Schumacher College, Dartington Estate, Totnes, South Devon
Level Two and Three Courses will enable you to experience working alongside three pioneering horticultural projects on the Dartington Estate: the nationally renowned 21st Century Dartington Hall gardens set in a splendid medieval landscape; School Farm, a community-focussed market garden developing low carbon growing technology and working to organic standards; and the forest garden around the internationally acclaimed Schumacher College, which is successfully demonstrating the potential for ecological land management practices including forest gardening techniques.
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Level 3 course covers the following modules:
301 Understanding the principles of plant science
351 Understanding the principles of plant science
303 Undertake an investigative project in the Land Based Sector
310 Undertake horticultural production techniques – protected indoors
315 Understand the principles of organic crop production
322 Undertake identification and selection and use of ornamental plants
330 Understand the principles and practices of landscape and garden design
School Farm is a community-focussed market garden that is developing low carbon growing technology according to a minimum tillage and low-mechanisation policy and working to bring land back into organic certified status. Growing food and flowers for a local market by engaging the local community as apprentice volunteers and customers is an essential part of the business model and is paving the way for many emerging market gardens across the country.
The nationally renowned 21st Century Dartington Hall gardens are set in a splendid medieval landscape. They have been the centre of an experiment in rural regeneration and horticulture since the 1930s and attract thousands of visitors a year. Wildflower meadows and regenerating orchid populations are among the many features of these gardens that make them an excellent place to learn the skills that will be required by heritage gardeners of the future as we build biodiversity back into our managed landscape and develop ways to grow with less dependence on fossil fuels.
The gardens at the internationally acclaimed Schumacher College are successfully demonstrating the potential for ecological land management practices including forest gardening and permaculture in commercial and domestic horticulture. The importance of forest gardening has recently been the focus of national media attention as it has potential to significantly increase the productivity and biodiversity of our food production systems whilst massively reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.
Level 3: Students attend two days a week for Level 3 which combine theoretical with practical education. You will spend at least two half-days a week in supervised practice, working alongside experienced horticulturalists who are leaders in their field. Residential options are available for two to three nights of the week in the Dartington and Totnes area.
How to grow food in an oil-scarce world is possibly one of the most useful set of skills any young person could be learning and a significant rise in demand is anticipated in the job market. Similarly, there is an increasing demand for ways to manage heritage gardens that are less dependent on fossil fuels and promote biodiversity. Successful students of ‘The Dartington Diploma in Sustainable Horticulture’, Level 2 or 3, will have employable skills and recognised qualifications fit for horticulture in the 21st Century.
Dartington is one mile from Totnes, a vibrant, small market town, well known for its sustainability initiatives, such as the Transition Town movement, and lively social and cultural scene.
For more information from the Duchy College website, including regarding fees, click here.
To find out more please call 01209 721321 or email Karen Busby rosewarne.enquiries@duchy.ac.uk
