The RHS Level 3 Certificate consists of 8 Units, divided into two parts for examination. Click here to download the latest syllabus for the Certificate.

Part 1:

Unit 1 Horticultural Heritage. 1. The history of horticultural space 2. Key influences on the development of horticultural space 3. The importance of horticultural heritage 4. The impact of horticultural heritage on gardens management.

Unit 2 Plant Knowledge 1. The role of exploration on plant diversity 2. Plant information sources 3. Applied plant knowledge 4. Managing plants within botanic and other gardens.

 Unit 3 Plant Selection and Cultivation 1. Selecting plants for a purpose 2. Plant procurement 3. Combining plants 4. Planning plant maintenance.

 Unit 4 Plant Propagation 1. Propagation facilities 2. Planning propagation 3. Advanced propagation techniques 4. Development of propagation protocols

Part 2:

Unit 5 Garden Styles and Specialist Areas 1. Garden styles and areas 2. Planting styles 3. Hard landscaping elements 4. Management of trees.

Unit 6 Productive Growing 1. Growing systems 2. Selection of crops and planning cropping 3. Optimising yield 4. Research and development in productive growing. 

Unit 7 Gardens Management 1. Managing people in a garden 2. Managing material resources in a garden 3. Planning projects and maintenance activities 4. Maintenance standards.

Unit 8 Gardens, People and Spaces 1. Gardens and visitors 2. Gardens and their communities 3. Wellbeing 4. Feedback and evaluation

General areas of study are embedded within the course; they follow on from level 2 and consist of health and safety, sustainability, best practice and equality and diversity.

The RHS has moved in a new direction with its horticultural qualifications, to look at horticulture as the management of the green spaces which are increasingly important in an urbanised world.  It states:

'The horticultural industries span many disciplines, from the production of plants for planting through to the production of fruit, salads and vegetables.
An important sector of this industry is the management of gardens and designed landscapes. The horticulturists who work in such settings are involved in the scientific study of plants, the preservation of heritage, the propagation of new plant material, and the pursuit of best practice to inform their management decisions.
The World Health Organisation report Urban Green Spaces and Health highlights the importance of such gardens and designed landscapes in the promotion of mental health and wellness.
Put simply people need plants. Plants need horticulturists.

This qualification is aimed at those progressing in horticultural roles or having a specialist personal interest in the supervision and development of gardens and landscapes, for example public gardens, botanical gardens, heritage gardens, private gardens, maintenance and landscaping along with community green spaces. '

Course format:

The course is  offered online and as a correspondence option; it is also taught at our Ryton centre over an academic year. 

Online learning gives you flexible study  - you can log in to your 'virtual classroom' for each unit: 

• Download notes and presentations to read on or offline, or print them out if  you prefer
• View links to reputable and useful websites and resources,  particularly for garden history and specialist propagation  
• Contact your course tutor using the internal messaging system
• Upload practice exam papers and questions for your tutor's comments
• Keep in touch with other students on your course through the online forum
• Get updates and reminders about exam deadlines

Assessments:

The latest revision of the Level 3 syllabus has restructured  the content into the more traditional form of Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria, to make it much clearer what you need to know and in what depth.

There are two examinations, covering Units 1-4 and Units 5-8.  Exams are held (online, on a special RHS platform) in February and June each year, although a third round may be added in October from 2027.

For each examination there will be 100 marks available and each will take 120 minutes to complete.

The exams consist of a mixture of multiple-choice questions (1 mark) and short but structured questions (2-8 marks), totalling 70 marks; the final section offers a choice of 2 from 4 questions, 2 x 15 marks.

You must achieve at least 50% in each unit and pass both exams in order to be awarded the Certificate. A final grade for the overall qualification is a percentage calculated by amalgamating the marks for each unit. Grades are:
50-64.9% Pass
65-79.9% Merit
80%+ Distinction.

If you study this course, you commit to taking the examinations as this is now an RHS requirement. You pay the fees for registration with the RHS and for two exams at the start of your course, and we pass these on to the RHS as soon as you are registered.
Online and correspondence enrolments with BEST give you access to the online classroom and tutor support for 18 months; during this time there will be at least three opportunities to take your exams.
·The RHS says that these courses take a year to study, and expects that it will take no longer than 24 months to complete a Certificate, even if you should need to retake both your exams. You can only be entered for exams by a centre, so BEST will arrange exam bookings if you need them for another 6 months period after the end of your enrolment.   If you want to continue tuition and support for this period you will need to extend your enrolment for 6 months.

A matrix suggesting the exam dates to aim for, from each month of starting enrolment, can be seen here and the RHS exam timetable (which covers all qualifications) here.  If you have a particular desire to enter for two exams together rather than take them individually, please contact administration@bestinhorticulture.co.uk after your enrolment.

Click here to enter the teaching website to see some examples of course materials in a sample online classroom ( you will be asked to log in as a guest).

How the online exams work:

You will need a laptop or computer with a camera for examinations. When you are first registered for the Certificate, we will explain how to log in to the RHS 'Candidate Portal' .  When your entry for an exam is confirmed, the RHS will send you another link to download a temporary piece of invigilation software, and provide a short test 'exam' (which is not marked) which will check that your computer is compatible and allows you to get used to the way the online exam works.

If for any reason you are not able to take an online examination, we can arrange a paper option with the RHS but this will involve travel to one of our centres and there will be additional costs from the RHS and also for personal invigilation. 

On successful completion of both examinations, you will be awarded an RHS Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Garden Planning and Applied Propagation.

The new  RHS Level 3 Diploma consists of this Level 3 theory certificate, plus a  Level 3 practical Certificate assessed by practical examination, professional discussion and an online short-answer test.

A third element which will complete a full Level 3 Diploma, the RHS Level 3 Award in Horticultural Investigation, is being trialled by the RHS and should be available through centres from September 2027.

 This is a home-study option. Exams are also taken at home, using the special RHS examination platform.

The course cost is £840, this is made up of tuition costs, RHS fees and administration. 

Tuition: Online course materials and tuition will cost £590.

 RHS fees: The RHS have made a decision that a Centre can only accept you on an RHS course if you commit to the complete assessment process when you start. Their fees for registration and the two online examinations are currently £235, and we charge a further £15 for exam administration. In the month that you enrol the RHS will invoice us for their fees.

You can enrol and buy the course here on the website using PayPal; you do not have to have a PayPal account, this allows you to use a debit or credit card as a 'guest' to pay securely.

You can also use Paypal 'Pay in 3' to spread the payments.

When you enrol, your username and password should be emailed to you automatically; please check spam filters if you do not see an email within an hour, and contact us if nothing has arrived overnight.

It is recommended that learners will have successfully completed a level 2 course such as The RHS Level 2 Certificate in horticulture or a suitable alternative.

You can go on to study The RHS Level 3 Practical Certificate, and you can progress to the RHS Level 3 Award in Horticultural Investigation and further develop your horticultural knowledge and skills.