Ecological Landscape Design

Please note: This course has pre-requisites

Yes, a garden can be stunning and low maintenance, a haven for wildlife in urban environments, a self-sustaining ecosystem - all at the same time.

Landscape health starts with intelligent design. In this course you will explore the intricate relationships within ecosystems, and how you can work with them to create vibrantly beautiful and healthy gardens. Be prepared for an eye-opening experience that will challenge some commonly held beliefs, and will leave you empowered with a new understanding of how a garden works.

This course would be of interest to:

• Those considering a career in landscape design
  
  
• Landscapers wishing to offer more professional design services
  
  
• Homeowners wishing to design their gardens in a professional manner.

Landscape professionals earn generous pre-approved Continuing Education Credits to maintain industry certifications (ISA, CNLA, BCSLA, SOUL).

Please note: these courses fill up very fast. If you would like to be put on the waiting list, please email us - and be sure to let us know your preferred location.

This program partially satisfies the requirements of the Diploma in Organic Land Care.

Download a Brochure

Fees include:

• Printed and online handouts
• Unlimited access to our on-line plant database
• Unlimited access to our on-line community center, including library, discussion forums and much more

Fees do not include

• texts and supplies.

Payment Options

By Mail				On-line
Cheque drawn on a Canadian bank Money order in Canadian funds

Starting with the 2012 offering, the Organic Master Gardener / Organic Horticulture Specialist course is a pre-requisite. Classroom course schedules make it possible for students to complete the Organic Master Gardener course immediately prior to starting the Ecological Landscape Design course. The Organic Master Gardener course may also be taken on-line. Students will not receive a Certificate of Completion until they have successfully completed the Organic Master Gardener course.

Please note: the SketchUp Pro course is NOT a prerequisite for the classroom version of the Ecological Landscape Design course.

Additionally it is highly recommended that students have previously completed the Plant Knowledge for Organic Gardeners course, or intend to take it concurrently, or otherwise have extensive plant knowledge in their area of interest.

Student Comment

Thanks for putting together such a great program, and you have awesome teachers!
Liz Nienaber, Victoria

This is a very intensive course of study. Students are expected to:

• Attend at least 95% of all classes
• Satisfactorily complete all assignments
• Study and practice 6-8 hours / week
• Actively participate in class study groups and provide constructive feedback to fellow students
• Read beyond the assigned readings to acquire a solid understanding of organic horticulture.

There are no formal exams in this course, as the emphasis is on developing practical skills and the ability to synthesize information. Student evaluations are based on attendance, participation, and quality of assignments. Upon successful completion students will receive a Certificate in Ecological Landscape Design.

Student Comment

I am very grateful for the Gaia College courses because I can actually answer the questions that my clients have and sell them on things they didn't even know existed!
Elly Cruickshank, Organic Landscaper

Required Text

Reid, Grant W., Landscape Graphics, 2002 Edition, Whitney Library of Design, New York. Easily available through Amazon.com. This text will be available from the instructor at volume discount rates.

Access to our extensive online resource library is included in the tuition.

Required Supplies

Please note: Drafting supplies will be demonstrated in class. You are then better able to decide which tools and supplies will be most useful to you. It's okay to hold off your purchase until then, as all these tools are readily available at any drafting equipment or larger stationary store. Most of the other supplies are items one would have in a normal household.

Attendance at this program earns you the following Continuing Education Credits (CECs)

International Society of Arboriculture: Certified Arborist
Pre-approved:
Semester I - 22 Credits
Semester II -14 Credits

International Society of Arboriculture: Board Certified Management Arborist
Pre-approved:
Semester I - 22 Credits (Science 12.5, Practice 9.5)
Semester II - 14 Credits (Science 2.5, Practice 1, Management 10.5)

B.C. Society of Landscape Architects
As per Society guidelines - eligibility of this program has been confirmed

SOUL Certified Organic Land Care Professional
Full required credits for 3-year certification renewal

Canadian Horticultural Technician
Full required credits for yearly certification renewal

Heide and Christina,

Yes it is working. Our challenge as students is to listen to what you are delivering through the absence of filters. Those filters that are woven from past accumulation of teachings into the fabric of our belief systems... then not thoroughly questioned until challenged. There is much resistance inherited in this process. What is it...mistrust? Or feeling the shakiness of the poor foundation we have constructed for ourselves...watching that fabric loosen in readiness, erode and crumble to fall away? Yikes!

Oh but to open ourselves like a vessel and let your words pour through like welcomed, fresh, pure water...It is so inspiring!

In my questioning to how am I to take notes to learn this the best, I saw that what you are telling us is so simple that a four year old could understand. Then it dawned on me that I could write my notes for that type of audience. Then the hilarious, inspirational thought came to me; that if I followed this idea/inspiration, even my agnostic, PHD candidate, biologist father would get it. And that is something I could aspire to.

I am the editor and co-founder of a parent/child newsletter at my son's elementary school and want to start a column on ecological landscaping and care. Our school prides itself on its active organic gardening and ecosystem "stewardship" so is willing and open to learning and observing. But mostly I am interested in creating a curriculum in this for the primary ages. What do you think? (about both ideas. in the newsletter, can I quote you or use you as a reference? Pass on course information?) I realize that I have no idea just what I am committing myself to, (considering your story about creating the curriculum we are following!) but it only feels perfectly right.

Gratefully,
Nancy Brown, Victoria