Registration for spring courses now open!
Upon completing the Level 1 Horticulture Certificate Program, students can work towards additional Advanced Certificates. Courses can count towards multiple Advanced Certificates simultaneously.
(AH) Advanced Horticulture
An Advanced Certificate in Horticulture expands a student's horticulture knowledge and can be customized to the individual needs of the advanced student. Elective courses cover specific topics in horticulture and will vary from year to year.
Prerequisite: Level 1 Certificate in Horticulture
Certificate Requirements: 70 hours of qualifying courses including completion of the Capstone Project
Spring 2020 Courses that qualify:
- Water Conservation in the Face of Climate Change (1 hour)
- Botanical Latin: An Introduction (1 hour)
- Landscapes in Time and Space (1 hour)
- Bark and Buds - Using a Tree Key (4 hours)
- Stewardship in Your Gardens and Land (3 hours)
- The No-Till Garden (1 hour)
- Tree Care for Gardeners (12 hours)
- Extending the Harvest: Growing Early Spring Vegetables (1 hour)
- Turning Lawns into Meadows (4 hours)
- Clean Composting 101 (2 hours)
- Ready, Set, Grow! Starting Seeds for Plants That Will Hit the Ground Growing (3 hours)
- Home Orchard Care (8 hours)
- Design & Native Plant Palette (6 hours)
- Complete Guide to New England Wildflowers (12.5 hours)
- Capstone Project (12 hours)
Fall 2021 Courses that qualify(anticipated):
- Designing the New Perennial Garden (12 hours)
- Northeast Ethnobotany (9 hours)
- New England Plant Communities (8 hours)
- Rendering I (12 hours)
- Rendering II (12 hours)
- Rooted in Place: Ecological Gardening Symposium (6 hours)
- Capstone Project (12 hours)
(LD) Landscape Design
The Advanced Certificate in Landscape Design prepares students for a career in garden design. Coursework covers drafting, landscape history, site analysis, and landscape design from creative concept to completed design plan, including schematic drawings and planting plans.
Prerequisite: Level 1 Certificate in Horticulture
Certificate Requirements: 70 hours of the following required courses
Spring 2021 Courses that qualify:
- Landscapes in Time and Space (1 hour)
- Asian Garden Styles (4 hours)
- Botanical Latin: An Introduction (1 hour)
- Landscaping Your Historic Home (4 hours)
- Landscape Design II (12 hours)
- Design & Native Plant Palette (6 hours)
- Stewardship in Your Gardens and Land (3 hours)
- Container Garden Design (9 hours)
- Turning Lawns into Meadows (4 hours)
- Chainsaw Skills Workshop (6 hours)
- Capstone Project (12 hours)
Fall 2021 Courses that qualify (anticipated):
- Drafting for Garden Design (15 hours)
- Landscape Design Clinic: Introduction to a Coherent Process (7 hours)
- Capstone Project (12 hours)
(SLS) Sustainable Land Stewardship
The Advanced Certificate in Sustainable Land Stewardship prepares gardeners and Landcare professionals for the ever-increasing demand for sustainable easily maintained landscapes. Courses will focus on ecologically-sensitive gardening practices suited to our region, and the efficient use of land for both ornamental and self-sustaining purposes. Elective courses cover specific topics in horticulture and will vary from year to year.
Prerequisite: Level 1 Certificate in Horticulture
Certificate Requirements: 70 hours of qualifying courses
Spring 2021 Courses that qualify:
- Water Conservation in the Face of Climate Change (1 hour)
- Tree Care for Gardeners (12 hours)
- Design & Native Plant Palette (6 hours)
- Stewardship in Your Gardens and Land (3 hours)
- The No-Till Garden (1 hour)
- Tree Care for Gardeners (12 hours)
- Extending the Harvest: Growing Early Spring Vegetables (4 hours)
- Turning Lawns into Meadows (4 hours)
- Clean Composting 101 (2 hours)
- Ready, Set, Grow! Starting Seeds for Plants That Will Hit the Ground Growing (3 hours)
- How to Use Your Tools the Right Way (2 hours)
- Home Orchard Care (8 hours)
- Birds in the Landscape (3 hours)
- Chainsaw Skills Workshop (6 hours)
- Capstone Project (12 hours)
Fall 2021 Courses that qualify(anticipated):
- Designing the New Perennial Garden (12 hours)
- Northeast Ethnobotany (9 hours)
- Capstone Project (12 hours)
(NP) Native Plant Landscapes
The Advanced Certificate in Native Plant Landscapes will focus on designing gardens and landscapes using plants native to the Berkshire region and the adjacent tri-state area. Elective courses cover specific topics in horticulture and will vary from year to year.
Prerequisite: Level 1 Certificate in Horticulture
Certificate Requirements: 70 hours of qualifying courses
Spring 2021 Courses that qualify:
- Water Conservation in the Face of Climate Change (1 hour)
- Botanical Latin: An Introduction (1 hour)
- Complete Guide to New England Wildflowers (12.5 hours)
- Tree Care for Gardeners (12 hours)
- The No-Till Garden (1 hour)
- Stewardship in Your Gardens and Land (3 hours)
- Design & Native Plant Palette (6 hours)
- Birds in the Landscape (3 hours)
- Chainsaw Skills Workshop (6 hours)
- How to Use Your Tools the Right Way (2 hours)
- Capstone Project (12 hours)
Fall 2021 Courses that qualify (anticipated):
- Northeast Ethnobotany (9 hours)
- New England Plant Communities (8 hours)
- Rooted in Place: Ecological Gardening Symposium (6 hours)
- Capstone Project (12 hours)