Gardening and Landscaping Design
Distance Learning School Program

Stratford School’s gardening and landscaping design diploma program is intended for students who wish to begin their training as gardening and landscaping professionals. By following this program of study you will learn the essential principles of designing, installing and maintaining gardens. More than this you will be able to practically apply specific methods of working in the business, such as bidding and cost estimating.   More Information

The terms "gardening" and "landscaping" have many different meanings to different people. Some envision a business that grows and maintains plants. Others see garden and landscape designers sitting before large drawing boards planning beautiful and exotic gardens. Still others see landscapers as those who mow lawns, prune shrubs, build patios, and erect fences. These and other tasks are indeed a part of landscaping.

There has never been a better time to consider a career in the field of gardening and landscaping/landscape design. Every year throughout North America, more and more people seek the services of professionals to plan and maintain private, public and business landscapes. The demand for good garden/landscape designers is now greater than it has ever been. This is a field which offers stable employment and tremendous economic opportunity. There will always be lucrative work for individuals with the proper training. Stratford provides this training through specially prepared up to date study materials, designed for the needs of the mature, independent student.

We feel confident that as a graduate of our Gardening and Landscaping Program, rewarding work will figure prominently in your future. If you have the promise of a budding gardener in you then you owe it to yourself to nurture this potential, and this program will give you the opportunity to do just that.

Stratford School’s Gardening & Landscaping Design Program Covers:

• Lawns and Ground Covers

• Trees

• How To Plant and Maintain Trees

• Types of Deciduous & Evergreen Trees

• Shrubs and Vines

• Planting, Supporting and Maintaining Shrubs

• Basic Methods of Pruning Shrubs and Vines

• Hedges

• Types of Deciduous & Evergreen Hedges

• Chrysanthemums

• Dahlias

• Planting and Caring for Dahlias

• How to Grow New Dahlias from Existing Stock

• Carnations

• Roses

• Step-By-Step Guide to Rose Planting

• How to Prune Bush, Tree, Climbing & Shrub Roses

• Propagating Hybrid Teas by Budding

• Rhododendrons and Azaleas

• Perennials

• How to Support Top-Heavy Perennials

• Increasing Your Stock from Seeds, by Dividing and from Cuttings

• Types of Perennials for Your Garden

• Annuals and Biennials

• Care of Young Seedlings Outdoors

• Raising Annuals From Seeds Sown Indoors

• Types of Annuals and Biennials to Grow

• Bulbs, Corms and Tubers

• How to Plant Bulbs and Corms

• Care of Bulbs After Planting

• Increasing Your Stock of Bulbs

• Water Plants

• Planning and Installing a Garden Pool

• Growing Bog Plants Around the Pool

• Growing New Water Plants From Old Ones

• Lilies

• Irises

• Rock Plants

• How to Build & Plant a Rock Garden

• Types of Plants for Your Rock Garden

• Heathers and Heaths

• Ferns

• Planting and Maintaining Hardy Ferns

• How to Increase Your Ferns

• Types of Ferns to Brighten a Shady Place

• Fruits

• Planting Fruit Trees and Bushes

• Pruning and Training a Dwarf Tree

• Vegetables

• Herbs

• Landscaping

• Landscape Designing

• Using Drawing Instruments

• Lettering

• Graphic Materials and Techniques

• Analyzing the Landscape Site

• The Outdoor Room Concept

• Plant Selection

• The Principles of Design

• Flowers

• Xeriscaping

• Enclosure Materials

• Surfacing Materials

• Landscape Enrichment

• General Information on Computers in Design

• Pricing the Proposed Design

• Landscape Contracting

• Landscape Calculations

• Understanding Contracts and Contractors

• Specifications

• Installing Landscape Plants

• Selecting the Proper Grass

• Lawn Construction

• Landscape Irrigation

• Interior Plantscaping

• Landscape Maintenance

• Maintaining Landscape Plants

• Care of the Lawn

• Winterization of the Landscape

• Pricing Landscape Maintenance

• Customer Service

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