Garden Guru? …

When we moved to the house in Silver Spring, Maryland I was looking forward to taking classes at the Takoma Park campus of Montgomery College. Specifically I was interested in their Landscape Technology certificate program. However, that plan died when I realized that classes for the program were almost exclusively taught at the Germantown campus, 25 miles away, and not at the campus three blocks away from our home.

I mention this because our recent house-hunting has given me the itch to get out of this flat and back to gardening. I have also been thinking about taking classes again, so I was very pleased when my friend Ann passed on a link to the Vermont Master Gardener program at the University of Vermont extension. The program is a little different than the Landscape Technology certificate, but it is a nice first step for me to get back into being a student. Plus I like that the program is designed to create a network of volunteers to help in their communities.

If I adjust to being a student again, I may look into Vermont Technical College’s Landscape Development and Ornamental Horticulture program. For now I will try my hand learning about turf, weeds, entomology, plant pathology, soils, woody ornamentals, perennials, annuals, applied pest management, invasive plant control, vegetables and landscape design. The last two being of the most interest to me.

I still have to drive 25 miles to get to the classes in Randolph, but 25 miles in Vermont is a pleasure compared to the hell that is DC/Maryland traffic.

Wish me luck.