Botanic Gardens

College of Amenity Horticulture, National Botanic Gardens.

Welcome

The College of Amenity Horticulture is located at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin, 5km north west of the city centre and is accessible by the 4, 9 and 83 buses.

Having the college located in the national Botanic Gardens provides students with a unique training opportunity. There is a strong tradition of training at the National Botanic Gardens dating back to 1812.

Our aim is to train students for employment in the amenity horticulture industry. We provide our training in association with OPW, Dublin Municipal Parks departments and the Golfing Union of Ireland.

Currently we are providing training for 300 students between all our courses. There is a balance of both school leavers and mature participants among the students. The College of Amenity Horticulture is non-residential with students finding accommodation in the locality.

While on courses students are trained in the theory and practice of horticulture and get an opportunity to work in a practical way alongside skilled horticulturalists as part of their training.

Graduates of our courses contribute in many sectors of the horticulture industry, such as, landscape design and construction, garden centres, parks, estate gardens, grounds maintenance and greenkeeping.

All aspects of Horticulture are being studied on our programmes at all levels and prospective students should contact the college directly or attend a careers and course day to find out more information.

John Mulhern, College Principal, john.mulhern@teagasc.ie

We offer a range of full-time courses from level 5 to level 7. We combine classwork with practical skills training in the National Botanic Gardens and external practical learning placements. Students receive a balanced approach to the work of amenity horticulture.

QQI Level 5 Certificate in Horticultre

This course involves 28 weeks of horticultural class work, skills and a four week Practical Learning Period (PLP) in a Teagasc approved horticultural unit.

Apply online here

QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Horticultre

There are four different streams of learning in this course. Depending on the stream chosen the course consists of 16 or 24 weeks of college based course work and 8 or 16 weeks of Practical Learning Period (PLP).

Apply online here

Level 7 Bachelor of Science in Horticulture in association with Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) (WD097)

This is a three year, full-time BSc in Horticulture. All components of the course are delivered and examined in the Teagasc College in the Botanic Gardens .

Bots Course Fees 2018 (PDF)

Graduation 2017, Students from Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Horticulture class

Part time courses are offered during regular academic term at Level 5 & Level 6 alongside our full time programme.

Level 5 Components:

These courses are intended for those who have a keen interest in horticulture and who wish to improve their skills and competence in these areas.

These courses include:

Landscape Construction and Maintenance Level 5 (PDF)
Plant ID and Use Level 5 (PDF)
Plant Propagation Level 5 (PDF)
Plant Protection Level 5 (PDF)
Horticulture Mechanisation Level 5 (PDF)
Fruit and Vegetable Production level 5 (PDF)
Plant Science
Leadership
Soil Science & Growing Media

L5 component Application form 2018 (Word Doc)

Level 6 Component:

These courses are intended for prospective students who are currently employed in the horticulture industry and who wish to further their career development in their chosen sector. These courses will enable the student to develop a greater understanding of the sciences underpinning their sector and will also help them improve their skills and competence at a practical level.

These courses include:

Landscape Design and Construction Level 6 (PDF)
Sports Turf Science Level 6 (PDF)
Market Gardening Level 6 (PDF)
Nursery Stock Production Level 6 (PDF)
Tree & Shrub Management Level 6 (PDF)
Garden Centre Operations Level 6 (PDF)
Ecology & the Enviroment Level 6 (PDF)

Application form Level 6 Component Awards (PDF)

Part time Summer Courses:

Please contact the college for more information about 'Summer Courses'.

All part-time courses are subject to numbers.

The Green Cert refers to a list of land based courses which qualifies a person as a ‘trained farmer’. These could be in horticulture, agriculture, forestry or equine studies.

Having a ‘Green Cert’ is also one of the conditions of stamp duty exemption on the transfer of a farm to a son or daughter. It also meets the criteria for schemes or grants that may be available from time to time e.g. Young Farm Scheme and some horticulture grants.

In Teagasc College of Amenity horticulture, Glasnevin, it is possible to obtain either a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Horticulture or the Degree in Horticulture with WIT to achieve a ‘Green Cert’. No other documentation is provided as evidence of meeting this standard.

Teagasc also offer “The distance education green cert” course to those who have completed non-agricultural studies at level 6 or higher.

CAREER AND COURSE INFORMATION DAYS

Check out our Facebook page to see current student activities.

The College of Amenity horticulture is a non-residential college. Students acquire accommodation in the vicinity of the Botanic Gardens. An accommodation list is available from the college. Good opportunities for accommodation are available on many web sites and in the daily newspapers. It is best to seek such accommodation well in advance of the start of the college year.

The facilities at the college include student and staff canteen, library, computer laboratory, study facilities, fully equipped lecture rooms and drawing studio. Wi-Fi is available in the main college buildings. In addition to the full facility of the Botanic gardens itself the college has particular facilities for training in horticultural practice and skills.

When students attend courses at the Gardens they become part of all the activities of the National Botanic Gardens. The Botanic Gardens visitor centre has an all year round programme of horticultural lectures and exhibitions at which all students are welcome. Various botanical and horticultural societies hold events in the National Botanic Gardens.

Students take part in Macra na Feirme and inter college competitions and there is a horticultural education society and a student social society. They get involved in fund raising activities, carol singing and organise an annual educational tour.

An award is made to the student with the best result at Level 5, Level 6 and Bachelor of Science in Horticulture.

The Botanic Gardens were established in 1795 under the auspices of the Dublin Society, later the Royal Dublin Society, at the behest of the Irish Parliament to 'promote a scientific knowledge in the various branches of agriculture'. The garden is Ireland's premier botanical and horticultural establishment. It occupies a beautiful 19 hectares site with the river Tolka forming the northern boundary. It contains over 20,000 plant species and cultivars including many exceptional specimens.

There are plants for scientific research, conservation, education and display as well as dried plant specimens (herbarium) and an extensive horticultural library.There are some magnificant trees, many outstanding displays of shrubs and perennials and the famous Victorian glasshouses including Turner's magnificent curvilinear range.

Over the past two centuries the gardens have played a central role in botanical and horticultural advancement in Ireland. Plants and seeds have been imported and new cultivars and species distributed to gardeners and nurseries.

Visit the website of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland.