Horticulture, Desert Landscaping & Gardening Classes | DBG

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Sharing Our Desert Landscape Expertise With the World

Desert Landscape School (DLS) is a signature program at Desert Botanical Garden, offering professionals, homeowners and gardeners access to 83 years of desert know how by our horticulture staff through classes, videos, publications and online experiences.

  • Personalize It! Create your own personal learning experience. Choose the content you want to engage with and learn. The learning focuses on your needs whether you want to move through at your own pace or advance quickly – the choice is up to you.
  • Dive In! Join the DLS Hub for exclusive content and resources at your disposal along with access to the DLS community.
  • Earn It! Earn confidence and peace of mind for making decisions and caring for a desert landscape. Earn certificates, credentials and digital badges with certain content.

Plant | Educate | Sustain

Learn Garden horticulturists and landscape architects

DLS HUB

Create an account to receive exclusive access to complimentary Growing Guides, How-To Videos, and keep up with the latest gardening news, and micro classes. Checkout the DLS Hub. 

practice your newly acquired knowledge through practical

Short Courses

Reduce your landscape water needs through this series of short courses. Topics include drip irrigation, water harvesting and fundamentals of desert gardening.  Learn techniques and best practices to achieve a beautiful low-water desert landscape. Earn a digital badge upon completion of each course.

Earn credibility

Certificate Courses

In-depth courses designed to gain knowledge, build skills and acquire tools for success in desert landscaping. Earn a certificate upon completion of each course. Upon completion of all six certificates, you will earn a DLS Credential.

DLS Catalog

Visit the DLS catalog for onsite and online course descriptions and schedules.

Already a garden member and want to receive the pricing discount? The Garden’s member helpline is here to assist. Call 480.941.3517 to receive the membership promo coupon before you checkout with your shopping cart items.

Not an Arizona resident and still want to receive the member discount? Become a member of the Garden and use your membership to visit over 300+ Gardens and Arboreta across the country through the AHS reciprocal program. View or find a reciprocal botanical garden near you.

For international students, please contact us at dls@dbg.org for pricing.

CERTIFICATE Courses

These in-depth courses are designed for professionals, homeowners and gardeners to gain knowledge, build skills and acquire tools for success in desert landscaping. Earn a certificate upon completion of each course. Courses are offered onsite and online. Upon completion of all six certificates, the learner will earn a Desert Landscape School Credential.

DESERT ECOLOGY AND PLANT BIOLOGY
DESERT ECOLOGY
AND PLANT BIOLOGY

Landscaping is a science. Explore concepts of plant structures and functions and how they relate to your landscape care and management.

Available onsite only.

Desert Plant Palette
Desert Plant Palette

Plant identification is key to landscape design and care. Learn to identify 75 desert plants along with their cultural requirements for success. 

Available onsite and online.

Maintenance
Planting and Maintenance

Best practices are a must. Learn the techniques staff use for planting, pruning and diagnostics in a desert landscape.

Available onsite and online.

Irrigation
Sustainable Desert Landscapes

Deserts are uniques environments. Develop your irrigation, water harvesting and soil skills to create a landscape that will thrive in a desert.

Available onsite and online.

Desert Design
Desert Design

Create a full residential landscape design learning techniques to take you from concept to a finalized master plan.
Sustainable Desert Landscapes and Desert Plant Palette are required prerequisites.

Available onsite only.

Planting and Maintenance
Desert Landscape Installation

Apply your new horticulture skills by installing a residential landscape with your teammates at one of our partnering organizations.
Sustainable Desert Landscapes and Planting and Maintenance are required prerequisites.

Available onsite only.

Desert Landscape School Book

Desert Landscape Guide

Learn how to select, install and maintain plants in a desert landscape. Filled with best practices, illustrations and instructions, this guide translates plant science into practical advice, making it perfect for landscape professionals, homeowners and gardeners.

Desert Landscape School Frequently Asked Questions

What is Desert Landscape School?

Desert Landscape School is a signature credentialing program at Desert Botanical Garden. It offers professionals, homeowners and gardeners an opportunity to learn from experts about all aspects of desert landscaping and earn a credential upon completion.

Where are classes held?

With only a few exceptions, onsite classes are held at Desert Botanical Garden with limited courses available online.

How do I earn Desert Landscape School credential?

Desert Landscape School offers six different certificate programs, upon successfully completing all six Desert Landscape School certificates.

How long does it take to complete a certificate?

Most of our onsite certificate programs consist of 20 hours of instruction and participants can complete it in 11-12 weeks after enrollment. Online sessions have open enrollment and can be completed at your pace within a six month window.

What is the difference between short courses and certificate courses?

Short courses are designed to give the learner specific content for relevant topics. Learners will receive a digital badge upon completion of each short course.

When are classes held?

Most onsite classes are scheduled on weekends or weekday evenings to accommodate working professionals. Online course sessions have open enrollment with six months to complete your registered course.

What are the requirements to achieve a certificate?

Students who wish to receive a certificate upon completion of each program must meet the attendance requirement and reach or surpass the minimum score set for the program’s assessment exam.

Do the online certificate courses still count towards a DLS credential?

Yes, you can take a hybrid of onsite and online DLS certificate courses that will all count towards completing your credential.

How many times a year is each certificate program offered?

Each onsite certificate program is usually offered twice a year.

How much does the program cost?

Onsite classes are $320 for members and $400 for general public. Online classes are $264 for members and $330 for general public. For more information click here.

How do I register for each certificate program?

Onsite classes are $320 for members and $400 for general public. Online classes are $264 for members and $330 for general public. Short courses are $120 for members and $150 for general public

For more information, click here.

Which certificate is right for me?

The description for each certificate is a good resource for deciding if the program will meet your needs. If you have further questions about the curriculum, please contact dls@dbg.org.

Will there be more online courses to take?

Yes, the School will continually evaluate and build content for online engagement.

 
ADVANCE TICKET RESERVATIONS ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR MEMBERS AND GENERAL PUBLIC.
March 22 The Garden will close at 3 p.m., last admission 1:30 p.m.