In the Professional Gardener Certificate of Merit Program (PGL1), students gain the fundamental knowledge and skills required of garden professionals. This program provides a foundational knowledge of native and ornamental plants, a focus on gardening techniques throughout the seasons, and an understanding of soils and plant health. The certificate coursework features hands-on learning leading to a new career or career advancement in the horticulture industry.

Who should participate? Aspiring professional gardeners, landscape technicians, landscape maintenance professionals, and other green-industry individuals seeking professional development. There are no prerequisites to start the program, and no prior horticulture experience is needed. Sign up for a Professional Gardener Level 1 Certificate class today.

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The Professional Gardener Certificate represents a competency-based qualification relevant to the region's industry — learn what it takes to meet and exceed standards of horticultural excellence. The program requirements include eleven required horticulture courses.

All requirements for the certificate must be completed within five years of the start date of your first core course. For the certificate, a grade of at least 70 percent must be achieved for each core course.

A wide variety of elective course topics are offered so you can customize your coursework based on your interests and goals. Elective course topics range from successful plant combinations to sustainable practices to plant recommendations from horticulture experts. The elective courses are not graded so credit is recorded by attendance. Most elective courses do not incorporate quizzes or exams.

Ready to get started? Begin your journey with Botany 1, Soil Basics, or any of the four Gardening Techniques courses.