This course can only be completed May – September when there are flowering plants!
Email us on [email protected] to be informed of when the course is available to book.
Do you want to get to grips with plant ID, but feel daunted by the seemingly endless number of species in the field guides making you unsure where to start? If so, then our online self-study ‘Beginner’s Botany’ course has been designed especially for you!
Course Description:
This course aims to provide you with a basic knowledge of how to identify wild flowers using families, keys and field guides. During the course you will also become familiar with some of the most common flowering plants that you are likely to encounter in different habitats. This course can only be taken between May and September as you will be required to collect and identify plant samples.
The course will cover the following topics:
- Plant structure and features commonly used for ID
- Plant families and clues to their ID with examples for each family
- Using keys and field guides
- Examples of species from unimproved grassland and riparian habitat will be shown
- Includes tree workshop and some common grasses.
The tips you will learn from our experienced tutor will help you gain confidence in identifying plants yourself, at your own pace.
This a comprehensive course with a lot of content. Allow time to stop the videos frequently to make notes and refer to your samples and your ID book/chart.
Allow 12 hours to complete this course (equivalent of a 2 day field course).
What you will need:
At least one of these:
- Flower ID book:
- Collins Pocket Guide The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe, Blamey, Fitter and Fitter New edition 1996 (out of print but available secondhand)
- The Wildflower Key. Francis Rose (2006)
- Collins Tree Guide (2004)
- FSC Guides to flowering plants – grassland plants 1 and 2, trees, grasses.
- Or other flower ID book with trees and grasses in it.
Also:
A hand lens or magnifying glass.
A hard-back sketchbook (A4 minimum, A3 better) to collect your samples in (optional)
Sticky tape to stick your samples in your book (optional)
Assessment
The assessment is in three parts:
- In the Part 4 video there is a plant quiz and tree quiz – submit your answers by email.
- You will need to collect some flowering plant samples and send a picture by email or WhatsApp or short video via WhatsApp of 10 identified flowering plant species with their common name, Latin name and family.
- At the end there will be a short quiz and if you get over 70% you will receive a Certificate.
Module 1
Plant structure and Habitats
Course format – Video:
Part 1
Plant structure and habitats Playing time: 1 hour 15 mins
Part 2
Plant families Playing time: 1 hour 12 mins
Part 3
Tree and grass ID Playing time: 1 hour
Part 4
Practice and Assessment Playing time: 46 mins
The relaxed and friendly atmosphere made it easy to learn stuff without getting too bogged down
Sue’s friendly nature and excellent knowledge. The general layout of the course, with the opportunity to see the habitat in which the different plants grow.
I loved this course. The end of course quiz was a good challenge, especially the Tree Leaf part.
Really enjoyable, practical and interesting course, highly recommend.
From no botany knowledge to knowing how to class and identify wildflowers and even some wild grasses is a significant leap after a 2 day training course. Thoroughly recommend this course to anyone who wish to start learning botany!
I feel so much more confident with my botany now 🙂
If you are purchasing a course/s on behalf of another person, please follow these steps to ensure they can access their course/s:
- Add course/s to your basket.
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If you do not provide this here or email us with this information, the student will not have access to their course/s.
If you have any problems with this process, please get in touch – [email protected] or 03301653024.
If you are purchasing courses on behalf of multiple other people, follow these steps to ensure they can access their course/s:
- Add the correct number of courses for all the students you are purchasing for. (example: If three people need to take Mammal ID, add it to basket three times)
If you would prefer to purchase via invoice (popular for companies), we are able to arrange this! Use the Email Address below to get in touch.
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If you have any problems with this process, please get in touch – [email protected] or 03301653024.
The final exam is designed to test whether you have learned the appropriate knowledge and skills during this course. If you take the final exam and do not pass, we encourage you to review the course material and ensure you have read, understood and remembered the lessons. We want you to get the most out of this course and provide you with the knowledge and confidence you need to apply what you learn to your job or career. You may retake the final test once you have revisited the course material.
Yes! We want you to get as much out of this course as possible. We encourage you to refer back to your course materials from time to time to refresh your memory and ensure that you are confident on the subject. Therefore, when you purchase this course, you will have lifetime access to the course materials.
