Gardening Classes
Get your garden in order.
Modern neuroscientific research suggests that humans feel calmer and more creative when we’re in nature, so get gardening! Whether you are just starting out or already working in the field, NYBG’s gardening courses are a great place to increase your knowledge and improve your skills.
Enroll in a class just for fun or pursue a Certificate to take your career to the next level.
The NYBG Gardening Certificate Program covers sustainable gardening techniques, soil science, plant propagation, and garden care and design. Regional experts guide you through the art and science of plant selection and care for projects of any size, from small-scale residential, urban, or community gardens.
Upon completion of NYBG’s gardening certificate courses, students will:
- Create beautiful and ecologically sound gardens that combine trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and bulbs.
- Be proficient in identifying, selecting, cultivating, and caring for trees, shrubs, vegetables, flowers, and fruits.
- Have the confidence to grow and maintain home, terrace, or community gardens.
- Understand the essential concepts of sustainable gardening practices for trees, shrubs, lawns, perennials, and vegetables.
Student Testimonial
The Gardening Certificate Program gave me a solid foundation in the field of professional gardening and plant cultivation, which I am passionate about! The knowledge I received allowed me to tackle large-scale projects where I was newly hired as an Outdoor Education Center Director. Thank you NYBG for your long-standing excellent reputation and highly qualified professional faculty to go above and beyond to help students learn topics and techniques most relevant to industry today!
I started gardening more than twenty-five years ago with a little help from my friends. But essentially I am self-taught. At the NYGB’s gardening program, I was able to refine my skills and immerse myself in the details—which, of course, makes all the difference. I am a much more skilled and educated gardener now, which is what I wanted to achieve. So happy I joined in!
The Gardening Intensive hanged my life! I am even pursuing my Certificate. The teachers at NYBG are super intelligent, kind, and funny; they know their subjects inside and out. I now feel secure with my knowledge of plants.
I gardened for years without really understanding the how or why of the plant world. At NYBG, that changed. I began to pay attention to how I could make sustainable gardens in which all the element—living and nonliving—work together beautifully. The practical and theoretical knowledge has made me more articulate as a writer, garden teacher for young children, and neighborhood environmentalist.
I wanted a plant-based outlet for the creativity I’ve developed over 25 years as a physical therapist and professional writer—and at NYBG I found the perfect place and program. With their engaging, fresh approach that combines soil science, gardening techniques, and a passion for all things green, my instructors gave me a solid horticultural foundation that directly impacts the overall health of my polyculture garden.