There are many educational opportunities to be discovered with the Green Gardens Group.
We start with the Basics Class. The first tenant of sustainable landscaping is a sense of place therefore, the Basics Class is tailored for the area. This class explores the tenants of a sustainable landscape and the issues of the region.
We move into Hands-On Workshops (HOWs)
These in-situ learning events are designed to help people bridge the gap from conceptual learning in the classroom to implementation of best management practices in their home environments. The difficulty of the subject matter varies with the HOW topic, but all are designed to provide valuable knowledge to the least skilled homeowner/renter as well as to experienced professionals.
HOW Format
Each HOW spans three to four hours. A typical HOW schedule is as follows:
45 min. – 1 hour Orientation, Background, Review
45 min. – 1 hour Demonstration supported by group
1 hour – 2 hours Group project completion
15 min. – 30 min. Questions/Answers, Wrap-up
HOWs have been developed for the following sustainable landscaping topics:
- Site Analysis (3 hours)
- Irrigation Retrofit and Timer Programming (3 hours)
- Turf Removal / Soil Remediation (3 – 4 hours)
- Downspout Redirect / Rain Garden Construction (3 – 4 hours)
- Successful Native Habitat Planting / Drip Irrigation (3 – 4 hours)
- Advanced Rainwater Catchment Strategies (4 hours)
- Land Stewardship Practices (Maintenance) (3 hours)
HOWs can be experienced on an individual basis or sequentially. Taken in combination, all significant topics discussed in the classroom related to analyzing a site and implementing sustainable landscaping solutions are covered by these seven classes.