Landscape For Life Series
Join us for the four week Landscape for Life™ series that will help you learn how to save time and energy on yard work, and still have a beautiful garden. Landscape for Life™ teaches about:
- building healthy soil to grow healthy plants
- using rain to effectively keep the garden watered
- using native plants effectively in the garden
- recycling and repurposing garden materials for garden art, bee habitat and more
- creating restful and fun spaces in the garden for children and adults
Your certified instructor for this course is Carol Becker, an experienced landscape designer with a degree in landscape design and 12 years’ experience creating sustainable gardens. She is also the author of our e-newsletter, “Sustainable Solutions,” and she teaches landscape design for homeowners at the Morton Arboretum. In addition to her training as a Landscape for Life™ instructor, Becker is certified in wildlife garden design by the National Wildlife Federation.
The series consists of four individual classes held on Saturday mornings from 8:30 - 10:30 AM starting on Saturday, April 2. Classes will be held at Lurvey in Des Plaines.
You may register for individual classes for $15 per class or the whole series of four classes for $50. Minimum of 5 / Maximum of 20 participants.
The concept of sustainability and its application in the home garden will be covered in each class.
WEEK 1: SATURDAY, APRIL 2
THE ROLE OF SOILS IN THE HOME GARDEN | SUCCESSFUL SOIL PRACTICES
Compare unsustainable and sustainable gardening and soil management practices and learn from examples of the benefits provided by healthy soils. Learn how to work with existing soils to create successful gardens and learn techniques to maintain soil fertility.
WEEK 2: SATURDAY, APRIL 9
THE ROLE OF WATER IN A SUSTAINABLE GARDEN | SUCCESSFUL WATER PRACTICES
Learn why water conservation is important. Compare the water use of unsustainable and sustainable gardens. Identify garden practices that contribute to water shortages and pollution. Learn basic strategies for conserving water in the garden and specific design techniques for cleansing and conserving stormwater.
WEEK 3: SATURDAY, APRIL 16
THE ROLE OF PLANTS IN A SUSTAINABLE GARDEN | SUCCESSFUL PLANT PRACTICES
Learn the benefits of vegetation to the garden and surrounding community. Learn to identify site conditions that should be considered in plant selection. Learn about garden features that are beneficial to wildlife and the benefits of using native plants. Learn to use plants to increase the energy efficiency of your home.
WEEK 4: SATURDAY, APRIL 23
SELECTING MATERIALS FOR SUSTAINABILITY | SUCCESSFUL MATERIALS PRACTICES
Identify strategies to reduce material use in gardens. Learn about some of the new sustainable materials available for home gardening, and discover how to make informed decisions when selecting gardening materials.