Landscapers...I have a question...

[Carolina Cutter]

Currently I do lawn Maintenance work. I have enough business to keep me busy but have thought about moving into the landscaping sector to grow the business.

Ok here's my question.....

Of those on here who do landscape design how many have actually had formal schooling for landscape design?

Also....where did you get your training?

Thanks guys!

[lawncare4u]

I am in S.C.-upstate and Tri County Tech. offers a course that is 11 units to get a Master Gardner Certificate. The course covers design along with just about anything concerning Lawn Maittenance......good luck

[Popper357]

I am halfway through my PCDI Landscape Design course and love it. We are hand drafting and learning all the neccessary basics. I give it a ten!

[Carolina Cutter]

I am halfway through my PCDI Landscape Design course and love it. We are hand drafting and learning all the neccessary basics. I give it a ten!

Then you are just who I needed to hear from. Sent my info today to PCDI for the Professional Landscape Designer course. Tell me about it and how its working for you...........

[TurfdudeNCSU]

We offer landscaping and maintenance. I have a Horticulture degree from NC State. We do design and install. It's alittle more than just diggin a hole and planting a shrubs there. Need to know the legets about it first. Not saying that you don't, but thats how alot of guys around here really mess up.

[Lawnworks]

What is PCDI?

[Smithers]

What is PCDI?
PCDI is the Professional Career Development Institute. they offer a landscape design class....

merlin, do you want me to save you $600? i hope you did not sign up for the class already.....

[i_plant_art]

went to MSU (mississippi state) for 5 years. got BS in landscape contracting. classes consisted of business classes, landscape architecture classes, and contracting classes.the life there was boring but the education was well worth the effort. i would recomend it to anyone who has the time and money to do it.

[Smithers]

i was wondering why i never liked you.....you beat us a few times....i went to UF...

j/k. i like your posts. :)

[Lawnworks]

I have a couple of question about PCDI. Is the course region specific? I guess there is no plant identification courses. It looked cheesy from there website, but I could be wrong.

[Smithers]

from what i have read on here, everyone really likes this class. they find it bvery useful if yo have never done something like that.

i should expect it to be region specific since up here we get frost, and in arizona they get sand storms..:)

[Carolina Cutter]

Well I have recieved my first materials and I like it. It makes you look at things from different point of views from you usually would. I think it is going to be good.

[mickman]

PCDI is the Professional Career Development Institute. they offer a landscape design class....

merlin, do you want me to save you $600? i hope you did not sign up for the class already.....


You could save me $600 if you could please

[yardscaper]

I have been in the business for 9 years now. It is what earned me money through high school and eventually became a career. I attended Linn State Technical College in Linn, Missouri and obtained my degree in Commercial Turf and Grounds Management/Horticulture. I do mostly installation work and am now offering maintenance. The formal training was great, but theory and real life are two different animals! :dizzy:

[newleaflandscape]

If you are really interested in learning how to do installations the right way I would save my time and money on the degree. I have a bs in landscaping but I know too many fools who went and got there degree and dont know a damn thing about landscaping. My best recommendation for you is to go and work for two landscaping companies for a good period of time. This is without a doubt the best way to really learn the business. Our industry is one that hands on experience will beat out in class learning any day. If two people applying for job, 1. guy with landscape architect degree and 2. guy that has at least six months experience in the field, I will take number 2 every time. Alot of the part of being good at what we do is being a hard worker. Way too many college grads out there that have never picked up a shovel or pushed a wheelbarrow. Reason I say two landscape companies is because everyone has a different way of doing things and you can learn from each companies mistakes. Also when it comes to design courses I really disliked my college classes. They were taught buy guys that have been designing the same way for fifteen years. Every year there are more styles and more plants to work with. If you can find landscape design seminars to go to like ones that amercican nursery and landscape association put on I would recomend going to them before college courses. I have always got a lot more out of seminars then I ever did out of my college training. just my two cents.

[Lawnworks]

Merlin,
Is it region specific?

[gslawncare]

in school you read books right? Buy a couple books and start reading. So many ideas and plants and some techniques. It all gets tested in the field. If you wanta go all out, call your local post secondary school and ask what text books are being used for the courses you are most interested in. Book stores are not only for students. read them before you take them home. Go to nurseries and ask questions about plants, Identify them when your cruising around and take note of there location and usage, specimen, groundcover, etc. Read man, that's the only way. Do you really want to listen to a teacher try and tell you how to do the work. PS I only go to school for accounting, I don't have a degree in landscape design but my work sells itself. READREADREADREAD and THEn read again.

[Smithers]

mick, sorry about the late post..i have not gotten any email notifications on this. dont understand why....

here is the deal....i found a post from a fellow that does not seem to be on LS anymore. he gave the name of a book, "Landscaping: Principles and Practices". i compared it with the topics discussed in the class that Merlin is taking. It is THE EXACT same thing.

what they probably did was offer the author a commision if they use his book.

i purchased it and i am expecting it to come tomorrow or the next day.

[Smithers]

i forgot to say....i bought it new from someone for $80 with S&H on amazon.

[mickman]

i forgot to say....i bought it new from someone for $80 with S&H on amazon.
Thanks for the reply, I'll check it out.