The John and Doris Andrews Horticulture Certificate Program
The Andrews Horticulture Program gives you, the home gardener, the knowledge and skill to select plants and to successfully cultivate your home landscape. The curriculum assists you in developing the gardening techniques best suited for Ohio gardens. Learn through lectures, engaging labs outside at Fellows Riverside Gardens, and hands-on volunteer work. Enjoy learning from local and regional experts and sharing your experiences with other gardeners.
Each course is concentrated within four sessions to be accessible to a broader audience and fit into busy lives. Participants also have the option to receive a certificate of completion for each course. In order to qualify for the certificate, each session must be attended, along with eight hours of garden-related volunteer work at Fellows Riverside Gardens. The volunteer aspect allows one to develop more hands-on knowledge and skills, as well as providing community support to one of the Mahoning Valley’s gems.
For more information or to register, call Fellows Riverside Gardens at 330-740-7116.
Upcoming Courses
The Fundamentals of Green Gardening
3/26, 4/9, 4/16 & 4/30 | Tuesdays, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
As gardeners, we are stewards of the environment, whether we cultivate a postage stamp lawn or several acres. The Fundamentals of Green Gardening course covers ways to take your home landscape to the next level of stewardship. Sessions include: ways to maintain healthy soil, exploring innovative design, and learning about integrate pest management, native plants, and pollinator gardening. Deadline is 3/21. Fee: $45 R; $55 NR
Sessions
- 3/26 – Soils & Sustainable Basics
- 4/9 – Integrated Pest Management
- 4/16 – Innovative Design
- 4/30 – Pollinator Landscapes
Instructors
Sabrena Schweyer, FAPLD, Salsbury-Schweyer, Inc.
Denise Ellsworth, Program Director, OSU Department of Entomology – Wooster
Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, Garden Coach, Writer and Speaker, Hoosier Gardener
Steve Prebonik, CPSS, CPSC, Soil Scientist, Ohio Department of Agriculture
Summer Flower Gardening in Ohio & Western PA
5/14, 6/4, 6/11, 7/16 | Tuesdays, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Summer flower gardens are one of the highlights of the home landscape here in Ohio and Western PA. This course digs deep into building a palette of flowers that will enhance and create definition for your home landscape. Sessions include: basic preparations for summer flowers, an in-depth look at perennials for our region, and how to create designs for annuals and container gardens.
Sessions
- 5/14 – Gardening Basics
- 6/4 – Annuals
- 6/11 – Using Container Plantings In and For Your Garden
- 7/16 – Perennials
Instructors
Rob Chismar, Gardens Supervisor, Mill Creek MetroParks
Sarah Spetsios, Assistant Gardens Supervisor, Mill Creek MetroParks
Marcy Dubec, Gardener, Mill Creek MetroParks
Gordon Vujevic, Gardening Enthusiast
Grant Porter, Horticulturist
Trees & Shrubs for the Home Landscape
Fall 2019
Trees and shrubs provide the framework for gardens. How we choose and plant them affects the future success and longevity of the home landscape. Sessions include: identification and choosing the best specimens for Northeast Ohio and proper planting. Essential maintenance practices and pruning will also be covered.
Sessions
- Name That Tree (and Shrub)
- Planting and Maintenance
- Pruning
- Creating a Treasured Landscape
Indoor Gardening
Winter/Spring 2020
Successful indoor gardening requires knowledge of both plant material and growing techniques. Learn how to select the right plants for your indoor space. Over four sessions, the course will cover houseplant basics, including light levels and temperatures, plus unique indoor specimens, such as orchids, succulents, and more.
Sessions
- Houseplant Care
- Festive Flowers & Foliage / Bromeliads
- Cultivating Orchids
- Succulents & Cacti
Garden Design for the Home Landscape
Summer/Fall 2020
Design is a process that uses science and art to solve problems and create places of beauty and use. During this course, learn simple steps to design a garden space that is ideal for your needs and for your landscape. Explore ways to incorporate color, hardscapes, sculpture, and art of all kinds to enhance and beautify your garden.
Sessions
- Simple, Successful Garden Design
- Designing with Color
- Hardscaping / The Sculptor’s Garden
- Art in the Garden
Registration Procedure
Cancellation Procedure
Volunteer Option
If you would like to qualify for the certificate of completion for your registered course, follow these steps:
- After registration, complete Mill Creek MetroParks Volunteer Application and background check
- Garden-related, horticulture-focused volunteer activities count toward the eight hours
Session Coupon
Each course offers four sessions of valuable horticulture knowledge, however it is understandable that participants may not be able to attend all of the sessions. If something arises that prevents you from attending all four sessions, you may request a session coupon for the one you missed. The next time that the course is offered, call Fellows Riverside Gardens to reserve your seat in that session and present your coupon. Courses are typically offered every other year.
Facility Information
Courses meet at the D.D. and Velma Davis Education and Visitor Center (Fellows Riverside Gardens), Kidston Classroom.
Scholarships will be available through the Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens, information available at www.friendsoffellows.org or 330.740.7116 x 213. The Andrews Horticulture Program is graciously sponsored by the John S. and Doris M. Andrews Education Endowment through the Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens.