Discover all there is to know about gardening Wouldn't it be great if there was an easy way to become a real garden expert? Well now there is! Discover all there is to know about gardening - at your own pace, and with a friendly mentor at your side.

No matter what time of year it is, it's always a great time to work on your garden.

There's something that you'll want to change to make it just perfect for the coming year.

And our home-study course makes it so easy to do just that.

On the home-study Diploma in Horticulture you'll learn everything about gardening. From lawns to fruit, and from vegetables to pest control.

And you don't even have to move from your home: the course comes to you. We supply everything you need, including study text and book.

Get the RHS qualification, too

The course has a second function: it enables you to sit the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society's exam, the RHS (level 2) Certificate in Horticulture. This is the world's oldest and most respected qualification in horticulture.

So whether you want to work in horticulture, or you just want to gain the knowledge, our course will be ideal.

If you're interested in gardening, you should enrol on our Diploma in Gardening course.

The Gardening course covers all the major horticultural topics - such as lawns, trees, shrubs, the greenhouse, plants and vegetables.

We examine them from a professional point of view. In doing so, we'll transform you from an enthusiast into an expert.

We'll greatly increase your horticultural knowledge. So you'll know why things happen, as well as how they happen.

You don't have to leave your own garden to study. We bring all the course materials to your door.

Plus, we'll show you how to get a job in the open. Imagine being able to work in the fresh air, free from the stifling atmosphere of an office or retail store. Click here to learn more.

Getting more from your garden

If you enjoy gardening, the Diploma in Gardening course will help you get the most from it.

It doesn't matter whether you have a small town garden or a large space in the country. Both present their own challenges. And both are just as satisfying.

With our help, you'll have the confidence to embark upon new projects. Perhaps you haven't tried tackling soft fruit, or a rock garden? Possibly you'd like to try greenhouse cultivation, or producing plants from cuttings? By enrolling on the Diploma in Gardening course, all these things are possible.

And maybe you'd like to be your own boss? We'll show you how you could start selling your own plants, or even set up your own nursery.

Alternatively, we reveal how to get work as a contract gardener or landscaper. You'll discover what types of gardening produce more income. Often the changes are minor, but the financial improvement is immense.

Accredited by NCFE at Level 4

Our course is fully accredited by the national awarding body NCFE, and on completing it you get a national award equivalent to Level 4 of the National Learning Framework.

NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

To read more about NCFE please go to www.ncfe.org.uk

Your own friendly tutor

We'll assign you a personal tutor, who will work with you throughout the course. He or she will be qualified in horticulture, and will be a real enthusiast.

Your tutor's role is to help you and guide you as you make progress. Your tutor will mark your assignments, and give your positive feedback. You can correspond with your tutor on any matters relating to horticulture, your garden and the course.

And if you need instant advice, just pick up the phone and call the Institute.

If you decide to take the RHS exam (see later in this Prospectus), your tutor will prepare you for the examination.

New! You get a free copy of Business Blueprints (value £27).

This 47 page book contains complete step-by-step checklists for starting a successful business.

Click here to learn more about Business Blueprints.

Free mentoring when you complete the course

Once you complete the course, we’ll give you three months’ free business mentoring.

You’ll have a personal mentor who'll help you set up your own business (if that's your choice).

For three months after getting your Diploma you'll get one-to-one advice and support from an active practitioner.

So if you're unsure on how to launch your own business, this mentoring programme will put you on the road to success.

And because it's all part of the Institute's course, it won't cost you a penny.

Does the Diploma course involve an exam?

No, we use a continuous assessment process. To get your Diploma, you have to attain an A-C grade in all your assignments. You can re-submit (without cost) any assignments which fall below a C grade.

What does the course cost?

The course cost is shown in the enrolment form. It includes all your course materials, and all your tutoring. There are no hidden extras.

Please note that if you want to sit the RHS exam, there is an extra charge.

How long does the Diploma course take?

Many students take a year to complete the Gardening course. If you're busy, it could take you two years. If you have spare time and you're prepared to work hard, you could complete the course in six months. But unlike other organisations, we set no time limit. You can take as long as you want. You study at your pace, not ours.

Students who satisfactorily complete the course are awarded the Diploma in Horticulture. They receive the Diploma certificate (left), and the right to use the letters Dip.H. (Inst.G) after their name. You'll also get this virtual sticker (right) to use on your web site, letters and brochures.

Free book When you enrol on the course, we give you a free book called 'How to Earn a Living in Horticulture'. This book is yours to keep, even if you decide to return the course. In the book, we reveal how you can put your gardening skills to work, and get a career in horticulture. No longer will you be stuck in that stuffy office. Instead, you'll realize your dream of working in the fresh air, bringing forth new green life. It'll be an astonishing and welcome change. We help you decide whether to work in a nursery - or set up your own. We explain how to become a garden designer. And we show dozens of ways to earn a living as a gardener. We know more ways than you can imagine! So this book alone could change your life. And it's free when you order the gardening course.

Your climate zone

Your climate zone may be especially dry or rainy, or your soil may be full of clay.

That's not a problem, because our gardening course allows for different climate zones.

And your tutor will be familiar with helping students to get the most from their particular climate and soil.

Accreditation We're accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC). Set up by the government in 1968, the ODLQC is one of the prime accreditation bodies for distance learning courses. To achieve accreditation, we undergo a rigorous and continuous assessment, by independent experts, of all aspects of our work, including administration, learner support, educational materials, and publicity. And because we're regularly inspected, we have to we have to work hard to maintain quality to keep that accreditation. We're also accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and by Public Eye.

It's time to get started

Having read this far, you've got what it takes - motivation. It's easy to enrol on the Diploma course:

Register now for the course by clicking here. If you need help or information, contact the Institute. E-mail or post the form and payment to us. We despatch your course within five days by courier and airmail. When you get the course, read the first module. It's laid out in an easy-to-follow format. Then do the simple first assignment. Send it to your tutor for marking. He or she will return it to you with friendly advice and comments. Do the same for the other modules, until you reach the end of the course. By then, you'll be a horticulture expert.

Andrea parcels up a course ready for despatch

Kit Sadgrove Course Director

PS Still a little unsure? Click here if you have any doubts.