Start building your garden.

Theory

• Safety in the garden
• Types of materials to use for construction in your organic garden
• Grow your own materials (bamboo etc)
• Pathways, heights, size, accessibility

Practical

• Building a raised garden bed
• Creating a bamboo trellis and tepee

One hour of clever design can save ten hours of hard work.

Theory:

• Elements of a design
• Sectors and Zones
• Positioning the garden
• How to design a garden
• Why good planning saves time and improves productivity
• The needs of the client/school
• Materials required

Practical:

• Walk around a garden area for observation
• Note services and other elements
• Draw a quick mud map of property / school

Keeping everyone safe in the garden.

Theory:

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Use of equipment
• Safety using garden products
• Others working around you
• Storage solutions
• Wildlife awareness
• Lifting and carrying equipment
• Reading labels
• First Aid

Creating habitat to attract diversity into your garden.

Theory:

• Identifying the different types of habitats
• What do we attract to the garden and why they are important
• How do we bring them to the garden and keep them there
• Recognising the importance of existing habitats and nurturing them

An introduction to seasonal planning for a subtropical edible garden.

Theory

• Mapping sun and shade patterns throughout the year
• Understanding orientation
• Growing in the subtropics (specific issues)
• Planning your garden for a year of food (this steps into garden design)
• Seasonal jobs - busy times, quiet times
• When to plant, when to harvest
• Annuals & perennials - growing food throughout the year
• Understanding the subtropical climate and how it affects backyard food production

Practical

• Using a compass, finding orientation
• Using sun map for our region

Creating a garden that's a feast for the senses.

Theory:

• 5 senses - Colour (sight/seeing); Texture (touch/feeling); Smell (scents); Sound (hearing) & Taste (flavour)
• Designing Sensory Gardens and Rainbow Gardens
• Varieties of plants and their uses

Practical:

• Sample sensory plants.
• Have a taste, smell, feel, admire and listen for any sounds

Herbs for human and garden health.

Theory:

• Looking at different varieties
• Their many uses
• Growing needs
• Designing herbs into gardens
• Growth habits
• Container growing
• Harvesting and using

Practical:

• Looking at and tasting a variety of herbs
• Creating natural remedies from herbs

Biodiversity in the garden.

• Why we need natives in the sustainable garden
• How to identify and selecting the right natives for your garden
• Attracting natives birds, lizards, frogs and other species to your garden
• Bush tucker plants in the edible garden
• Forestry, National Parks and Landcare
• Our local species - what's growing in your area

Knowing what, when and where to plant.

Theory:

• Nomenclature - the naming systems of plants
• Growth habits
• Identify the conditions for plant growth
• Pollination
• Types of crops for your needs
• Water, sun, soil and fertiliser requirements
• Annuals & perennials - growing food throughout the year
• Sub Tropical foods

Practical:

• Looking at examples of different plant species

Knowing how to handle, plant and maintain seedlings.

Theory

• Where to get seedlings (buying them or grow your own)
• What type of seedlings to buy
• What to look for when buying seedlings
• Prepare the soil
• How to handle seedlings
• Planting them
• Caring for them
• Avoiding transplant shock

Practical

• Handling, separating and planting out seedlings