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The Rochester Civic Gardener's Certificate, Residential Landscape Design Certificate, Pruning Certificate and Plant Identification Certificate programs offer high-quality basic training for gardeners of all experience levels, from the novice to the professional. The programs are designed for serious gardeners wishing to expand or refresh their horticultural knowledge. Certification will provide students with a focus of study and documentation of courses taken. Completion of the Rochester Civic Gardener's Certificate is a prerequisite for enrollment in the Residential Landscape Design Certificate. All course descriptions are listed below.

Registration
Registration is required for all classes!
Most classes have limited space available, be sure to register early!
Please be prompt, classes start on time.
Call 585-473-5130 to register.
Click here for a printable Registration Form

Please Note: Most classes have a maximum of 20 students, so register early!
In case of bad weather, RCGC is generally closed when the city schools are closed. If in doubt, call 585-473-5130 for information.

If no course date is shown below, watch for Fall 2008 course dates.

#RCG   ROCHESTER CIVIC GARDENER'S CERTIFICATE
Classes may be taken individually if there is room, preference will be given to certificate students.
Certificate Program Fee: members $190, non-members $258

Botany for Gardeners
Plants are the touchstone of gardening, and the more we understand how plants function, the better gardeners we will be. These lively, informative classes are designed for students new to botany and those desiring a refresher course. Join Carol Southby, botanist and naturalist, as we explore the hidden workings of flowering plants from a gardener's point of view. Both sessions will use live plant specimens and hands-on work, and will benefit from the use of our video projection microscope to view plant parts. A hand magnifier is included in the fee. Certificate students must take both sessions.

(1.) Botany Session I - #FF   Flowers, Fruits & Seeds
Topics to be covered include the structure and functions of flowers; pollination, development and structure of fruits and seeds; and the conditions needed for germination.
Fee: members $39, non-members $49

(2.) Botany Session II - #GP   The Green Plant
Topics to be covered include the structure and function of stems, leaves and roots; photosynthesis and growth; and plant adaptations to different conditions.
Fee: members $39, non-members $49

(3.) #WO   Woody Ornamentals
In this slide-lecture, author and landscape designer Christine Froehlich will discuss the landscape values of woody ornamentals, a number of favorites and their use, plant selection at the nursery, proper siting and planting of those all-important "bones" for any landscape.
Fee: members $35, non-members $45
3 Certified Nursery Professional (CNLP) credits

(4.) #HP   Herbaceous Perennials
Marcella Klein, landscape designer and author of Rochester's Favorite Perennials, will give you an in-depth look at the best perennials for home landscapes in upstate New York. She will focus on perennials that provide a long season of color while requiring minimal upkeep, plus those that will flourish under difficult conditions like poor soil, steep slopes, deep shade, and deer. Class will include a slide presentation of recommended perennials, discussion of planting and maintenance techniques, handouts, and a bibliography.
Fee: members $35, non-members $45

(5.) #SO   Soils
Soil is basic to all great gardens and may seem simple, but it isn't! Andy Joss, head gardener at the George Eastman House, will lead you through the basic principles of soils, including composition, physical and chemical properties, common soil problems, soil amendments, etc. Please bring a pint of soil from your yard.
Fee: members $35, non-members $45

(6.) #PR   Pruning
This seemingly complicated subject will be made simple by Mike Tanzini of Ted Collins Tree & Landscape. He will cover techniques and timing for pruning trees and shrubs, as well as the proper equipment to use. The class will go outside for demonstrations on the grounds of Warner Castle, weather permitting, so dress accordingly.
Fee: members $35, non-members $45
3 Certified Nursery Professional (CNLP) credits, 3 International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Continuing Education Units (CEU)

#PRU0224   PRUNING CERTIFICATE
This three-part program, taught by Mike Tanzini of Ted Collins Tree & Landscape, will cover the principles and techniques of pruning shrubs and small trees in the home landscape. Classroom instruction will be supplemented with in-field demonstrations presented at the appropriate time of year.
Session I or another pruning class is a prerequisite for the other sessions.
Certificate Program Fee: members $90, non-members $120
Take this certificate program (#PRU0224) along with the Rochester Civic Gardener's Certificate (see #RCG0205 above), both certificates: members $240, non-members $335.
9 Certified Nursery Professional (CNLP) credits, 9 International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Continuing Education Units (CEU)
Classes may be taken individually if there is room, preference will be given to certificate students.

#PR0308   Pruning Session I: The Basics
Saturday, March 8, 9am-12pm
This seemingly complicated subject will be made simple by Mike Tanzini of Ted Collins Tree & Landscape. He will cover techniques and timing for pruning trees and shrubs, as well as the proper equipment to use. The class will go outside for demonstrations on the grounds of Warner Castle, weather permitting, so dress accordingly. This class will be taken in conjunction with Rochester Civic Gardener's Certificate students.
Fee: members $35, non-members $45
3 Certified Nursery Professional (CNLP) credits, 3 International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Continuing Education Units (CEU)

#DP0419   Pruning Session II: Dormant-Season Pruning
Saturday, April 19, 9am-12pm
Head out into the field to learn new skills. The dormant season is a good time to see plant structure and accomplish many pruning tasks. Renovation of overgrown shrubs, pruning of small trees, and corrective pruning will be discussed and demonstrated.
Fee: members $35, non-members $45
3 Certified Nursery Professional (CNLP) credits, 3 International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Continuing Education Units (CEU)

#SP0621   Pruning Session III: Summer Pruning
Saturday, June 21, 9am-12pm
Many early-blooming trees and shrubs produce flowers on the previous year's wood, and these are best pruned now, after flowering. Summer is also a good time to shape and thin plants. Learn how to properly prune flowering trees and shrubs, as well as broadleaf evergreens and conifers.
Fee: members $35, non-members $45
3 Certified Nursery Professional (CNLP) credits, 3 International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Continuing Education Units (CEU)

#RLD   RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE DESIGN CERTIFICATE
This certification program is available to students who have completed the Rochester Civic Gardener's Certificate program.
Certificate Program Fee: members $225, non-members $280
Classes may be taken individually if there is room, preference will be given to certificate students.

#DS   Be a Designer Series
Learn to create a master landscape plan for your home property in this hands-on studio course with landscape designer Mike Tanzini of Ted Collins Tree & Landscape. Topics covered include analyzing your site, the plant pallet, principles of landscape design and renovation, hardscaping, and techniques for drawing out your plan. You will receive guidance on your drawing and leave with a good start on your project plan.
Limit 12 students.
Fee: members $200, non-members $245

#GM0510   Garden Maintenance
Saturday, May 10, 9am-12pm
This three-hour outdoor program with landscape designer Christine Froehlich will teach the basics of proper maintenance of your landscape plants. Topics covered will include planting, watering, soil preparation (including composting and mulch), fertilizers, deadheading and basic pruning, pest and disease monitoring, and perennial division. Learn how to keep your well-designed home landscape looking its very best.
Fee: members $35, non-members $45

#PID0430   PLANT IDENTIFICATION CERTIFICATE
Whatever your interest in plants, this certificate program will help you to learn some new ones and get to know old favorites in a whole new way. Useful for both amateur and professional gardeners wishing to identify plants in their own or a client's garden, and for those who like to take a walk in the woods and know more about the plants they see. Each of the three sessions with naturalist Carol Southby will focus on a separate plant group - learn how to identify its members in a fun and enjoyable hands-on way, using a variety of plant samples, field guides, and field trips to local parks. Students completing all three sessions will receive a certificate in Plant Identification.
Limit 15 students.
Certificate Program Fee: members $120, non-members $150

#WF0430   Wildflowers
Wednesday, April 30, 6-9pm at RCGC
Field trip: Wednesday, May 7, 6-8pm
Focus on the bounty of our area's spring wildflowers and learn to use a helpful field guide for their identification; then put those skills into practice on a wide range of spring-blooming perennials at Harris Whalen Park. This little-known Penfield town park is an absolute gem for spring wildflowers.
Individual Course Fee: members $45, non-members $55

#LT1000   Leafy Trees
October date to be determined at RCGC
Field trip date to be determined
Learn how to distinguish your favorites and the common and not-so-common trees of our region using characteristics like leaf shape, arrangement of leaves on the twigs, and the shape and arrangement of buds, in a hands-on class at RCGC. On Saturday tour Highland Park to discover beautiful specimens of those, plus many trees and shrubs that may be new to you.
Individual Course Fee: members $45, non-members $55
3 CNLP Credits; 5.5 ISA CEU credits (3 for lecture, 2.5 for field trip)

#CO1100   Conifers
November date to be determined at RCGC
Field trip date to be determined
If evergreens all look alike to you, you will be delighted with this session - with only about ten main groups of conifers in our area, you will learn to distinguish virtually every one you see. Those evergreen genera that might at first all look alike suddenly reveal their individuality. Saturday's field trip explores the world-class pinetum in Highland Park.
Individual Course Fee: members $45, non-members $55
3 CNLP Credits; 5.5 ISA CEU credits (3 for lecture, 2.5 for field trip)

Certificate Programs in Floral Design
Click here for Floral Design Certificate Programs