CLSTHNA026 - Urban Gardening
With the increasing popularity of fresh, local, “farm to table” foods and a return to living in the core of many cities, there is a growing interest in urban gardening. Urban gardens have long played an important role in nourishing city dwellers and enhancing communities from the victory gardens of World War II to the plots springing up in yards, empty lots and on rooftops today. Master naturalist Glenn Olsen provides a comprehensive overview of urban gardening in the Houston region with tips on starting and sustaining your own city garden. Houston gardeners may enjoy abundant produce and flowers at least nine months of the year, with proper plant selection. We cover garden design, soil preparation, plant selection, attracting pollinating birds, bees and butterflies, and more. Includes a visit to The Betty and Jacob Friedman Holistic Garden on Rice’s campus.
You may also be interested in the course The Art of Observation: Seeing and Sketching With a Naturalist, with Dr. Cin-Ty Lee, Wednesdays, March 20–April 24, 2024.
Course Details
Glenn Olsen, B.A., serves on the board of the Houston Audubon Society and is past president of the Native Plant Society of Texas, where he cofounded the Wildscapes program. He has taught classes for the Houston Botanic Garden, Mercer Arboretum, Houston Audubon, the Texas Master Naturalist Program, the Katy Prairie Conservancy, and other gardening and nature organizations. Mr. Olsen has completed the Master Gardener Program and the Texas Master Naturalist Program. He is the owner of GO Birding Ecotours and GO Native Landscaping, a company that specializes in creating habitat gardens for birds, butterflies and pollinators. Mr. Olsen grew up on a small, organic family farm.
On Campus
This course will be delivered on campus / in person. Parking and room information will be sent prior to the class start date.
- Garden design tips and techniques
- Organic soil preparation, the key to a productive garden
- Organic composting and mulching
- Vegetables, herbs and fruit trees that grow organically in Houston
- Attracting pollinators for improved vegetable and fruit yield
- Garden maintenance tips and techniques
The Garden Club of Houston
Campus garden exploration session will involve about one mile or less of walking.