Gardening, Horticulture & Floristry

Gardening, Horticulture & Floristry – 3-Year Programme

Grow confidence, independence, and employability through purposeful outdoor work and

creative floristry. This hands-on pathway supports young adults with learning disabilities to

develop real, marketable skills in grounds care, plant production, and floral design—within

safe, structured, and calm environments.

Print and Creative Media 3‑Year Programme

Young adults who learn best by doing and enjoy being active outdoors or creatingwith their hands.

Parents and local authorities seeking a clear, supported route into groundsmaintenance, plant retail, community gardening, floristry studios, or customer-facingroles—aligned to EHCP outcomes.

What learners develop (core skills)

Aligned to Preparing for Adulthood outcomes, learners build:

01

Safety, hygiene, and tool care (PPE, manual handling, cleaning routines)

02

Plant care fundamentals (watering, feeding, pruning, repotting)

03

Propagation (seed sowing, cuttings, dividing plants)

04

Grounds and garden maintenance (weeding, edging, mulching, seasonal tasks)

05

Basic landscaping skills (bed preparation, planting plans, path tidy)

06

Floristry basics (conditioning stems, hand-tied bouquets, simple arrangements)

07

Retail and customer care (greeting, order prep, presentation)

08

Task completion, routine, and quality control

09

Time management to live briefs and deadlines

10

Independence and responsibility on shift

11

Time management to seasonal schedules and job sheets

12

Problem solving in real work environments

How learning is structured

A progressive three-year pathway with increasing complexity, responsibility, and independence

Year 1 Foundations

Equipment & Garden Hygiene Training (PPE, safe tool use, clean-down)
Plant Care Basics: watering, feeding, deadheading, repotting
Propagation: seed trays, germination, simple cuttings
Grounds Skills: weeding, sweeping, leaf collection, compost basics
Floristry Introduction: stem conditioning, simple posies, jar arrangements
Communication and Team Skills

Year 2 Skills in Action

Bed Preparation and Planting Plans (spacing, depth, labelling)
Seasonal Work: pruning basics, mulching, winter tidy, summer displays
Greenhouse & Polytunnel Routines: ventilation, pest checks, hygiene
Intermediate Floristry: hand-tied bouquets, buttonholes, small centrepieces
Retail & Display: pricing, point-of-sale, customer interaction
Stock, Tool Maintenance, and Site Checks
Supported Work Placement (parks, garden centres, estates, florists)

Year 3 Employment Readiness

Site Operations: job sheets, timekeeping, quality inspections
Grounds Projects: borders refresh, container schemes, simple hardstanding tidy
Production for Sale: seasonal plants, gift planters, event florals
Order Management & Fulfilment: taking briefs, prepping, packaging, delivery handover
Mentoring New Starters and Team Leadership
Extended Work Placement and Employer Engagement
Transition Planning into Supported Internships or Paid Work

How learning is delivered

Practical by design, purposeful by structure

70%

Practical, 30% Structured Teaching

Each week balances hands-on studio time with focused taught sessions to build knowledge alongside skill.

34W

34-Week Teaching Plan Per Year

Real working environments — college grounds, glasshouse, and partner placements — replace simulated learning, focusing on 2–3 key activities per module each week.

↻

Differentiated Teaching

Step-by-step visuals, colour coding, and scaffolded assessments adapted to each learner's needs and strengths throughout the programme.

Where learning happens

Purpose-built environments for real-world skills

Training Garden & Grounds

Beds, borders, lawns, shrub areas, and composting — the primary outdoor learning environment.

Propagation & Potting Area

Benches, seed trays, soil, and labelling systems for growing-on skills at every stage.

Greenhouse / Polytunnel

Seasonal production with integrated pest checks and climate management routines.

Floristry Workshop

Conditioning sinks, benches, vases, wrapping and ribbons for all floristry modules.

Retail Point

Small on-site stall or pop-up for seasonal sales and order collection — live retail experience.

Employer Work Placements

Parks teams, garden centres, estates, floristry studios, and community gardens.

Progression and outcomes

By programme completion, learners typically achieve:

Safe, consistent tool use and site hygiene

Confident plant care routines and seasonal task awareness

Practical grounds skills suitable for supported roles

Foundation floristry skills with sale-ready presentation

Clear, friendly communication with colleagues and customers

Experience working to job sheets, briefs, and deadlines

A portfolio of planted areas, propagation logs, and floral pieces

Pathways into supported internships, volunteering with progression, or paid assistant roles in grounds, garden retail, or floristry

Support and inclusion

Small-group teaching with specialist tutors and job coaches

Visual schedules, task cards, and repeatable checklists

Quiet zones and predictable routines to reduce anxiety

Positive behaviour support and pastoral care

Regular communication with families and professionals

Assessment and reporting

Ongoing skills tracking aligned to Preparing for Adulthood outcomes

Photo/video evidence of practical competencies and seasonal projects

Half-termly reviews with measurable goals

End-of-year reports on progress, strengths, and next steps

Employer and placement feedback embedded into targets

Partnership with local authorities

Clear mapping to EHCP outcomes and review cycles

Transparent progress and attendance/readiness data

Risk assessments, safeguarding, and health & safety integrated daily

Stepwise transition planning from Year 2 onward

Facilities and safety

Industry-standard safety briefings and PPE from day one

Risk-assessed use of cutting tools, power tools (where appropriate), ladders, and water

Manual handling training for soil, compost, and deliveries

Accessible pathways, adjustable benches, sensory-aware spaces

Allergy awareness and plant toxicity guidance

A week at a glance

Grounds sessions: weeding, edging, pruning basics, mulching

Propagation and plant care: sowing, potting on, feeding schedules

Floristry practice: conditioning, hand-tied bouquets, simple arrangements

Retail and presentation: pricing, wrapping, display, customer handover

Work skills: timekeeping, teamwork, problem solving, quality checks

Supported placement (from Year 2): real tasks with coaching

Why Brighter Futures for Gardening, Horticulture & Floristry

Real-world practice that builds employability and pride in visible results

Structured, calm environments with the right scaffolding and high expectations

Proven routes into internships, volunteering, and paid assistant roles

A ambitious pathway designed for young adults with learning disabilities

Let’s Talk About Your Young Person’s Future

If you are exploring specialist further education options for a young adult with learning disabilities, we would love to welcome you to Brighter Futures Specialist College.

Apply Now