Landscaping and groundskeeping programs prepare people to manage and maintain indoor and outdoor plants and groundcovers for customers. Students learn proper watering, soil preparation, weeding, and gardening techniques. They study pest control, lawn and plant nutrition, and upkeep. They also learn purchasing and human resources management principles.
The office work environment has provided endless material for movies such as 1999's "Office Space" and comic strips such as "Dilbert." These portrayals of the follies of cramped cubicles and uninspired employees have gained the popularity of those who have "been there, done that."
Now imagine if you were working in the same kind of office environment. What if you left work one day - joyous to be leaving the sterile maze of cubicles - and found that the landscape outside was just as drab as the workplace you had just left?
Although this hypothetical nightmare is admittedly exaggerated, the fact is that many of today's careers have people conducting business indoors. The existence of technologies such as e-mail, video teleconferencing, and fax machines have eliminated even the need for some of us to leave home to "go to work." With so much work happening indoors, there is more need than ever for the outdoors to be a source of peace, beauty, and recreation for people.
And if you've ever been in a hotel atrium and enjoyed the presence of several shady plants and trees surrounding a small man-made pond, you know that beautiful landscapes can be created indoors as well.
The benefits of using plants in landscapes extend beyond beauty. Plants help clean the air of excess carbon dioxide. They act as windbreaks and can reduce energy costs by providing cooling shade. They also contribute to soil conservation and prevent erosion.
As a landscaping or groundskeeping professional, you help plant and take care of flowers, shrubs, and trees in order to create and maintain a beautiful, healthy environment. You work together with landscape architects, interior designers, and other clients such as business owners or individual homeowners.
In this program of study, you take courses in horticulture, plant and soil science, and irrigation management. You learn how to survey land and select plants based on limitations in water, space, or other resources. You study turf management techniques and learn to use related equipment. You also learn the principles of business management, including purchasing, sales, and personnel supervision.
About 100 schools offer programs in landscaping and groundskeeping where you can typically earn a certificate, an associate degree, or a bachelor's degree. Some schools offer these programs in combination with horticulture, nursery management, or environmental design. Or, you might find these programs listed under different names, such as "Landscape Management," "Landscape Horticulture," or "Landscape Contracting and Management."
In general, a certificate takes up to a year of full-time study after high school and an associate degree about two. You typically need about four years to complete a bachelor's degree - less if you are able to transfer credits from an associate degree program.