Vegetation Establishment and Maintenance

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject builds on Plant Production and Culture. It focuses on successful establishment of vegetation in private and public landscapes and on a range of plant materials used in urban horticulture. Students are introduced to the concept of urban landscape management as it applies to vegetation establishment and maintenance for different contexts such as heritage landscapes, semi-natural and nature conservation landscapes, open spaces and public and private gardens. Students will undertake practical planting and maintenance exercises in the Burnley Field Station and Gardens that focus on planting, pruning, weed management, and safe use of power tools such as hedge trimmers, brushcutters and mowers. The subject also covers quality assurance issues around nursery stock and introduces the plant selection process. Students will also have the opportunity to continue to maintain the vegetable plot established in semester one.

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

• assess planting sites;
• differentiate between poor and high quality nursery stock;
• be able to outline the requirements for successful plant establishment as it relates to initial and long term maintenance;
• perform the skills involved in plant handling and transplanting;
• demonstrate safe use and application of vegetation maintenance tools such as brushcutter, hedge trimmer and mowers; and
• select a range of plant species appropriate for various landscape contexts;

The assessment in this subject comprises: 2 x 1-hour plant materials tests (1 x mid semester and 1 x end semester each worth 20% [=40%]), 1 x 1-hour final end semester exam (30%) and 1 x 1250 word assignment (30%) due end semester.

Hitchmough,J(1994) Urban Landscape Management. Inkata Press: Melbourne

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Development of capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning;
• Understanding of the connection between garden design and ongoing maintenance in domestic, commercial and public spaces;
• Recognition of the importance of appropriate garden design for specific site conditions, and the implications to maintenance of design descisions and limitations;
• Understanding of the theory of woody plant maintenance and pruning, and the long term implications of pruning;
• Understanding of the theory and practice of grafting and budding to produce plants for the landscape; and
• Understanding and applying environmentally sustainable practices in landscape design and maintenance tasks.