Train in garden centre, nursery or farm shop management
With core modules in management and sales, you'll learn about the everyday running of retail plant sales businesses. What you'll learn can be adapted to small scale or larger scale enterprises. Following the three core modules you can choose three elective modules to suit your interests.
- A 600-hour certificate course.
- Studied by distance learning - you can start at a time to
suit you and work at your own pace.
- Our tutors are there to help you
every step of the way to gain this unique qualification.
Modules
Note that each module in the Qualification - Certificate in Nursery, Farm Shop and Garden Centre Management is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.
What are You Going to Sell?
In the past, garden centres mostly sold plants. Some almost exclusively sold plants and nothing else.
Some "specialist" nurseries may still do that; but for most modern garden centres, their range of products and services have diversified to meet changes in the horticultural industry and demands of our broader society.
The range of products and services offered may include:
PLANTS
The majority of sales are usually plants, seed or flowers. These can include: Natives, Trees, Shrubs, Ground Covers, Climbers, Perennials, Herbs, Bulbs, Indoor Plants, Cacti, Bonsai, Topiary, Potted Colour, Hanging Baskets, Terrariums, Vegetable Seedlings, Berry Plants, Fruit Trees, Instant Turf (Sod)
Cut Flowers, Lawn Seed, Flower Seed, Vegetable Seed, Tree and Shrub Seed.
ALLIED PRODUCTS
These are things purchased to help grow plants better or to be used in landscaping. They provide add on sales when customers buy plants and can include: Fertilizers, Stakes, Pots, Mulch, Soil additives, Tree Guards, Chemical sprays, Tools and Equipment, Horticultural Fabrics, Soils and potting media, Hydroponic Equipment, Irrigation/Watering Equipment, Garden Buildings, Fencing, Rock and Stone, Masonry, Concrete, Timber, Garden Furniture, Statues Ponds, Pumps etc.
SERVICES
Nurseries may have the expertise already on staff to offer some special services either free or at a charge. Alternatively, they may develop a relationship with local "experts" to provide such services. These services can include: Landscape Design, Delivering Plants, Identifying Pest and Disease Problems, Tree Surgery, Lawn Repair, Garden Renovation, Chemical Spraying, Routine Garden Maintenance, Landscape Construction, Installing Irrigation Systems, Erecting Garden Buildings, Transplanting, Pruning, Recycling (refunds for used pots, chipping prunings etc), Entertainment (eg. a guitar player or clown), a garden advice booth, garden lectures or courses.
OTHER
There are a range of other things which may be included in nurseries to generate extra turnover. To be viable, they should be either
- relevant to the type of nursery,
- of interest to the type of customers attracted
- attractive to a customer who may not already be a patron (ie. The new service may bring in a completely new patron; who once on site may buy plants or other things.
They may include: Self Service Drink or Snack Food Machines, Books, Magazines, Art and Craft, Cards, Souvenirs, Tea Rooms, Aquarium Supplies, Pet Shop, Hardware Supplies, Pool and Spa Supplies etc.
