{"id":4153,"date":"2021-09-28T16:15:12","date_gmt":"2021-09-28T23:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/?page_id=4153"},"modified":"2026-02-23T16:40:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T00:40:23","slug":"gardening-green","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/nr\/gardening-green\/","title":{"rendered":"Gardening Green Courses"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"cpb-row  pad-bottom gutter side-right\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-row-inner\"><div class=\"cpb-column  one\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-textblock cpb-item \"><p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4882 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/GardeningGreenCourses_top.png\" alt=\"Flowers in a field Gardening Green Courses\" width=\"538\" height=\"285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/GardeningGreenCourses_top.png 538w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/GardeningGreenCourses_top-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/GardeningGreenCourses_top-396x210.png 396w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 538px) 100vw, 538px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><em>Learn the Essential Principles for Landscape Gardening Success<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Would you like to grow naturally beautiful landscape? Would you like to know how to nourish healthy soils, how to save water, support pollinators, and reduce your maintenance chores? WSU Whatcom County Extension\u2019s Gardening Green courses will teach you the essential principles for successful landscape gardening that is easier on the environment &#8211; using more know-how and less fertilizer and pesticides.<\/p>\n<p>Discover the secrets to vibrant, lower-maintenance landscaping with WSU Whatcom County Extension&#8217;s Gardening Green course. Learn the foundational principles to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cultivate healthy soils,<\/li>\n<li>Conserve water,<\/li>\n<li>Pick great plants and get them off to a good start,<\/li>\n<li>Reduce your maintenance chores, and<\/li>\n<li>Create naturally beautiful gardens that are bird and pollinator friendly,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In this course you will learn how to apply environmentally-friendly landscaping principles to your own yard and you will walk away with a landscape plan that is customized to your site and lifestyle!\u00a0 You&#8217;ll gain the knowledge to work smarter, not harder &#8211; reducing reliance on fertilizers and pesticides while achieving great results.\u00a0 Unlock the power of sustainable gardening for a greener, more beautiful Whatcom County.<\/p>\n<p>All course participants will get worksheets and resources that they can use to put sustainable landscaping principles into action. And all participants will complete learning assignments that will build upon each other to create the foundation of a custom landscaping plan for your site!<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cpb-column  two\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-textblock cpb-item \"><p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p style=\"margin: 0in;background: white;text-align: start\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4215\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2021\/10\/ContactCherylN.jpg\" alt=\"Cheryl Lovato Niles\" width=\"110\" height=\"155\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><b>Cheryl Lovato Niles<br \/>\n<\/b>Water Resources Educator<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:clniles@wsu.edu\">clniles@wsu.edu<\/a><br \/>\n(360) 778-5812<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Gardening Green Courses<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wsu.co1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_6m4J85r6R3qRyES\"><button><strong>Register for a course or get more information<\/strong><\/button><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"cpb-textblock cpb-item \"><p><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Gardening Green &#8211; Into the Weeds Newsletter<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">This free newsletter comes out once a month from March through November, and includes information on sustainable landscaping practices, &#8220;low-impact&#8221; weed management strategies, and local events that are related to these topics.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/eepurl.com\/iwuRa-\/\"><button><strong>Sign up for the newsletter<\/strong><\/button><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"cpb-row  pad-bottom gutter single\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-row-inner\"><div class=\"cpb-column  one\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-textblock cpb-item \"><p><\/p>\n<h3><em>Four course options:<\/em><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#SuddenValleycourse\">Live In-Person Course in Sudden Valley<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#BirchBaycourse\">Live In-Person Course in Birch Bay<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#onlinecourse\">Live Online Course<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#onownschedulecourse\">On-Your-Own-Schedule Online Course<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"cpb-row  pad-bottom gutter single\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-row-inner\"><div class=\"cpb-column  one\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-textblock cpb-item \"><p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6863 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-1024x303.png\" alt=\"hands holding soil and plant, people standing in front of a forest, a clipboard with graph paper, tape measure, and ruler\" width=\"1024\" height=\"303\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-1024x303.png 1024w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-300x89.png 300w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-768x227.png 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-1536x454.png 1536w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-2048x606.png 2048w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-396x117.png 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-792x234.png 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-990x293.png 990w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2025\/12\/Banner-2-for-GG-webpage2-1188x351.png 1188w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"cpb-row  pad-bottom gutter halves\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-row-inner\"><div class=\"cpb-column  one\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-textblock cpb-item \"><p><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a id=\"SuddenValleycourse\"><\/a>LIVE In-Person Course <\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><em><b>in Sudden Valley<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><button><a href=\"https:\/\/wsu.co1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_6m4J85r6R3qRyES\"><strong>Register<\/strong><\/a><\/button><\/p>\n<p><strong>Dates:<\/strong> Saturdays: 2\/28, 3\/14, 3\/28, 4\/11, and 4\/18<br \/>\n<strong>Time:<\/strong> 9:30 am to 11:30 am<br \/>\n<strong>Location:<\/strong> Sudden Valley Recreational Center multipurpose room<br \/>\n<strong>Time commitment:<\/strong> 2 hours of class time each session; 1-2 hours of homework per week<br \/>\n<strong>Cost:<\/strong> $56 fee for soil testing (as of February 23, 2026 &#8211; see note below)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Details:<\/strong> <span class=\"ui-provider fy b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak\" dir=\"ltr\">This course will meet on Saturday mornings from 9:30am to 11:30am at the Sudden Valley Recreation Center for the first 4 sessions and will conclude with a field trip to several participant&#8217;s <\/span>properties (TBD) on 4\/18 where we will discuss the possibilities for applying what you\u2019ve learned in the course.<\/p>\n<p>This course includes a laboratory test of soil pH, fundamental soil nutrients, soil texture, and organic matter. Course participants will bring their soil samples to the second class session and the instructor will deliver them to the soil testing laboratory. Results should be ready before the end of the course.<\/p>\n<p>The cost for this testing was previously $42.\u00a0 However the costs recently increased.\u00a0 The course recommends folks get the Basic Soil Test + Organic Matter (now $32) and the Soil Texture Test (now $24) which sums to $56.\u00a0 The course will cover a number of DIY (and virtually free) ways to assess your soil and participants will be invited get the soil testing that works best for you and your budget.<\/p>\n<p>Participants will receive a coupon from a local nursery!<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cpb-column  two\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-textblock cpb-item \"><p><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong><a id=\"BirchBaycourse\"><\/a>LIVE In-Person Course <\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><em><b>in Birch Bay<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><button><a href=\"https:\/\/wsu.co1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_6m4J85r6R3qRyES\"><strong>Register<\/strong><\/a><\/button><\/p>\n<p><strong>Dates:<\/strong> Saturdays: 2\/28, 3\/14, 3\/21, 4\/11, and 4\/18<br \/>\n<strong>Time:<\/strong> 2pm to 4pm<br \/>\n<strong>Location:<\/strong> Birch Bay Village Clubhouse (yes, non-residents are welcome but registration is required!)<br \/>\n<strong>Time commitment:<\/strong> 2 hours of class time each session; 1-2 hours of homework per week<br \/>\n<strong>Cost:<\/strong> $56 fee for soil testing (as of February 23, 2026 &#8211; see note below)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Details:<\/strong> <span class=\"ui-provider fy b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak\" dir=\"ltr\">This course will meet on Saturday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm at the Birch Bay Clubhouse\u00a0 for the first 4 sessions and will conclude with a field trip to several participant&#8217;s <\/span>properties (TBD) on 4\/18 where we will discuss the possibilities for applying what you\u2019ve learned in the course.<\/p>\n<p>This course includes a laboratory test of soil pH, fundamental soil nutrients, soil texture, and organic matter. Course participants will bring their soil samples to the second class session and the instructor will deliver them to the soil testing laboratory. Results should be ready before the end of the course.<\/p>\n<p>The cost for this testing was previously $42.\u00a0 However the costs recently increased.\u00a0 The course recommends folks get the Basic Soil Test + Organic Matter (now $32) and the Soil Texture Test (now $24) which sums to $56.\u00a0 The course will cover a number of DIY (and virtually free) ways to assess your soil and participants will be invited get the soil testing that works best for you and your budget.<\/p>\n<p>Participants will receive a coupon from a local nursery!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"cpb-row  pad-bottom gutter halves\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-row-inner\"><div class=\"cpb-column  one\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-textblock cpb-item \"><p><\/p>\n<h4><a id=\"Onlinecourse\"><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-4904 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/3Col-Online.png\" alt=\"Sitting woman using laptop in an online conference\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/3Col-Online.png 270w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/3Col-Online-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/3Col-Online-198x198.png 198w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/h4>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>LIVE Online Course<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">via Zoom<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><button><a href=\"https:\/\/wsu.co1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_6m4J85r6R3qRyES\"><strong>Register\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<p><strong>Dates:<\/strong> 4\/2, 4\/9, 4\/23, 4\/30, and 5\/2<br \/>\n<strong>Time:\u00a0<\/strong>Thursday evenings 6pm to 7:30pm<br \/>\n<strong>Location:<\/strong> Online via Zoom for first 4 session, followed by a field trip on Saturday 5\/2 from 10am to 12 pm<br \/>\n<strong>Duration:<\/strong> 5 weeks<br \/>\n<strong>Time commitment:<\/strong> 1 1\/2 hours of class time; 2 &#8211; 3 hours of homework per week<br \/>\n<strong>Cost:<\/strong> $56 fee for soil testing (as of February 23, 2026 &#8211; see note below)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Details:<\/strong>\u00a0 This course will meet weekly on Thursday evenings via Zoom from 6 to 7:30 pm. Course materials and assignments will be provided via email. The course will wrap up with site visits to 2-4 participant properties on Saturday May 2 from 10 am to 12 pm where we will discuss the possibilities for applying what you\u2019ve learned in the course.<\/p>\n<p>The course includes a laboratory test of soil pH, fundamental soil nutrients, soil texture, and organic matter. Course participants will drop their soil samples off at the WSU Extension Whatcom County Office at 600 Dupont Street during the second week of the course and the instructor will deliver them to the soil testing laboratory. Results should be ready before the end of the course.<\/p>\n<p>The cost for this testing was previously $42.\u00a0 However the costs recently increased.\u00a0 The course recommends folks get the Basic Soil Test + Organic Matter (now $32) and the Soil Texture Test (now $24) which sums to $56.\u00a0 The course will cover a number of DIY (and virtually free) ways to assess your soil and participants will be invited get the soil testing that works best for you and your budget.<\/p>\n<p>Participants will receive a coupon from a local nursery!<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cpb-column  two\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cpb-textblock cpb-item \"><p><\/p>\n<h4><a id=\"onownschedulecourse\"><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-4906 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/3Col-Moodle.png\" alt=\"Close up of Moodle screen\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/3Col-Moodle.png 270w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/3Col-Moodle-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-extension\/uploads\/sites\/2093\/2023\/02\/3Col-Moodle-198x198.png 198w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/h4>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>On-Your-Own-Schedule Online Course<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><button><a href=\"https:\/\/wsu.co1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_6m4J85r6R3qRyES\"><strong>Register!<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<p><strong>Dates:<\/strong> 9\/18 &#8211; 11\/13<br \/>\n<strong>Duration:<\/strong> 8 weeks<br \/>\n<strong>Time commitment:<\/strong> 3-5 hours per week<br \/>\n<strong>Cost:<\/strong> $25<\/p>\n<p><strong>Details:<\/strong> This course has no scheduled meeting times. The course materials are all provided online via a platform called Moodle. Participants will work through the materials and the learning assignments as they become available within the course according to their own schedules. Participants are expected to contribute to weekly group discussions via the online discussion boards.<\/p>\n<p>Each course module which will contain one or more recorded presentations, a printable summary sheet, and a list of excellent additional resources on the module&#8217;s topic. Each module also includes a short quiz so that you can check your understanding of the material.<\/p>\n<p>Each module also includes a learning assignment where you\u2019ll apply what you\u2019ve learned to your own site. You\u2019ll share your progress on these assignments with your course mates via the online discussion board.<\/p>\n<p>There are limited &#8220;scholarships&#8221; available.\u00a0 If the cost is a barrier to you, please indicate that you would like the fee waived when you register.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn the Essential Principles for Landscape Gardening Success &amp;nbsp; Would you like to grow naturally beautiful landscape? Would you like to know how to nourish healthy soils, how to save water, support pollinators, and reduce&amp;hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":223,"featured_media":0,"parent":15,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"wsuwp_university_location":[],"wsuwp_university_org":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4153"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/223"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4153"}],"version-history":[{"count":108,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6917,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4153\/revisions\/6917"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4153"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_location?post=4153"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_org","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/whatcom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_org?post=4153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}