Including Examiners Comments
R2111
UNDERSTANDING GARDEN FEATURES, PLANT SELECTION
& PLANNING
Level 2
Tuesday 24 June 2014
09:30 – 10:30
Written Examination
Candidate Number: …………………………………………………………………
Candidate Name: ……………………………………………………………………
Centre Number/Name: ……………………………………………………………..
IMPORTANT – Please read carefully before commencing:
i)
The duration of this paper is 60 minutes;
ii)
ALL questions should be attempted;
iii)
EACH question carries 10 marks;
iv)
Write your answers legibly in the lined space provided. It is NOT
necessary that all lined space is used in answering the questions;
v)
Use METRIC measurements only;
vi)
Use black or blue ink only. Pencil can be used for drawings only;
vii)
Where plant names are required, they should include genus, species
and where appropriate, cultivar;
viii)
Where a question requires a specific number of answers; only the first
answers given that meet the question requirement will be accepted,
regardless of the number of answers offered;
ix)
Please note, when the word ‘distinct’ is used within a question, it means
that the items have different characteristics or features.
Ofqual Unit Code F/601/0251
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ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
MARKS
Q1
Name FIVE DISTINCT evergreen shrubs EACH for a stated different garden
situation, by completing the table below.
Evergreen shrub
Garden situation
1
2
2
2
3
2
4
2
5
2
Total Mark
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2
MARKS
Q2
a)
State SIX factors that need to be recorded when carrying out a site appraisal.
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b)
State FOUR existing garden features that need to be identified when carrying
out a garden survey.
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3
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Q3
a)
State ONE garden planning principle which gives rise to a design which
‘works’.
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b)
Describe TWO distinct ways in which the principle stated in a) may be applied
to the planning process.
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c)
State TWO uses of a focal point that contribute to good garden design.
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4
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Q4
a)
State TWO DISTINCT characteristics of a cottage garden.
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b)
State ONE decorative merit for EACH of FOUR NAMED herbaceous
perennials typically used in a traditional cottage garden.
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5
MARKS
Q5
a)
Describe TWO horizontal hard landscape elements that can be used in a
garden design.
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b)
State ONE benefit and ONE limitation (excluding costs) for a material suitable
for EACH of the elements described in a), by completing the table below.
Element
Material
Benefit
6
Limitation
1
2
Total Mark
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6
MARKS
Name ONE deciduous and ONE evergreen plant species suitable for hedging
stating for EACH:
i)
ii)
ONE situation in a formal garden;
ONE decorative merit;
by completing the table below.
Formal garden situation
Deciduous
Plant species
Decorative merit
5
Evergreen
Q6
5
Total Mark
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7
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Q7
a)
Describe how TWO NAMED hard landscaping materials can be selected to
ensure a garden design is cohesive.
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b)
State TWO ways by which the design of lawns may contribute to the cohesion
of a garden design.
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Q8
a)
Distinguish between a hazard and a risk.
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b)
Name TWO ornamental plants that may be considered hazardous, identifying
ONE risk associated with EACH.
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c)
State TWO distinct methods for minimising risk relating to a NAMED garden
material during the design stage.
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Q9
State the decorative merit of FIVE NAMED patio or basket plants by
completing the table below.
Patio/basket plant
Decorative merit
2
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2
2
3
2
4
2
5
2
Total Mark
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10
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Q10
a)
Describe, using a labelled diagram, how the precise location of a tree may be
fixed using triangulation. (Assume the tree is approximately 15 metres from
the house).
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b)
State TWO on-site factors which can make accurate surveying of a garden
site difficult.
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©These questions are the property of the Royal Horticultural Society.
They must not be reproduced or sold.
The Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB.
Charity Registration Number: 222879/SC038262
12
R2111
UNDERSTANDING GARDEN FEATURES, PLANT SELECTION AND
PLANNING
Level 2
Tuesday 24 June 2014
Candidates Registered 684
Candidates Entered
573
Candidates Absent
89
Candidates Deferred
11
Candidates Withdrawn
11
Total Candidates Passed
Passed with Commendation
Passed
Failed
83.77%
13.01%
1.61%
1.61%
445
205
240
128
77.66%
35.78%
41.88%
22.34%
Senior Examiner’s Comments:
1
Candidates should be able to demonstrate a good range of plant knowledge and be
able to give accurately named plant examples where appropriate. Common names
and generic names are often too vague and cannot be rewarded in the positive
manner that genus, species and where appropriate, variety/cultivar can. This is
particularly important when answering questions relating to particular (named)
plant(s). Marks can only be awarded for these narratives where the example(s) are
correctly and fully identified.
2
Candidates must be able to display accurate knowledge of the technical terms and
concepts detailed in the syllabus, in the context of horticulture and also be aware that
wider interpretation will not be rewarded. The examination should be regarded as a
possible introduction to higher level studies, which will only be open to those who are
in possession of a clear understanding of the horticultural terms and concepts which
are current.
3
The introductory rubric given on the first page of each question paper should be read
carefully by candidates. At each examination there are a significant number of
candidates who ignore or misread the instructions given and consequently may not
perform as well as they could have done.
4
Candidates should pace themselves during each paper. The most successful
candidates allow sufficient time to read the question thoroughly before answering it
and also take time to read through their answers. They should take care to write as
legibly as possible, so that the examiner is in no doubt about what is intended.
13
5
Candidates need to interpret key words within questions, particularly those such as
‘state’, ‘list’ and ‘describe’. Questions requiring descriptions or explanations obviously
require a more detailed answer than those requiring a list.
6
It is important to ensure that responses to questions are to the point. Candidates
should bear in mind that small sketches might be used to convey information more
succinctly than words.
7
Successful candidates ensure that their answers are focused and to the point. It is
disappointing when they cannot be rewarded for their efforts because the answer is
irrelevant to the particular question. Candidates should take note of the mark
allocation for specific sections and allocate their time and efforts accordingly.
8
Diagrams can enhance an answer and where appropriate can replace detailed
descriptions. They should be large, clear and well annotated, ensuring that labels are
properly attached to the features they describe. Diagrams should preferably be in
pencil. Colour may be used but only where it is relevant to the answer.
9
In each examination it is clear that some candidates are ill prepared to answer
papers of the type set. It is essential that candidates have the opportunity to practice
questions. Ideally some papers should be answered in a time constrained situation.
Appropriate feedback must, in any case be provided.
10
Candidates should be aware of the reading list of suggested books for the RHS Level
2 Certificate in The Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance
which is available from the Qualifications Section and can also be found on the RHS
website together with past papers.
14
MARKS
Q1
Name FIVE DISTINCT evergreen shrubs EACH for a stated different garden
situation, by completing the table below.
Evergreen shrub
Garden situation
1
2
2
2
3
2
4
2
5
Q1)
2
Candidates who correctly named evergreen shrubs and a named garden
situation for each were awarded full marks. Acceptable answers included;
Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’ – At the back of a mixed border, providing a
back-cloth.
Buxus sempervirens – A shaped topiary specimen forming a focal point at the
end of a path.
Elaeagnus x ebbingei – An interior hedge forming a screen to hide a utility
area.
Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’ – Trained as a wall shrub against an East,
South or West facing wall.
Griselinia littoralis – Used as a boundary hedge for a maritime garden.
Candidates who named conifers to be used for hedging and situations
including soil type, shade, sun etc. were also awarded marks.
15
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Q2
a)
State SIX factors that need to be recorded when carrying out a site appraisal.
6
b)
State FOUR existing garden features that need to be identified when carrying
out a garden survey.
4
Q2a)
Most candidates were able to state factors that are recorded when a site
appraisal is carried out and gained full marks. Suitable answers included;

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soil type,
contour,
aspect,
microclimate,
exposure,
drainage.
Candidates who included factors that are recorded in a survey e.g. services,
access and budget could not be awarded any marks.
Q2b) Candidates who correctly stated specific features that are identified when
carrying out a garden survey were awarded full marks. Acceptable answers
included;
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walls,
ponds or water features,
paths,
patios,
trees, especially those with a tree preservation order (TPO),
driveways.
Candidates who stated specific buildings e.g. shed, glasshouse and summer
house were also awarded marks.
16
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Q3
a)
b)
c)
State ONE garden planning principle which gives rise to a design which
‘works’.
2
Describe TWO distinct ways in which the principle stated in a) may be applied
to the planning process.
4
State TWO uses of a focal point that contribute to good garden design.
4
Q3a)
The majority of candidates were able to state a garden planning principle e.g.
form, movement, rhythm, balance, asymmetry/symmetry, scale and proportion
etc. and gained full marks.
Q3b) The best candidates used the principle selected and clearly gave examples of
its application in the planning process. A suitable example was rhythm where
the provision of repeated patterns of materials and the planting of motifs
provides the garden with cohesion and identity. Another suitable principle
described was scale, or proportion; the size relationship of one object to
another. A 30ft tree is out of place in the middle of a small patio, but a dwarf
tree would be more appropriate.
Q3c)
Candidates who stated the correct use of a focal point gained full marks.
Suitable answers included;
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direct the eye,
physically direct,
enhance an atmosphere,
bring outside elements into the garden,
distract from unsightly features.
17
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Q4
a)
State TWO DISTINCT characteristics of a cottage garden.
2
b)
State ONE decorative merit for EACH of FOUR NAMED herbaceous
perennials typically used in a traditional cottage garden.
8
Q4a)
Most candidates provided characteristics which clearly distinguish cottage
gardens from other styles of garden. These included;

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a mix of decorative and productive plants,
a profusion of colours in flowering plants,
traditional selections of plants e.g. species of Alcea, Paeonia and
Phlox,
rustic or natural looking materials for hard landscaping e.g. reclaimed
bricks for paving or Corylus avellana for plant supports.
Q4b) Candidates who were able to name and provide the decorative merits for
herbaceous perennials used in a cottage garden were awarded full marks.
Suitable answers included;
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Anemone nemerosa – Dainty white flowers with 6-8 tepals, sometimes
pink or blue,
Campanula carpatica – Large, up-turned bell-shaped flowers in blue,
violet-purple or white,
Convallaria majalis – Pendent bell-shaped white flowers in arching
racemes,
Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’ – Striking orange-red involucres,
Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ – Spike-like whorled cymes of lavender-blue
flowers.
18
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Q5
a)
b)
Describe TWO horizontal hard landscape elements that can be used in a
garden design.
4
State ONE benefit and ONE limitation (excluding costs) for a material suitable
for EACH of the elements described in a), by completing the table below.
6
Element
Material
Benefit
Limitation
1
2
Q5a)
The best candidates described a range of horizontal hard landscape elements
that can be used in a garden design e.g. paths, steps, patios and decking
which gained full marks. Suitable answers included;
Paths – to take people around the site and constructed from materials that will
enable it to be used in all weathers. These could be the same as those used to
construct the house.
Decking – to provide outside space for entertaining or relaxing. Normally
constructed of treated wood that is grooved or covered in non-slip material for
safety in certain weather conditions.
Candidates who described vertical elements could not be awarded any marks.
Q5b) Candidates who correctly gave details of a specific material that could be used
for each horizontal element with suitable benefits and limitations gained full
marks. Acceptable answers included;
Paths – reclaimed red bricks which are aesthetically pleasing and may match
the style of the house (benefit) but needs more skill to lay it correctly than a
bark path (limitation).
Decking - FSC treated hardwood timber which is long lasting and from a
renewable source (benefit) but can become slippery when wet or if not
regularly cleaned of algae etc. (limitation).
19
MARKS
Name ONE deciduous and ONE evergreen plant species suitable for hedging
stating for EACH:
i)
ii)
ONE situation in a formal garden;
ONE decorative merit;
by completing the table below.
Formal garden situation
Decorative merit
Deciduous
Plant species
5
Evergreen
Q6
Q6)
5
Most candidates were able to name deciduous and evergreen plant species
suitable for hedging stating formal garden situations and decorative merits for
each. Suitable answers included;
Fagus sylvatica is a deciduous plant species which can be used to provide
screening of a utility area in a garden. It retains its attractive golden brown
leaves throughout the winter.
Taxus baccata is an evergreen plant species which can be used to divide
garden rooms. It is ideal for including ‘window’ or ‘door’ apertures. It responds
well to tight clipping, giving long term geometric formality.
20
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Q7
a)
b)
Describe how TWO NAMED hard landscaping materials can be selected to
ensure a garden design is cohesive.
6
State TWO ways by which the design of lawns may contribute to the cohesion
of a garden design.
4
Q7a)
The best candidates selected appropriate hard landscaping materials clearly
describing how they ensure that a garden is cohesive. These candidates
understood that cohesion is about the whole site drawing individual elements
of the garden together to create a ‘oneness’. Acceptable descriptions included;
Reclaimed bricks may be sourced to be used for the construction of paths to
match those used in the house. Ensure that they are frost resistant. Patterns
observed on the house could be repeated.
Dimensions of units within the design e.g. York stone paving may relate
proportionately to dimensions on the house e.g. width of bays of windows etc.
Dimensions may be multiplied further from the house.
Q7b) Candidates gained full marks where they showed a clear understanding of how
lawns can be vital in maintaining cohesion within the garden design. This can
be due to their shape, reflecting the style e.g. for a formal garden, lawns which
are symmetrical, geometric with clean edges whilst an informal site may have
looser edges and flowing lines. The best answers included;

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the proportion of lawns to other areas/surfaces,
the shape of lawns, e.g. flowing serpentine ones to enhance informal
designs or rigid geometrical ones in formal gardens,
repetition of lawn areas of given dimensions or shapes,
use of close mown, high quality grasses for lawns in formal gardens
and low maintenance lawns containing taller grown grasses and wild
flowers with mown paths in informal settings.
21
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Q8
a)
Distinguish between a hazard and a risk.
2
b)
Name TWO ornamental plants that may be considered hazardous, identifying
ONE risk associated with EACH.
4
State TWO distinct methods for minimising risk relating to a NAMED garden
material during the design stage.
4
c)
Q8a)
Most candidates were able to correctly distinguish between a hazard and a risk
and were awarded full marks. Suitable answers included;
A hazard is any source of potential danger or adverse health effect to humans
e.g. an area of open water or a steep slope.
A risk is the chance or probability/likelihood that a person will be harmed or
experience an adverse health effect if exposed to a hazard. A risk is normally
categorised as high, medium or low together with the outcome e.g. the high
likelihood of someone slipping on a steep grass slope and falling resulting in
bruises or possible broken bones.
Q8b) Many candidates named suitable hazardous ornamental plants and the risk
associated with them and gained full marks. These included;
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Q8c)
Convallaria majalis – poisoning - if parts consumed,
Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii – irritant sap if broken – damage to
skin/eyes,
Fremontodendron californicum – irritant leaf hairs – affect skin/eyes,
Agave americana – hard thorns at tips of leaves – puncture skin/eyes.
The majority of candidates named a suitable garden material e.g. wood for
decking or walkways and stated appropriate methods for minimising risks
relating to it during the design stage. These included;

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specifying the use of prepared and treated timber to avoid splinters,
specifying correct construction methods to avoid slip and trip hazards
e.g. no raised edges and the grooved boards to be laid across the main
direction of travel,
avoiding the design of a wooden decking area underneath deciduous
trees to avoid slipping on leaves,
specifying that the decking was non-slip.
22
MARKS
Q9
State the decorative merit of FIVE NAMED patio or basket plants by
completing the table below.
Patio/basket plant
Decorative merit
1
2
2
2
3
2
4
2
5
Q9)
2
Candidates who stated the correct decorative merits of suitable patio or basket
plants were awarded full marks. There are a large number of species that can
be used including;
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Petunia ‘Purple Wave’ – Trumpet-shaped magenta flowers with dark
centres,
Tagetes Inca Series – Double, daisy-like flowers in yellow, orange and
gold,
Ageratum houstonianum ‘Bavaria’ – Fluffy, rounded clusters of white
and lavender flowers,
Impatiens ‘Red Star’ – Bright red flowers with a white central star,
Lobelia erinus ‘Colour Cascade’ – trailing plant with tubular, two-lipped
flowers in white, pink, carmine, red, violet and blue.
23
MARKS
Q10
a)
b)
Describe, using a labelled diagram, how the precise location of a tree may be
fixed using triangulation. (Assume the tree is approximately 15 metres from
the house).
8
State TWO on-site factors which can make accurate surveying of a garden
site difficult.
2
Q10a) The best candidates used a clearly labelled diagram to aid their description of
how the location of a tree may be fixed using triangulation. Suitable
statements in their descriptions that were awarded marks included;



the use of a fixed baseline, i.e. the house,
equipment required i.e. 30m tape measures, notebook and pencil and
skewers to anchor the tape measures,
use of wide angles from the baseline to the tree for accuracy.
Marks could not be awarded to candidates who described how to plot the
results onto a scale drawing as this was not asked for in the question.
Q10b) The majority of candidates were able to state on-site factors which can make
accurate surveying of a garden site difficult and gained full marks. A range of
suitable answers given included;
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



bad weather,
lack of time or time restrictions,
contours or slopes,
thick vegetation,
water features.
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