elements and to collect other relevant site information that will inform the garden design solution.
• Consolidate all opportunities and constraints to set parameters for the design response and to prepare a plan with annotations.
• Analyse site opportunities and constraints that are to be considered in the garden design solution.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

ELO 2: Explore hard and soft landscape materials and determine suitability according to the need and site conditions.

• Determine appropriate soft landscape materials suitable to the conditions according to plant requirements.
• Explore characteristics of hard landscape materials in terms of the site context and client needs.
• Determine availability of appropriate hard and soft elements to be used in the garden design.
• Explore relevant gardening design texts and internet sites to find trends and solutions to remain relevant within the industry.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

ELO 3: Collate and synthesise site information within its context and the impact on the ornamental or food garden design solution.

• Identify and understand during the site assessment, basic site topography and characteristics.
• Identify and understand limited external site inter-dependencies and impacts in relation to the ornamental or food garden design solution.
• Understand the sites context to ensure appropriate choice and specification of soft and hard landscape materials.
• Make ethical decisions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

ELO 4: Produce the ornamental and food garden design solution which takes cognisance of the site parameters, client needs, and aesthetic requirements.

• Conceptualise a design solution using creative thinking and innovative techniques.
• Reshape and realign the concepts design to the level of technical compliance (hard and soft landscaping plans) and aesthetic considerations.
• Demonstrate an understanding of water-wise, hydro zoning, social, cultural, heritage, etc. elements by the design solution.
• Demonstrate that the consequences of related actions in meeting the client's needs vs site parameters and environmental constraints. are considered.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

ELO 5: Communicate and present outcomes of agreements, site analysis, the design solution, and technical information using visual and written formats.

• Prepare a quotation for the client before the project to confirm the brief, methodology, deliverables, timeframes, and associated costs.
• Annotate a site plan to document the information gathered above (important site characteristics, key elements, garden design opportunities, constraints, parameters) and explored with photos, researched data, etc., that are pertinent to the garden design solution.
• Develop a concept to present the client with ideas and proposals as to the look and feel, which may include layout options.
• Establish a garden design plan with the layout and technical information of the garden, based on the approved concept.
• Compile a material palette that sets out all the materials (including soft [plants] as well as hard elements) that are to be incorporated into the garden.

Integrated Assessment

Formative Assessment

Formative assessments are conducted throughout the training of learners. A range of formal, non-formal, and informal ongoing assessment activities are used to focus on teaching and learning outcomes to improve learner attainment.

Formative assessments are conducted continuously by the facilitator to feed into further learning, to identify strengths and weakness, and to ensure the learner's ability to apply knowledge, skills and workplace experience gained.

Formative Assessments are conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP), and a variety of ongoing assessment methods may be used, for example, quizzes, assignments, tests, scenarios, role play, interviews. Continuous feedback must be provided.

Summative Assessment

Integrated Assessment involves all the different types of assessment tasks required for a particular qualification, part-qualification, or occupational skills programme, such as written assessment of theory and practical demonstration of competence. To achieve this, the Internal Assessment Criteria (IAC) for all modules as found in the QCTO curriculum document must be followed.

An accredited SDP should implement a well-designed, formal, relevant, final internal Summative Assessment strategy for all modules to prepare learners for the EISA. These assessments evaluate learning achievements relating to the achievement of each module of the relevant components of the qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme.

Internal Summative Assessments are developed, moderated, and conducted by the SDP at the end of each module or after integration of relevant modules, e.g., applied knowledge tests, workplace tasks, practical demonstrations, simulated tasks/demonstrations, projects, case studies, etc.

The results of these final formal summative assessments must be recorded. These results, which include the Statement of Work Experience results, where applicable, contribute to the Statement of Results (SoR) that is a requirement for admission to the EISA. Using the template provided by the Quality Partner, a SoR is issued by the accredited SDP for qualifications and part-qualifications. The SDP must produce a valid Statement of Results for each learner, indicating the result and the date on which the competence in each module, of each component was achieved. Learners are required to produce this SoR, together with their ID document or alternative ID document, at the point of the EISA.