Gardening Summer Intensive
Fast-track your gardening skills.
The Gardening Certificate Program at NYBG provides you with the core knowledge, hands-on training, and credentials you need to succeed in any garden setting with complete confidence.
In just three weeks, complete more than 40% of the coursework required for the Certificate and gain a solid base in the principles of environmentally sound gardening from expert professionals. You’ll also see how these principles are put into practice through curator-led tours of various Garden collections.
Classes:
Fundamentals of Gardening
Soil Science for Gardeners
Gardening with Native Plants
Insect Identification and Management
Container Gardening
Plants for Landscaping
Fundamentals of Garden Design
NYBG Curator-Led Tours
Schedule:
Monday-Friday, July 7-25, 9 am-4 pm at NYBG.
Orientation:
An orientation for all Summer Intensive students will be held on the first day of the program, Monday July 7 at 9 am. This orientation will include a presentation in Ross Hall followed by expert-led tours of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library and The William & Lynda Steere Herbarium, and opportunities to connect with program coordinators.
Tuition:
$2,385 (Member) / $2,650 (Non-Member)
A $530 non-refundable deposit is due at registration.
An optional payment schedule is available if requested. No refunds after Monday, June 23.
You have the option to register for the entire Summer Intensive program or sign up for select classes individually, allowing you to continue your Certificate at your own pace.
Registration will open mid-March 2025.
Questions about the intensive? Email ContinuingEd@nybg.org
The Gardening Certificate Program gave me a solid foundation in the field of professional gardening and plant cultivation, which I am passionate about! The knowledge I received allowed me to tackle large-scale projects where I was newly hired as an Outdoor Education Center Director. Thank you NYBG for your long-standing excellent reputation and highly qualified professional faculty to go above and beyond to help students learn topics and techniques most relevant to industry today!
I started gardening more than 25
years ago with a little help from my friends. But essentially I have been a self-taught gardener. At NYBG’s Gardening Program, I was able to refine my skills and immerse myself in the details—which, of course, makes all the difference. I am a much more skilled and educated gardener now, which is what I wanted to achieve in the program. So happy I joined in!
The Gardening Intensive hanged my life! I am even pursuing my Certificate. The teachers at NYBG are super intelligent, kind, and funny; they know their subjects inside and out. I now feel secure with my knowledge of plants.
I gardened for years without really understanding the how or why of the plant world. At NYBG, that changed. I began to pay attention to how I could make sustainable gardens in which all the elements—living and nonliving—work together beautifully. The practical and theoretical knowledge has made me more articulate as a writer, garden teacher for young children, and neighborhood environmentalist.
I wanted a plant-based outlet for the creativity I’ve developed over 25 years as a physical therapist and professional writer—and at NYBG I found the perfect place and program. With their engaging, fresh approach that combines soil science, gardening techniques, and a passion for all things green, my instructors gave me a solid horticultural foundation that directly impacts the overall health of my polyculture garden.”