The course runs on a one-year cycle ending on 30th September, which is the final submission date for the practical work. Enrolment is possible on any date between 1st October and 31st March.
The theory units are all accessible once enrolment has been completed and can be studied at any time, although it is essential to take them in numerical sequence. Some of the practical exercises can be undertaken at any time of year, provided that the relevant course unit has been studied. Others must be carried out during the growing season because they involve observations of outdoor plants, wild or cultivated.
Ideally the course will be followed during the spring/summer with the practical work being undertaken along with the relevant theory units. This may not be possible for people with a heavy workload during the summer. It is for this reason that there is an extended enrolment period making it possible to complete a substantial amount of the work during the winter. All the practical exercises are clearly marked with their timings. Most of the practical work could be done with the help of children and the final observations, which have to be left until the end of the course, could be made anywhere where the vegetation is similar to that of the UK and Ireland.