This document provides information on garden planning and exam preparation. It discusses conducting a site appraisal to identify potential restrictions and existing features. Site characteristics like topography, slopes, and environmental factors that impact design are explained. Active revision techniques are recommended over less effective ones. The learning objectives cover describing site restrictions, identifying existing garden features, naming suitable trees with details, and identifying active and less active revision techniques.

1. RHS Level 2 Certificate
Year 1 Week 26 –
Garden planning: site
and user requirements.
Revision techniques.

2. Learning Objectives
 Site Appraisal
 1.1 Describe potential restrictions which may limit work on the site,
including financial constraints; difficulties with access for plant,
equipment and materials; topography (degree and extent of slopes);
boundary constraints; and restrictions on the time the works can be
carried out.
 1.2 State what existing garden features need to be identified, including
buildings, hard landscape features, and the trees and plants that are to
be retained.
 Plants
 2.1 Name FIVE evergreen and FIVE deciduous trees (large shrubs),
suitable for planting in a domestic garden. State details of their
decorative merits, height and spread and site requirements; describe a
situation where each could be used effectively.
 Revision
 Identify THREE active revision techniques
 Identify TWO less effective revision techniques

3. Site appraisal
 A methodical review of the site
 Use questionnaires to gather the information so
that points are not missed.
 Consideration of the views, aspect and climate,
soil, existing features and services, together with
a measured survey, will produce a scale plan.
 In a site appraisal it is important to assess the
existing features that will remain so that these
can be incorporated into the eventual design.

4. Site characteristics
 Make a sketch plan and take notes – keep
careful records.
 Location and physical character– aspect,
climate, micro-climates, views, slope, drainage
 Existing features – to keep or to remove?
 Location of services.
 Soil – pH, depth, structure and texture. Several
samples needed across the site as it will not be
uniform.

5. Site appraisal - topography
 ‘Topography’ : the configuration of a surface
and the relations between its man-made and
natural features. Particularly in the design
context, the mapping of the changes in
surface level of the site.
 Slopes and hollows must be recorded
accurately onto the survey plan and taken
into account in the layout of the site.

6. Design responses to slopes
 Terracing can be
used to make a
steeply sloping site
useable
 Expensive and
requires expert
construction of
retaining walls

7. Design responses to slopes
 Making a virtue of a slope – for example by
designing a stream garden with a zigzag path beside
it

8. Environmental factors in design
 Prevailing wind – where should windbreaks go?
 Aspect – where does the sun fall at different times of
day? Where should seating areas be positioned,
what need for shade is there?
 Views – borrow favourable views and hide ugly ones.
Views into the garden – creating privacy
 Soil – pH (hard to change and will therefore affect
what can be planted); depth (if insufficient then
raised beds can be used).

9. Garden planning – you can’t always
get what you want.
 Limitations on what can be achieved may be:
– Physical – access to the site, topography, size of plot.
Identified by site appraisal.
– Legal – restrictions in conservation areas, contained in
title deeds (especially front gardens) etc.
– Financial – a limited budget may limit what can be
achieved or mean that implementation of a re-design
may have to be phased.
– Time – an extensive make- over will take a
concentrated effort over a long time for a large plot.
Ground works can only be done in dry weather,
planting is best done in autumn or spring.

10. Exam Preparation - introduction
 Registration – complete form, fee, to be returned
ASAP.
 Revision – how to get started?
 Revision planning – ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to
fail’
 Revision techniques – reading, remembering and
‘doing’. The more active your approach the more you
will remember.
 Get started now!

11. Revision – Getting Started
 Do what you can. If you only have half an hour a
day then study for half an hour.
 Plan how you will cover the material – aim for three
reviews of each topic
 Just reading the material is not effective – try
working with the information, making connections
and using varied approaches
 Little and often is better than hours on end and then
nothing for days.

12. Learning outcomes
 Site Appraisal
 1.1 Describe potential restrictions which may limit work on the site,
including financial constraints; difficulties with access for plant,
equipment and materials; topography (degree and extent of slopes);
boundary constraints; and restrictions on the time the works can be
carried out.
 1.2 State what existing garden features need to be identified, including
buildings, hard landscape features, and the trees and plants that are to
be retained.
 Plants
 2.1 Name FIVE evergreen and FIVE deciduous trees (large shrubs),
suitable for planting in a domestic garden. State details of their
decorative merits, height and spread and site requirements; describe a
situation where each could be used effectively.
 Revision
 Identify THREE active revision techniques
 Identify TWO less effective revision techniques