Gardening School is a series of courses designed and accredited by National Garden Clubs to stimulate interest and understanding in the growth of plant material. The series consists of four two-day courses offered approximately six months apart that can be taken in any order. Each course includes 10 hours of instruction (combination of lecture and hands-on) plus time for review and testing. Students who choose to take and pass the exams become Gardening Consultants, certified by National Garden Clubs, Inc. upon competition of the entire series. Consultants are eligible to join the Michigan Consultants Council whose objectives are to protect the environment by stimulating a continuing interest to increase knowledge of horticulture and promote excellence in landscape design.
Topics covered in each course are:
Course I: Basic Botany; Soils; Techniques for Growing Outdoor Flowers; Plant Propagation; Supplemental Subject
Course II: Plant Diseases and Garden Pests; Irrigation and Water; Lawn Alternatives and Growing Grass; Growing Fruit; Growing Vegetables; (Supplemental Subject)
Course III: Factors That Influence Plant Growth; New Plant Development and Evaluation; Container Gardening – Outdoor; House Plant Basics; Teaching Tour of A Botanical Garden; (Supplemental Subject)
Course IV: Plant Classification and Nomenclature; Outdoor Identification of Plants; Specialized Styles of Gardening; Techniques for Growing Woody Ornamentals; Pruning Techniques; (Supplemental Subject)
In addition to the required topics, each course also includes a supplemental topic chosen based on local or seasonal interest. Gardening Consultants must refresh their credentials at least every 5 years by attending an accredited refresher event or by repeating a course.:
For more information on Gardening Study School, contact the MGC, Inc. Gardening School Chairman, Denise Clegg.