This module is the first in our Botanic Garden Basics series and looks at how we define a botanic garden. 

By the end of this module you will:

  1. Be able to define a botanic garden
  2. Understand the history of botanic gardens
  3. Understand why botanic gardens are important
  4. Recognise the different key roles that a botanic garden plays
  5. Understand what a vision and mission is and how to develop one for your organisation

Audience: Those who are interested in setting up or developing a botanic garden

Level: Foundation

Length: 3 hours

Access for BGCI members: Free (please use enrolment key which can be found in the SheepApp or contact BGCI). Click on the course title to begin.

Access for non BGCI members: Please contact BGCI for more information

This module is the second in our Botanic Garden Basics series and looks at how to develop a master plan for your site. 

By the end of this module you will:

    1. Have an appreciation of what a master plan is
    2. Recognise why a master plan is important
    3. Recognise what the main components of a master plan are
    4. Understand the process for developing a master plan
    5. Recognise the importance of stakeholder consultation

Audience: Those who are interested in setting up or developing a botanic garden

Level: Foundation

Length: 3 hours

Access for BGCI members: Free (please use enrolment key which can be found in the SheepApp or contact BGCI). Click on the course title to begin.

Access for non BGCI members: Please contact BGCI for more information


This is the fourth course, which provides an introduction to plant collection policy for botanic garden professionals. We will look at policy, purpose and how to develop your collection. This will help towards the BGCI accreditation scheme.

This introductory course is free to BGCI members and will take approximately three hours to complete.

By the end of this module you will:

  • Understand the purpose of having a plant collection policy  
  • Have an understanding of your plant collection  
  • Have developed a strong processes for identifying you collection  
  • Have practiced aspects of plant collections 
  • Have a basic tool to create a plant policy framework to achieve accreditation 


Audience: Botanic garden curators/collection managers/data managers who are interested in an introduction to plant collection policy and how this might be implemented in botanic gardens.

Level: Foundation

Length: 3 - 4 hours

Access for BGCI members: Free (please use enrolment key which can be found in the SheepApp or contact BGCI). Click on the course title to begin.

Access for non BGCI members: Please contact BGCI for more information


This module is the third in our Botanic Garden Basics series and provides an introduction to the environmental policies and frameworks relevant for botanic gardens. 

By the end of this module you will:

  1. Have an understanding of the main international policies and frameworks that are relevant to the work of botanic gardens, including: 
    • The Convention on Biological Diversity
    • The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation
    • Access and Benefit Sharing
    • The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
    • The Sustainable Development Goals
  2. Understand how such policies are implemented at the national level
  3. Appreciate the importance of these policies to the work of botanic gardens
  4. Know what policies and guidelines should be implemented in your garden to ensure compliance with these international frameworks and policies.

Audience: Botanic garden curators/collection managers/data managers who are interested in an introduction to international environmental policies and how these might be implemented in botanic gardens.

Level: Foundation

Length: 3 - 4 hours

Access for BGCI members: Free (please use enrolment key which can be found in the SheepApp or contact BGCI). Click on the course title to begin.

Access for non BGCI members: Please contact BGCI for more information


This introductory course is free to BGCI members and will take approximately two hours to complete.

By the end of this module you will:

  1. Learn the mechanisms on how to apply for a grant through the Global Botanic Garden Fund
  2. Recognise the different types of Grants
  3. Learn about what a good project application looks like
  4. Understand about reporting for the Global Botanic Garden Fund
  5. Be ready to apply for a grant with your project

Audience: Botanic garden curators/collection managers/data managers who are interested in an introduction to international environmental policies and how these might be implemented in botanic gardens.

Level: Foundation

Length: 3 - 4 hours

Access for BGCI members: Please use the enrolment key which can be found in the SheepApp  or contact BGCI). Click on the course title to begin.

Access for non BGCI members: Please contact BGCI for more information)


This course provides an introduction to collections data management for botanic garden professionals. We will look at the link between collections policy and collections data management, understand the importance of recording and maintaining collections data, which fields are important for storing collections data and different ways to do it and finally know why and how data should be shared with other institutions.  

This introductory course is free to BGCI members and will take approximately three hours to complete. 

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module you will: 

      • Understand the link between collections policy and collection data management 
        • Understand the importance of recording and maintaining collections data 
          • Recognise which data should be held and why 
            • Be familiar with the different ways this data can be stored, presented and kept up-to-date 
              • Be able to understand which fields are important for storing collections data 
                • Know how and why data should be shared with other institutions (share your data on PlantSearch) 
              Audience: Staff at botanic gardens and other plant conservation institutions, particularly newer or less-resourced institutions, interested in learning more about botanic collection data management and/or looking to build a new management system and/or digitise existing records. 

              Level: Foundation

              Length: 3  hours

              Access for BGCI members: Please use the enrolment key which can be found in the SheepApp  or contact BGCI). Click on the course title to begin.

              Access for non BGCI members: Please contact BGCI for more information