Syllabus

Designed for both beginners and experienced gardeners, this home gardening course covers everything you'll need to know to cultivate a beautiful and sustainable garden. From understanding soil health and selecting the right plants for your climate to mastering techniques like composting, pruning, and pest management, this course provides practical, evidence-based knowledge that can be applied immediately. Through engaging content, videos, quizzes, and downloadable resources, you'll learn how to design, plant, and maintain a garden that not only enhances your outdoor spaces but also supports local ecosystems. Whether you're growing flowers, trees, shrubs, vegetables, or herbs, this course will guide you step-by-step to achieve your gardening goals. By the end of the course, you'll have the skills and confidence to create a garden that flourishes season after season.

Botany I

This first module is concerned with many topics, including:
  • The difference between Angiosperms and Gymnosperms​
  • The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature
  • Common Specific Epithets
  • The Structure and Makeup of Plants
  • Types of Root Systems
  • Leaves and Photosynthesis
  • ​Flowers and Their Parts
  • Types of Inflorescences

Botany II

The second module covers:​
  • Pollen & Pollination
  • Fruit
  • Sexual and Asexual Plant Reproduction
  • How Plants Grow
  • Respiration and Transpiration
  • Plant Development
  • Plant Functioning

soil

In this third module, you'll learn all about:
  • Soil Profiles
  • Soil Textures and Types
  • Soil Testing
  • Soil Structure
  • Soil Modification
  • Fertilizers and Garden Soil Maintenance

Plant Identification I

This module will be interesting for those of you who love identifying and discovering new plants. This first plant identification module covers shrubs, vines and trees. When you're finished with this module, you'll have a knowledge and resource of common plants in these three categories in the Bay Area, and be able to readily identify them when you see them. Each plant profile includes:
  • At-A-Glance Information
  • Sub-Species and Varieties
  • Care and Pruning Instructions
  • Propagation Information
  • Problems and Pests
  • Photo Gallery 
  • Videos
  • Resources

Plant Identification II

This second plant identification module covers flowers, grasses, ferns, groundcovers and succulents, and includes the following information about each plant:
  • At-A-Glance Information
  • Sub-Species and Varieties
  • Care and Pruning Instructions
  • Propagation Information
  • Problems and Pests
  • Photo Gallery 
  • Videos
  • Resources

Pruning

Included in this module is an introduction on how to prune and take care of annual and perennial flowering plants, grasses, groundcovers, shrubs, and trees. In this module, you'll learn specifically about:
  • The Science Behind Pruning
  • Pruning Tools
  • Pruning Concepts and Best Practices
  • Creating a Pruning Schedule
  • Specialized Pruning 
  • Tips and Tricks for Successful Pruning
  • Common Pruning Mistakes

Propagation

Learn about the many different ways plant life can be cultivated to grow, including specific information on the following topics:
  • ​Pollination and Fertilization
  • Selective Breeding and Genetic Modification
  • Propagation of Ferns by Spores
  • Propagation via Cuttings
  • Propagation via Layering
  • Propagation via Division
  • Propagation via Separation
  • Propagation via Grafting
  • Tools and Materials

Seed Collecting

Seeds are basic natural life forms that, when germinated, can grow into fully functioning reproductive plants themselves. In this module, gardeners will learn about the following subjects:
  • ​Seed Makeup
  • Dormancy and Germination
  • Scarification & Stratification
  • Seed & Seedling Care
  • Seed Collecting
  • Seed Storage
  • Materials for Seed Collecting & Storage

Entomology

  • Insects and Insect Relatives
  • Insect Growth and Development
  • Insect Classification and Identification
  • Insect Movement and Spread
  • Beneficial Attributes of Insects
  • Exotics and Invasive Pests
  • Insect Distribution
  • Diagnosis of Plant Problems Caused by Insects and Mites
  • Insect Identification Resources

Biodiversity

  • Soil Biodiversity
  • Insect Biodiversity in the Garden
  • Creating a Biodiverse Garden

Water

  • How Plants Use Water
  • The Way of Water
  • Irrigation Systems
  • Irrigation Tips and Best Practices
  • Situation-Specific Water Management Strategies
  • Watering During Drought Restrictions
  • Greywater Use in Landscapes
  • Water Conservation
  • Tips and Tricks for Managing Runoff
  • Stormwater Management Systems: Rain Gardens and Bioswales
  • Pools, Ponds, and Water Features

Garden Design I

  • History of Garden Design
  • Modern Garden Design Styles
  • The Basic Principles of Garden Design

Garden Design II

  • Landscape Design Factors to Consider
  • Designing a Garden Step by Step
    • Site Analysis
    • Working with HOAs and Other Restrictions
    • Soil Testing
    • Mapping Sun Exposure
    • Creating a Basic Garden Map
    • Inventorying Plants
    • Budgeting and Tracking Expenses
  • Gardening Regulations and Legal Considerations

Final Project

In this final module, you'll design and create your own formal garden project. This project can be as small as tracking and documenting a plant's growth progress through the year or as big as a biodiversity experiment to track wildlife in your space. Whatever you can dream up, you can carry out and report back to the rest of us gardeners. Submitted projects are displayed on this website after completion (with permission, of course) to help gardeners everywhere become more informed.