Enjoy a garden class in a garden setting! The propagation class takes some students longer than 3 hours to complete. There is no rush. Bring a lunch to enjoy during or after class. This will allow you more time in the gardens. Also, dress warmly (in layers) since this class begins in the cool of the morning, and is done in the shade. Remember to bring drinking water!

The following classes are currently being offered: Propagation classes are offered on Fri., Aug. 8th, Sat., Aug. 16th (now filled!), and Sat., Aug. 23rd, 2008. Details below for "Propagate Your Own Plants" If you'd like hear what some other fellow gardeners had to say about my classes, check out quotes from garden class participants.

CLASS SIZE IS LIMITED -- STUDENTS MUST PRE-REGISTER! Complete the Registration Form and send along with a check for the total amount to: Carolyn Singer, P.O. Box 992, Grass Valley CA 95945. If you have pre-registered and cannot attend, please call within 24 hours of the class, and your fee will be refunded. Map & Directions

Garden Classes

1. Rock Gardens

One session/2 hours $35

The best deer-resistant rock garden perennials. The course includes design and construction of small and large walls and paths. Learn to evaluate the microclimates within the rock garden in all seasons. Slides will be shown showing seasonal changes of choice plants. Appropriate soil preparation will be discussed, but students may want to take the soil preparation class for more basic instruction.

2. Raising Vegetables Organically

One session/3 hours $45 

An organic vegetable garden will provide you and your family better vegetables for your health. Soil requirements, planting schedules for each vegetable, cover cropping, and crop rotation will be discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of raised beds, and the "no-till" philosophy of the French intensive approach will be detailed. Learn the fertilizer and watering requirements for specific vegetables. Discover techniques and tools for extending the harvest season. This class is for the gardener who wants a small garden with just a few vegetables, or the ambitious who are planning a large garden!

3. Propagate Your Own Plants One session/3 hours $60 A "hands-on" class where students learn the secrets of making vegetative cuttings. Students are allowed to take cuttings from any plant in the garden, including rare shrubs, perennials, alpines and vines. Methods for seeding and dividing are also discussed. Take home triple the cost of this course in plant material for your own garden! Students may leave their propagation trays in the nursery cold frame for a few weeks while the cuttings root.

Students from our 1998 Propagation Class enjoying some hands-on experience working with their own cuttings.

4. Gardening Month-by-Month

One session/2 hours plus one-hour followup session $45

What needs to be done in your garden each month? When are the best times to fertilize plants? And what techniques of maintenance are the best? Learn to extend the growing season and your enjoyment by making a month-by-month plan. This class is kept small to address each student's needs and questions. Bring a calendar and a list of your garden priorities. The class is 2 hours, with a one-hour follow-up session on a date to be determined by the students during the class.

5. Organic Soil Preparation

One session/2 hours $35

Learn several methods of organic soil preparation for flowers, vegetables, fruits, and the general landscape (including lawns). Understanding soil pH and plant utilization of essential nutrients enables the gardener to chose the best amendments and fertilizers. How to amend clay soil, make compost (including sheet composting), and cover crop. Learn to make your own potting soil mixes for plants in containers. Beginning gardeners and experienced "green thumbers" will benefit from this course.

6. Perennial Flower Borders

One session/2 hours $35 

Learn to create a relaxed border or bed with pleasing color and textural combinations. Garden writer Dick Tracy calls this my "California border". This class emphasizes minimal maintenance, long seasonal displays from late winter to late fall, and deer-resistant perennials. Discover which perennials attract butterflies and birds! Learn color and design elements for large and small combinations, and the use of evergreens to add to winter interest. Sun and shade perennials will be included, and planning for optimal irrigation (low or moderate) will be emphasized.

7. The Dry Garden

One session/2 hours $35 

Ornamental shrubs, trees, herbs and perennials. Attractive foliage, form and flowers. Selecting drought-tolerant plants, including natives and Mediterraneans. Attracting birds and butterflies. Choices for fragrance, fall color, and interest in all seasons. Planning for a fire-safe foothill landscape.

8. Ornamental Grasses

One session/2 hours $35  (Fall only)

Identify those grasses best for the low-irrigation rock garden, and discover how to include the higher irrigation grasses in the herbaceous border (some will even keep the deer from eating valuable perennials!) Recognize grasses for their artistic elements in the landscape or in containers. All the grasses have been deer-resistant in our garden! back to top