Managing Notable Gardens

Lesson Structure: Managing Notable Gardens BHT340

There are 9 lessons:

1. Role and Formulation of Conservation Management Plans

Introduction: types of notable landscapes
The role of conservation management plans
Why research is important
National registers
Other sources of information
Gathering and organising the documentary information
The site survey
Reporting the research
Formulating conservation management plans
Writing the plan

2. Consult Public and Interested Parties, Statutory and Non-Statutory Consultees.

The consultation process
Stakeholders
Community participation strategy
Collecting and analyzing data
Primary data research
Secondary data research
Steps for collection and analysis of data
Planning a formal survey
Designing a questionnaire
Common problems
PBL project to formulate criteria required for the successful consultation with all relevant stakeholders, in the implementation of a maintenance program for a notable garden.

3. Role of Public and other Sources of Funding

Funding restoration and conservation
Examples of funding objectives
Large funding bodies
Other funding bodies
Grant aid criteria
Funding applications
Other sources of funds
Other cost considerations for sites open to the public
Plant sales, garden shop, tea rooms, etc

4. Planning for Renewal of Plant Features

Plant surveys
Current plantings
Other considerations
Using experts
Trees
When not to retain a tree
Sourcing plant material
Collecting seed
Selecting a parent plant
Timing
Method of seed collecting
Removing seeds
Replanting strategies

5. Developing New Features within Existing Landscapes

Type of actions: preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, reconstruction
Principles to follow
Car parks
Surfacing
Pebble and cobble paving
Fencing
Dry stone walls
Steps
Ramps
Railings
Retaining walls
Brick
Drainage
Timber
Stone
Rockeries

6. Programming Repair of New and Existing Hard Landscape Features.

Introduction
Action plans: preparing maintenance management schedules
Managing and storing records
Hard copy information
Classifying information
Active and inactive records
Data protection
Fundamental maintenance tasks: drainage, paving
Maintaining stone and brick walls
Maintaining ponds
PBL Project to formulate a Maintenance Schedule for the repair of new and existing hard landscape features.

7. Creating New Gardens and Landscapes.

Principles of landscape design
Design elements
Gathering site information
The base plan
Basic surveying
Design drawing
Completed designs and plans
Park design

8. Identifying Required Staff Skills

Staff management, training and associated issues
Skill set required for workers in historic parks and gardens
The skills crisis
Training schemes
Volunteer labour
Skills audits and training plans
Identifying skills chortages
Conducting a skills audit
Training programs
Workplace health and safety
Identifying hazards
Risk control methods
Conducting a safety audit
Assessing risks

9. Adapt Historic Gardens and Designed Landscapes for Modern Use

Presenting historic gardens and designed landscapes
Visitor interpretation
Marketing and PR
Visitor facilities
Equal access
Access strategy
Managing wear and tear, vanalism, theft
Managing legislative requirements (eg. health and safety, equal access).
PBL project to adapt a historic garden or designed landscape for modern use.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
This course is taught by:

Katie Freeth
BSc. (Hons) Horticulture, (University of Bath); RHS General Examination; FI Hort; MIfpra.

An experienced and professional horticulturist with extensive management skills gained internationally; experienced in landscape management, staff supervision and management, written and oral communication, horticultural knowledge and application, supported by organisational and administrative skills and attention to detail.

Katie brings 20 years experience in Horticulture and is an accomplished lecturer, horticulture consultant and freelance writer. Katie is a judge for the International Awards for Liveable Communities in the Whole City Category.
Katie also worked for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in France for approx 5 years first as a Sector Manager and then as an Area Manager; management of the cemeteries, peripatetic teams of gardeners (UK & French nationality) for the constructed cemeteries and memorials and static French nationality gardeners for small town/village plots.

Susan Stephenson
BSc in Applied Plant Biology (Botany) Univ. London 1983.
City and guilds: Garden Centre Management, Management and Interior Decor (1984)
Management qualifications in training with retail store. Diploma in Hort level 2 (RHS General) Distinction.

Susan Stephenson is a passionate and experienced horticulturist and garden designer. She has authored three books, lectures at 2 Further and Higher Education Colleges, teaching people of all ages and backgrounds about the wonders of plants and garden design, and tutors many students by correspondence from all over the world.

Susan studied botany at Royal Holloway College (Univ of London) and worked in the trading industry before returning to her first love plants and garden design. She is therefore, well placed to combine business knowledge with horticulture and design skills. Her experience is wide and varied and she has designed gardens for families and individuals. Susan is a mentor for garden designers who are just starting out, offering her support and advice and she also writes, delivers and assesses courses for colleges, introducing and encouraging people into horticulture and garden design.

Susan is a Professional Associate and exam moderator and holds the RHS General with Distinction. She continues to actively learn about horticulture and plants and (as her students will tell you) remains passionate and interested in design and horticulture.

She also supervised the Area Arboriculture Team and was Exhumations Officer€“ in charge of collecting discovered remains and arranging identification (if poss) and interment of same.
Learning Goals: Managing Notable Gardens BHT340

Examine how conservation management plans for designed landscapes are formulated and how the information gathered is evaluated and verified
Examine and explain the role of public and interested parties, statutory and non-statutory consultees.
Examine the role of public funding; evaluate other sources of funding; discuss the implications of grant aid criteria
Explain issues and procedures associated with the renewal of plant features.
Develop and outline strategies for creating new features within existing landscapes.
Describe the processes involved in creating new gardens or landscapes.
Manage wear and tear on historic gardens and designed landscapes
Determine appropriate work programs for repair and maintenance of hard landscape features.
Identify and outline staffing management and training issues, determine labour skill sets requirements.