Landscape Horticulture
CENTER for SUSTAINABILITY AND GLOBAL CHANGE
Landscape Horticulture Majors are into “green” in the truest sense of the word. They are all about plants and how to help them thrive in healthy and productive ways that are in tune with both the natural world and the man-made world of continuous change that occurs in cities, towns, and rural communities on all continents.
Landscape Horticulturists are the kind of people who see trees, shrubs, flowers and crops as more than just edible products or pretty props. They firmly believe plants and people are meant to blend and flourish together. They have a mind for Ecology and a passion for planning and design.
Is this you?
Could you study root systems all day long? Do you like climbing and swinging from trees? Dirt under your fingernails? Can you imagine your household, community, or entire town growing all the food it needs to feed itself? Do you firmly believe that the way we change and shape our natural surroundings should be done carefully, respectfully and responsibly with an eye toward lasting success? Are sustainable solutions—meaning solutions that are designed to work today and well into the future—important to you?
If yes, a Landscape Horticulture Major is for you.
What you’ll study
Landscape Horticulture integrates the study of plant science, ecological and social systems, sustainability and landscape design. Over the course of four years, you will develop the necessary knowledge and skills needed to bring plant life into harmony with human, animal, and physical components of the environment.
In addition to core biology, ecology and chemistry courses, your studies will also include:
- Arboriculture
- Environmental Plant Physiology
- Landscape Design
- Plant Diseases and Insects
- Soil Fertility
- Sustainable Landscape Horticulture
What you’ll do
Your projects may include:
Freshman year: Restoring lakeside vegetation to create a safe and sustainable buffer
Sophomore year: Seeding a meadow to enhance plant, insect, and bird bio-diversity
Junior year: Evaluating the failure potential of trees to reduce hazard
Senior year: Designing an entire streetscape for a local town through drawing stage
Who will teach you
You will encounter and interact with many talented instructors and mentors at Unity College.
Here are a few faces you can expect to see if you major in Landscape Horticulture:
“My work is to help people realize a partnership with nature.”
-Doug Fox, Professor of Landscape Horticulture
“Awareness and appreciation of the environment, combined with knowledge and understanding, will lead to responsible stewardship and informed decision makers.”
-Tom Mullin, Associate Professor of Parks, Recreation, and Ecotourism
“It pretty much makes my year when I see a student first appreciate the beauty and ecological importance of a fungus.”
-Alysa Remsburg, Assistant Professor of Conservation Biology
Where your major can take you
Landscape Horticulture graduates typically enter these types of jobs and careers:
• Arborist
• Environmental Consultant
• Landscape Designer
• Landscaper
• Permaculturist