Gardening for Beginners
Course Outline:
Whether you have a large garden or small balcony, learn the basic skills of good gardening.
Discover what type of soil you have, which potting mix is best, how to choose ‘the right plant for
the right place’ and find out how to maintain your outdoor space with the minimum of effort
from the ground up.
Course introduction:
The living plant - plant requirements
Soil - types, analysis, soil testing, improvement
Pot selection, potting mixes, fertilizers
Plant selection - for sun, shade, dry, wet, privacy, fragrance, allergies
Maintenance - correct procedures for watering, fertilizing, pruning, staking
Pest and disease identification and organic controls
What to Bring:
Notepad & Pen
Comprehensive notes are provided and places are limited.
About The Tutor:
Judith Sleijpen graduated from Ryde School of Horticulture with distinction in Urban Horticulture and gained experience in the retail nursery industry for several years. As a Member of the Horticultural Media Association, Judith writes a monthly gardening column for “Peninsula Living” and has also published articles in “Landscape Contractor and Manager”, “Better Homes and Gardens”, “Gardens and Outdoor Living” and “The Garden Gurus”. Passionate about plants, gardens and bees, she is a Member of the Australian Institute of Horticulture, a former Committee Member of the Sydney Executive Committee of Open Gardens Australia and a former member of the Speakers' Bureau of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Apart from conducting her garden design and horticultural consultancy business, “Gardens, Balconies and Beyond”, Judith is a tour leader for the David Jones Flower Show and judges garden competitions in Ryde, Camden, Campbelltown, Bayside and Randwick.
This course has no current classes. Please the waiting list.
Course testimonials:
- Group atmosphere, everyone’s questions and the depth of knowledge and helpfulness of the teacher. It was a really useful course. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
- Was a fabulous course. A beginner or experienced gardener will learn lots. Cameron could answer every question and was so knowledgeable. I'd recommend as 10 out of 10.
- I enjoyed everything. I now know what plants I can grow. Cameron was excellent
- Friendly and a very good atmosphere to learn in. Great interaction with the trainer. I have already recommended this course to family.
- Very friendly, helpful advice.
- It was just a very lovely day, wonderful presenter and just what I needed, very basic and useful. Thank you to Cameron he was interesting, interested in our gardens and focused on our individual needs while providing information on what we did not know to ask about. Well done and thank you.
- Cameron was very knowledgeable and really made an effort to encourage questions.
- This was a great course and I would highly recommend it! Cameron had a huge amount of knowledge and communicated it in a way that was easy to understand and apply at home. The soil testing was a fun element that really helped me understand my garden.
- Cameron was so knowledgeable and easily answered everyone’s questions
- Cameron was excellent and so knowledgeable and patient with all our questions. I really learnt a lot and thought it was one of the best courses I have done.