A Life-Changing Experience: Summer Intensive Classes in Landscape Design

Posted in Adult Education, Learning Experiences, Programs and Events on May 21 2012, by Joyce Newman

John Gembecki was going through some very tough times. Downsized after working 28 years for a major corporation, he knew he had to reinvent himself.

“How do I begin?” he kept asking himself. Then one night at a seminar offered by his local Yorktown Heights conservation board, he met Lauretta Jones, a teacher at The New York Botanical Garden, and everything fell into place.

“I took the landscape design five-week summer intensive program and it was an experience I’ll never forget,” John recounted. “It had been a long time since I had been in school and the ‘intense’ part of the program was hard to handle. But my children reminded me of all the things I told them when they wanted to give up because something was hard.”

John continued through the summer session full-time and eventually signed up for fall and winter classes as well. During the summer term, he earned almost half of the total hours needed for a Certificate in Landscape Design. He took several classes each day taught by professional landscape architects and designers who covered each step of the design process, from site analysis to design development.

“I met some amazing people, professionals in the landscaping field who brought their passion into the classroom. To sit in a classroom and listen to the excitement of our teachers as they described how to draw graphic details; how to get the proper mix of plants, trees, and shrubs; how to mix texture, color and size–it was truly inspiring.”

The summer program invites guest lecturers to present their own work and discuss design philosophies, professional issues, and presentation strategies. The course work includes: landscape design history, graphics, site materials, site visits, professional practices, and more.

Summing up the experience, John realized, “Not only have I received a sound foundation on which to build my new career, but I have been blessed because I have been given the passion and love for what I do now that I never had in my previous work.”

John graduated with a Certificate in Landscape Design in June 2011 and now has his own full-service landscape company based in Yorktown Heights, New York, which he co-founded with his son. They’ve even recruited a couple of new staff members to cover their growing workload–two of John’s classmates from NYBG!

Registration is now open for the New Landscape Design Summer Intensive — Five Weeks: July 9 through August 10.

To learn more about the Landscape Design Summer Intensive Classes, or to register, visit nybg.org/AdultEd, or call 800-322-6924.