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Landscape Design School

Helping members and others develop a greater appreciation of the environment, both natural and human made.

Landscape Design School

Become an NGC Landscape Design Consultant

Since its founding in 1958, professional instructors have maintained the high standards originally incorporated in the landscape design study program. Students acquire the tools for making their own gardens more beautiful and easier to maintain. Students have been motivated to serve in political decision-making areas where awareness of the impact of a well-designed landscape can enhance the beauty and enjoyment of life in the public arena. 

See the guide for Students and Consultants

Find a Landscape Design School

 Are you interested in landscape design? Join other students in an enjoyable course when you attend a Landscape Design School to learn about the principles and theories of landscape design, site planning and garden design in our homes and committees.

Landscape Design School Courses white-right-arrow green-right-arrow

What Will I Learn?

Planning

Start with the basics of landscape design theory, history and what to include in a plan.

01

Process

Continue your landscape design journey with deciding the who, what and where of the plan.

02

Completion

Finish with specific landscape design styles and evaluation as well as community involvement.

03

LANDSCAPE DESIGN SCHOOL COURSE CONTENT

Course 1 – Your Ecosystem; Space, Design & People; Principles & Elements of LD; Developing Your Garden Plan; Basics of Site Plan; Color in the Landscape; Design for the Environment; Development of LD - Ancient Times to 1840; Xeriscaping

Course 2 – LD Process; Designing for Pollinators & Wildlife; Plants in the Landscape; Accessible, Enabling & Therapeutic Gardens; Structures in the Landscape; Redesign of Areas; Development of North American LD; Preservation of Historic Sites & Structures; Overused, Often Invasive Plants & Native Alternatives

Course 3 - LD Process; Woody Plants in the Landscape; Herbaceous Materials in the Landscape; LD with Maintenance in Mind; Graphics Interpretation; Creating Your Own Home Garden Landscaping Plan

Course 4 – Contemporary LD Trends; Community Participation in Landscaping Projects; History and Development of Community Gardens; Suburban Design; Guidelines for Evaluating Landscape Designs; Evaluation of Landscape Designs

Landscape Design School Special Forms

The Landscape Design School Committee provides additional forms and information specific to their schools. This material benefits planners and attendees of Landscape Design School.

See the NGC Schools Handbook and all related forms on the SCHOOLS RESOURCES page. 

Suggested experts for each topic for each course of Landscape Design School

LDS 2c Areas of Expertise for Instructors

Scale of Points for evaluating a landscape design

LDS 14 Standard for Evaluating Landscape Design (Sep 10)

Suggested topics for special interest presentations

LDS 20 Special Interest Topics (Sep 20)

Course 1 – Your Ecosystem; Space, Design & People; Principles & Elements of LD; Developing Your Garden Plan; Basics of Site Plan; Color in the Landscape; Design for the Environment; Development of LD - Ancient Times to 1840; Xeriscaping.

LDS 21 Course 1 Curriculum (Aug 18-1)

Course 2 – LD Process; Designing for Pollinators & Wildlife; Plants in the Landscape; Accessible, Enabling & Therapeutic Gardens; Structures in the Landscape; Redesign of Areas; Development of North American LD; Preservation of Historic Sites & Structures; Overused, Often Invasive Plants & Native Alternatives

LDS 22 Course 2 Curriculum (Aug 18-1)

Course 3 - LD Process; Woody Plants in the Landscape; Herbaceous Materials in the Landscape; LD with Maintenance in Mind; Graphics Interpretation; Creating Your Own Home Garden Landscaping Plan

LDS 23 Course 3 Curriculum (Aug 18)

Course 4 – Contemporary LD Trends; Community Participation in Landscaping Projects; History and Development of Community Gardens; Suburban Design; Guidelines for Evaluating Landscape Designs; Evaluation of Landscape Designs

LDS 24 Course 4 Curriculum (Aug 18)

Stewards of the Land chapters corresponding to LDS courses

LDS 25 Required Reading by Course

2019 updates to the Landscape Design School curriculum

LDS 26 Curriculum-2019

Special information on course exam questions

LDS 27 Test Question Values-2019

Additional Resources:

Find the NGC Schools Handbook and all related forms on the SCHOOLS RESOURCES page. 
Greg Pokorski, Landscape Design School Chairman.