Course I - Sandy Smith Goes Back to School

SANDY SMITH GOES BACK TO SCHOOL

 

     This adventure really begins 6 years ago when this former city girl and her outdoor loving husband purchased a retirement home with 8 acres of woods.  Our niece invited me to a garden club meeting and the rest follows.

     In my hunger for learning how to add color and beauty to our property, I was buying books on gardening, asking questions of gardeners I met, going to meetings and seminars, and taking lots of notes.  Then I discovered one of the greatest resources available—MGC schools.  The first school I took was Gardening Study School.  I began to put into practice what I was learning, and what do you know, our yard was beginning to bloom and grow. There was still more I wanted to do and to my surprise, Landscape Design School was coming to Ludington.  Hurray!  Hurray! I sent in my reservation for school as well as my motel room.    

     On a bright and sunny afternoon, I drove to Ludington, checked in to the motel, and waited for class to begin. 

      Little did I know how much we needed to learn and could learn in two days.  All the basics of landscape architecture—the language, principles, elements, planning, site plan, resources—were gifted to us with wit and wisdom by two landscape architects, Matthew Bakker and Tim Banfield.  By the end of the day, my head was swimming with knowledge and ideas.  I connected with some new friends and we relaxed with a wonderful dinner, a trip to House of Flavors and a drive by the water.  Then back to our rooms to study.

     The second day - two more gifted instructors were Jim Walker and Bonnie Ion.  The menu of topics included creating our private garden, history of landscape design, designing for the environment and the role of native plants.  After our brief review, we settled down for our test.

     There are other things that were great about the school.  We were pampered with treats for each break.  We enjoyed delicious homemade dishes for our lunches. The school room was large as well as comfortable.  Best of all, all the friends made before and new ones now.

     The schools that we have access to are gifts for those of us who love the land and all that it includes.  Thank you to everyone who makes that available to us. 

 

Sandy Smith