COURSE SYLLABUS
Instructor:
David King
Email:
**redacted**
Phone:
**redacted**
COURSE TITLE
AND NUMBER: Container Gardening: Patios, Balconies, and Beyond
BIOLGY X 498.3 Reg # 257610
There are no
prerequisites for this course. We will meet from July 28th
through August 25st for 6 meetings. PLEASE NOTE
THAT THE FINAL MEETING IS ON August 25th: credit students
will have an assignment due. All class meetings, except for the one
field trip I have been able to schedule at the last minute, (noted
below) take place at The Learning Garden, located on the campus of
Venice High School at the intersection of Venice Blvd and Walgrove
Ave. You enter the garden on Walgrove, the first gate on south of
Venice Blvd. Parking is on the street. Please keep the gate closed
so our livestock doesn't escape and terrorize the neighborhood.
Please
remember this close to the ocean, we often have very cool evenings
even on very hot days. Please keep a sweater or a jacket handy. We,
perhaps foolishly, do not expect rain.
Course Purpose
At the conclusion of this course, students will be confident in planting a multiplicity of containers with a wide variety of plants that will thrive in our unique climate. Students will be introduced to design principles applicable to container gardeners and will learn their care and maintenance.Course Objectives
Students will
be able to meet the following objectives by knowing:
Types
of pots used in container gardens
Qualities
of those containers to choose the correct containers for individual
gardens and situations
The qualities
of the components of potting soil and how to choose a good one
Color
combinations and other basic design principles
Care of plants
in containers over their life span
Appreciation
of light and water in container gardens
Students should
also be able to report that they’ve been inspired to find their own
individuality in container garden design and to experiment with
colors, plants or containers that had been off their personal radar
before this class. Students are expected to share their experiences
and knowledge with the class which guarantees an enhanced learning
experience for all of us.
Application
This course is designed to be applicable for home gardeners whether they are in a house, a condo or a town home; as well as professionals that wish to incorporate container gardening as a part of their business’ offerings. Students should also find time to do some networking with fellow students.Text for this course:
Sunset
Western Garden Guide 8th Edition, Brenzel,
Kathleen Norris, Editor, ©2007, Sunset Publishing There will be no
specific assigned reading from this book, but it is the “bible”
for gardeners in Southern California.
In addition,
the following texts are suggested for your reference shelf:
The City
Gardener’s Handbook, Yang, Linda, ©2002, Storey Books,
Published first as The City Gardener’s Handbook and then as
The City and Town Gardener and now back again under the
original title and now I see it back as The City and Town Gardener
– whichever title you get, it is the same book.
Potted
Gardens, Cole, Rebecca, ©1997, Clarkson Potter/Publishers
The one field
trip is on Saturday, as indicated below.
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Date
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Mtg
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TOPIC
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07-28
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1
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Lecture:
Introduction –
roll, Extension policy, meeting time and place, attendance and
tardiness, office hours, expectations, objectives. Tools; types
of containers; light; why containers, nuts and bolts of
containers...
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08-04
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2
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Lecture:
types of soil; considerations of soil type and pot type relative
to plant type, color and design; three demonstration containers
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08-11
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3
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Lecture: planting
containers – practical work/bring your own container and
plants to plant!
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08-18
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4
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Lecture:
California Natives in Pots; demonstration
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08-22
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5
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1:30 to 4:30 PM Field Trip
Pottery Manufacturing and Distributing, 18881 S. Hoover
Street, Gardena, CA 90248 Phone: 310.323.7772
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08-25
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6
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Container
maintenance, renovation, pests and problems, year round interest;
Credit project is due
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Credit
Students: Your grade will be predicated on class participation and a
design project assigned at the first class meeting.
Office Hours
I have no set
office hours, however, I am available by phone (the number above is
my cell phone) and by email. I am willing to meet with students
almost any day of the week at my office at The Learning Garden or a
mutually convenient coffee bar. It is my most sincere desire that
you learn and you will find me very approachable. After class is
usually not a very good time because that’s when all students vie
for answers and we are all tired after a long day. You can net a
more thoughtful answer by contacting me another time.
Updates and Handouts
For
this course I will utilize my personal blog page at
http://lagardennotes.blogspot.com/
to post handouts and extra material for the class. There is an RSS
feed through which each posting is automatically forwarded to your
email so you can have access to handouts whenever they are posted.
This approach is most handy when dealing with field trips because
links to maps can be posted and any last minute updates are easily
available. If this technology is new to you, another classmate or I
will guide you through it. It is not difficult. If you miss a class
or need an update, can't find your syllabus or whatever, you can find
it here. You will need to, of course, bookmark it before you loose
your syllabus...
Project
Guidelines For Credit Students
Design a
container garden with a minimum of five containers, any size
(although five two inch pots won’t necessarily net a decent grade).
Themed design.
Specify:
The purpose of
the garden
Placement
according to light
Other
buildings or features that obfuscate or enhance light
Type of
building; building color; building style
Interior style
Any
particular facets of the owners’ personality that impact your
design
How the owner
will use the space
Plants
used in each pot, by scientific name at least, indicate their water
needs
What the pots
are constructed of and their size (i.e. terra cotta) and design
How will they
be watered?
Summary
I
am looking for an understanding of what plants do well together
(color, foliage, water requirements) and plantings that will enhance
the building, style and owners’ lifestyle. I am also looking for
appropriate design (i.e. no Phormium tenax in
a narrow hallway). I have left this pretty open in hopes of
accommodating a wide variety of interests and desires. If this is
too open for you, I’ll be happy to fill in details that will narrow
your focus.
I will endeavor
to have tea or coffee available in the evening as there is no 'snack
stand' near the garden. If you want to partake, bring your own cup
and if you use sugar or cream, bring that as well. Occasionally
there will be baked goods, but no guarantees.
Syllabus
may be changed to reflect changes in reality. Although we do try not
to.
Bibliography for Container Gardening
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Container Gardening, Elving, Phyllis, Editor, ©1998, Sunset Publishing, A small book with some good ideas and at least it’s a look at the West Coast. |
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Potted
Gardens, Cole, Rebecca, ©1997 Random House – I love her
attitude about gardening and how she approaches the whole thing
with a strong sense of whimsy and joy. Her gardening philosophy
fits very well with my own. She writes a lot like I do.
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Roof
Gardens, Balconies and Terraces, Stevens, David ©1997,
Rizzoli International Publications, Another ‘east coast’ book,
but again the ideas and creativity are worth consideration as a
starting point.
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The
Complete Container, Joyce, David, ©1996 Reader’s Digest
Again, another focus on the east coast, but the ideas and plant
lists in this book are better than most. It has pretty definitive
instructions and is full of good clean photos. A good book to
have – especially if you only buy one.
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The
Terracotta Gardener, Keeling, Jim, ©1990, Trafalgar Square
Publishing, Not really a design book, but a historical perspective
of terracotta used in English gardens and some background
information on terracotta.
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