Studies in Planting Design: Understanding Plants

Catalog description

In this course, students will learn about plants from varied perspectives: organismal, applied/practical, aesthetic, environmental, and evolutionary. Utilizing the plant collection of the Morris Arboretum as a living laboratory and the expertise of arboretum staff, this course will bring students, novices and experts alike, to a better understanding of plants. The backbone of this course focuses on temperate woody plant identification and is integrated with sessions dedicated to the fundamentals of plant form, evolution, reproduction, and propagation. Course assessment will be based on weekly practical assignments and two field exams. IMPORTANT: This course takes place at the Morris Arboretum in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia and students are responsible for transporting themselves to and from the arboretum on their own for class each week.