Education

Go Native U

Go Native U is an informal education program designed to teach adults about gardening with native plants. In our spring and fall series of native plant gardening classes, students learn about the benefits of gardening with native plants in a fun and interactive environment. All classes will be held at the Wildflower Center's beautiful campus in south Austin.

Registration

Register Online - Registration for Go Native U is arranged through the University of Texas at Austin Informal Classes. On their website, select View Courses and agree to the Account Guidlines. Go Native U Classes are listed under the category House and Garden.

Individual classes are $45 for a 3 hour class. If you are a Wildflower Center member or have University of Texas at Austin Resident status, classes are $36 for a 3 hour class. If you qualify for discount registration, please contact the UT Informal Classes office by phone at 512.471.9683. This is only required for your first registration.

Registration for Fall semester now available!

Designing Your Native Plant Garden
Proper design will help ensure a successful native plant garden. In this class you will learn how to create a list of goals for your landscape, analyze your site (soils, light, water, drainage, slope, traffic patterns, neighboring conditions, etc.) and perform an inventory of existing features. You will also learn about base maps (what they are and how to create and use them) and designing a garden layout and conceptual plan. We will also discuss how to incorporate existing plants and other features into a fresh design and how to find resources or professional assistance.

Instructor: Ginger Hudson (mailto:ginarama@yahoo.com)
Number of Meetings: 1
Registration fee: general - $45; UT & WFC: $36
Materials: House/Lot/Survey site plan (1/4" scale) or a detailed drawing of your property. Architects scale (3-sided ruler), pencils, erasers.

Fall I: Saturday, September 6, 2008
Course Number: 8362.301
Time: 10AM-1PM

Fall II: Saturday, November 8, 2008
Course Number: 8362.302
Time: 10AM-1PM

Native Plant Selection I
Choosing the right native plants for your garden is both art and science. In this class you will learn about common and botanical names, basic garden ecology, plant requirements, and how to create a planting plan. We will also introduce native plants that will thrive in your garden and learn their characteristics (height, bloom color, bloom period, fragrance, seasonality, light requirements, deer resistance, etc.).

Instructor: Andrea DeLong-Amaya (adelongamaya@wildflower.org)
Number of Meetings: 1
Registration fee: general - $45; UT & WFC: $36
Materials: Dress for the weather (sunscreen, hat, water, etc); portions of this class will be outddoors

Fall I: Saturday, September 13, 2008
Course Number: 8363.301
Time: 10AM-1PM

Fall II: Saturday, November 8, 2008
Course Number: 8363.302
Time: 2PM-5PM

Native Plant Selection II
The Texas flora is so rich and native plant selection is so important we have divided it into two parts. In Part II you will continue to learn about the top natives for your garden, where to find them and where to go for more information. Native Plant Selection I is recommended prior to enrollment in Native Plant Selection II.

Fall I: Saturday, September 20, 2008
Course Number: 8364.301
Time: 10AM-1PM

Fall II: Saturday, November 15, 2008
Course Number: 8364.302
Time: 10AM-1PM

Native Garden Installation
Come April, you will be ready to install your newly planned native plant garden. In this class we will cover site preparation (clearing, weeds and weed management, soil additives, earthworks, drainage), irrigation, best planting times and techniques, and mulches and mulch application. Where to go for additional resources and professional assistance will also be covered.

Instructor: Troy Nixon (tdnixon@mindspring.com)
Number of Meetings: 1
Registration fee: general - $45; UT & WFC: $36
Materials: None

Fall I: Saturday, September 27, 2008
Course Number: 8365.301
Time: 10AM-1PM

Fall II: Saturday, November 15, 2008
Course Number: 8365.302
Time: 2PM-5PM

Native Garden Maintenance
A common misconception about native plants is that once they are in the ground they require no maintenance. Topics will include basic plant morphology and physiology, selecting the right tools for the job, watering guidelines and water conservation, fertilizers, soil additives, mulches, pruning, trimming, mowing, grooming, cold and heat protection, gardening hazards and gardener's health.

Instructor: Denise Delaney (denisedelaney@earthlink.net)
Number of Meetings: 1
Registration fee: general - $45; UT & WFC: $36
Materials: None

Fall I: Saturday, October 4, 2008
Course Number: 8366.301
Time: 10AM-1PM

Fall II: Saturday, November 22, 2008
Course Number: 8366.302
Time: 10AM-1PM

Pests 101
This class will introduce you to native plant diseases, garden pests insects and weeds. In addition, you will learn about beneficial insects and their interaction with pests as an important part of understanding the ecological systems of our gardens. Topics will include basic identification, determination of threat to the garden and environment, integrated pest management, treatment and safety. Proper plant cultivation techniques to reduce pests and where to go for resources and assistance will also be covered.

Instructor: Skip Richter (r-richter@tamu.edu)
Number of Meetings: 1
Registration fee: general - $45; UT & WFC: $36
Materials: 10x hand lens

Fall I: Saturday, October 11, 2008
Course Number: 8367.301
Time: 10AM-1PM

Fall II: Saturday, November 22, 2008
Course Number: 8367.302
Time: 2PM-5PM

SPECIAL TOPICS IN NATIVE PLANT GARDENING

Design Studio for Your Native Plant Garden
Building upon the introductory design class on how to design your native plant garden, this course will allow you to take the principles and skills acquired and spend time applying them in a studio environment. The majority of the class time will be spent drawing while the instructor will be individually assisting you throughout the day. After the first class you will be asked to continue working on your concepts and develop them further for the next meeting. The second class will begin with an informal sharing session to respond to everyone's process and learn from one another. Then the rest of the day again will be focused on producing drawings that continue to investigate your design process in order to have a clear design when you finish.

Instructor: Emily Manderson (emanderson@wildflower.org)
Number of Meetings: 2
General: $90
UT & WFC: $72
Course Number: 8378.301
Materials: House/Lot/Survey site plan (1/4" scale) or a detailed drawing of your property. Architects scale (3-sided ruler), pencils, erasers.
Enrollment: 10 minimum - 20 maximum
Dates: September 06 and 13, 2008
Time: 2 PM - 5 PM

Bonsai with Native Plants
Choosing the right native plants for your bonsai is both art and science. In this class you will learn about basic bonsai styling techniques, plant requirements for each season, and how to develop your miniature tree into a masterpiece work of art and nature. We will also introduce native plants that will thrive as bonsai and learn their characteristics (height, bloom color, bloom period, fragrance, seasonality, light requirements, deer resistance, etc.).

Instructor: Mike Hansen (mike@mbpbonsai.com)
Number of Meetings: 1
General: $45
UT & WFC: $36
Materials: Bring $15 for materials (bonsai plant, soil and container). Bring gloves if your hands are sensitive to working in soil.

Enrollment: 10-20

Saturday, August 30, 2008
Course Number: 8379.301
Time: 10 AM-1 PM

Saturday, August 30, 2008
Course Number: 8379.302
Time: 2 PM - 5 PM

Botanical Adventures with Austin's Native Plants
Learn the science and lore about the native plants of Central Texas in a series of field trips around Austin. You will learn how to recognize and identify wildflowers and other native plants and learn which plants are edible or useful. In the initial classroom meeting, held at the LBJWC, you will get a basic botanical background, including how to know what characters to use in plant identification. Then, we'll head out to the field to various parts of Austin, and apply our knowledge. Hiking/walking shoes and outdoor clothing recommended. Expect light to moderate walking with occasional uneven levels. Cate Bergman has a Master's degree in plant biology from UT, has studied botany in Texas and North Carolina for 10 years, and has led numerous groups on native and edible plant walks.
Instructor: Cate Bergman (cate.bergman@gmail.com)

Date: Saturday - September 27, October 4 and October 11
Number of Meetings: 3
General: $60, UT & WFC: $45
Course Number: 8374.301
Time: 2 PM - 5 PM