Gardening School/ Gardening Consultants

(updated 2/18/2022)

Are you a person who loves gardening but would like to learn more about it for yourself and to share with others? You can take the four Garden School courses (out of order or in order) and not take the test or you can take the four Garden School courses, take the tests and become a Consultant. Either way is a win win! Visit the National Garden Clubs website to find schools in person and via zoom.

FGCM is sponsoring a Zoom Garden School III, August 22-23, 2022. Please contact Garden School Chairman Nan McCabe for further information. Nan's contact information is in The Garden Forum.

National Gardening Study Courses Overview

Helping members become accomplished horticulturists.

The NGC Gardening Study Courses are designed to provide educational information to those especially interested in gardening, horticulture and related subjects.

The School consists of a series of four courses, scheduled usually for two days of instruction, followed by a general examination. Courses cover all aspects of growing, from understanding soil structure to pruning techniques, plant identification, etc. Topics include basic botany, soils, growing annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs, fruits and vegetables, lawns, pests and diseases of plants, plant classification, and selected subjects of local interest.

Additional topics and areas of interest that may be covered are subjects such as Reconciliation Ecology (the science of inventing, establishing, and maintaining new habitats in places where people live, work, and play), and creating backyard habitats to help endangered species such as pollinators and amphibians.

The courses are intended primarily for garden club members, but they are also open to the general public, requiring only the payment of a nominal fee. Courses may be sponsored by member clubs, groups of clubs, Districts and State Garden Clubs. Garden club members completing the series of four courses are awarded the designation of NGC Gardening Consultant. Attendees from the general public may attain Consultant status by joining a garden club during the school series or shortly after completion.

In planning, promoting and publicizing Gardening Study Schools, consider the theme for the 2019-2021 NGC administration, Plant America, with its focus on gardens and gardening. It is both a description of what NGC clubs do and a command to service. Learn all aspects of Planting America in GSS. Learn information and skills that can be used in new or existing club, district or state projects and apply for Plant America Community Project Grants.

For more information, visit the NGC site at the following link:

http://www.gardenclub.org/schools/gardening-study.aspx