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Landscape Design School
The purpose of the Landscape Design Study Course is to help garden club members and the public to understand and appreciate good landscape architectural practice and to serve as guardians and consultants. The complete program is a series of four courses, open to garden club members, civic association members, nursery personnel and others interested in landscape design
Some of the topics covered in the courses are: history of landscape design, landscape design process, site design and land form, structures in the landscape, plant selection and plants in the landscape, community landscape management and preservation of historic sites and structures. The instructors are all highly qualified individuals with most having degrees in Landscape Architecture, Horticulture, or associated topics.
A person receiving National Garden Club Certification as a Landscape Design Consultant must be a member of a State Garden Club and must have completed all four courses within seven years with a passing grade of 70 for each course. Non-garden club students will receive a Certificate of Attendance from NGC and GCFP. A subscription to The National Gardener is required to earn certification and to take the exam. All lectures must be attended in full to receive credit. Exam not required for non-garden club members. According to the LDSP Operations Guide, present Consultants are urged to repeat Courses I through IV for refresher certification with no exam required.
- Landscape Design Councils
Members of National Garden Club, Inc., who have completed four courses of Landscape Design Schools are encouraged to become members of a Landscape Design Council. Pennsylvania has four Landscape Design Councils:
- The Delaware Valley Council serves the Philadelphia areas and the eastern portion of the state
- The Western Pennsylvania Landscape Design Soceity includes members in the western part of the state
- Laurel Highlands Area Council serves Somerset, Bedford, and Cambria Counties
- Central Area Council serves the central part of the state
The four councils are actively meeting and working in their communities. Landscape Design Consultants are positive influences in their communities as they help with planning boards and councils to make their neighborhoods the best they can be.