Master Gardener Course #2: Class 1 & 2

Don’t know if anyone is actually interested but I will try to give a brief summary of what was discussed in my first and second class master gardener’s course. Class 1 and 2 were called Introduction to Northern Gardening & Perennials, but it doesn’t give an accurate description of what was discussed.

Class 1
Taxonomy and Nomenclature: the science of naming and procedure of naming plants.

Plant parts/live cycle: Cells, tissues, meristems, vascular systems, root structures, types of stems, buds, leaves, parts of leaves, flower parts, pollination, seeds, photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration

Hardiness zones and zones in our area, factors that affect hardiness.
Winter protection

Principles of Permaculture

We also did a short walk around the university to look at and discuss some of the areas that the gardening society is working on.

Class 2
Some more info on nomenclature.

Discussions on ways of classifying plants: Flower shape, color, by use (border, rockery, groundcover, …), by habit (climbing, spreading, clumping, …), by preferred habitat (soil type, sun exposure, moisture, ..). After this discussion we split into groups and every group was given the task of recommending plants for very different areas. One of the sites was a children’s play garden, half sun, silty clay soil while another was a garden a garden for a senior’s center in full sun. A lot of the groups had some great ideas, not so much the specific plant but why they picked each plant. It was a good exercise for a new gardener like me.

Brief discussion on grasses, rockeries, ground cover, bogs/ponds, poisonous plants, propagation.

Perennials – designs with perennials, maintenance, division, winter protection.

I’m sure I missed lots but you get the idea. If anybody is interested in what is covered in the other classes let me know if not I will just let you all know my general impressions when the course is completed.

-- Alan - Prince George