FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: January 9, 2012
Contact: Ivy Weston, Public Services Librarian
Phone: (310) 458-8624
E-mail: ivy.weston@smgov.net
Santa Monica, California — Santa Monica Public Library and the Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment present the Green Garden Academy, the official school of sustainable gardening! This 12-part monthly series of classes is for Santa Monica gardeners who want to grow a beautiful, worry-free garden that will last for years. Each class will walk participants through a different topic to help make their gardens a huge success and the envy of their neighbors.
Classes are taught by Russell Ackerman, ecological landscape designer and water resource conservation expert, and will be held one Saturday each month, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm in the Multipurpose Room at the Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. (The December 8 graduation ceremony is held in the Main Library’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium.)
Participants can earn up to 34 total class units; 17 units are needed to graduate. Join in this fun and informative series at any time! No registration is required.
January 21 - Introduction to Sustainable Landscape Design and the Green Garden Academy
Learn about the City of Santa Monica’s sustainable landscape design program, the Green Garden Academy. We’ll cover the basic principles of sustainable landscaping, and get you on the road to a beautiful garden. Also learn about local landscape and irrigation requirements, rebates, and grant programs. (4 units)
February 11 - Lawn Be Gone, Part I
Learn tips for safe lawn removal, how to choose plants to replace lawn, and the best plants for parkways. (3 units)
March 17 - Compost Workshop
Learn the ins and outs of compost, and how to build a worry-free compost pile. Discover easy soil-building techniques by finding out what soil you have and how to improve it. (3 units)
April 14 - Plant Palette: Mediterranean Plants
Think you can only plant California natives to be sustainable? Think again! Learn to choose climate-appropriate plants from the Mediterranean plant palette that offer a variety of colors, textures, and fragrance. (3 units)
May 12 - Edible Landscaping
Learn how to incorporate edibles into your garden, including the use of raised vegetable beds and planters. Discover special planting tips to maximize your yield. (2 units)
June 23 - “No Sweat” Garden Maintenance Tips
A green garden requires 60% less maintenance. Find out the secrets to reducing your garden chores and increasing your garden enjoyment. Learn how and when to prune your plants, how to select a mulch, how to handle pests, and when to add compost. (3 units)
July 21 - Water-Wise Irrigation
Learn how and when to water your plants, including how to program your controller. Discover the basics of water-wise irrigation, and find out about irrigation systems – including drip irrigation, subsurface irrigation, and rotary spray heads – that meet local requirements. You’ll also learn about the vital interaction between plants, soil, and water. (4 units)
August 18 - Lawn Be Gone, Part II
Building on Lawn Be Gone, Part I, Part II continues the exploration of lawn alternatives. Then we’ll take a tour of local gardens with successful conversions to lawn alternatives, and meet the homeowners and their garden designers. Meet at the Main Library. (3 units)
September 15 - Bird and Butterfly Gardens
Learn to create a beautiful habitat for attracting birds, butterflies, and “good bugs.” Also find out how you can reduce your maintenance and chemical use in the garden. Discover the secrets of building a healthy soil and ultimately, a healthy garden. (3 units)
October 13 - Plant Palette: Native Plants
Learn to choose climate-appropriate plants from our California native plant palette that offer a variety of colors, textures, and fragrance. A must for the native garden enthusiast! (4 units)
November 10 - Overview of Sustainable Landscape Design
Apply the principles of sustainable landscaping to your next garden design, learn to draw a map for a beautiful garden, and discover the secrets to a simple, effective irrigation plan. (2 units)
December 8 - Green Garden Academy Graduation
Green Thumbs-Up Award Ceremony: Receive your diploma and a “Commitment to Sustainability” award.
For advanced-level gardeners and landscapers focused on sustainability, there’s the Green Garden Honor Academy. The first class will be held Saturday, February 11, from 2-3 p.m. at the Main Library. Discuss upcoming Citywide projects for designing, installing and maintaining sustainable landscapes in our own community, set up a schedule of events, and begin coordinating “Green Garden” activities. The Green Garden Honor Academy will meet three more times in 2012, about once per quarter (dates and topics to be announced).
More information about Green Garden Academy can be obtained by visiting www.sustainablesm.org/landscape or calling (310) 458-8972.
Admission is free, and seating is first come, first served. The Santa Monica Public Library is wheelchair-accessible. For special disabled services, call Library Administration at (310) 458-8606 at least one week prior to event. The Main Library is served by Big Blue Bus routes 1, 7 and 10. Ride your bike. Bicycle parking racks are available at the library.
For more information about this and other Library programs, visit www.smpl.org or call the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600.
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