About this program

  • Credential Awarded: 1 Year Certificate
  • Campus: Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Code: 0730 P0730
  • Delivery Length: 1 Year
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Overview

Are you interested in turning your green thumb and passion for gardening into a blooming career?

As a Landscape Horticulture Techniques graduate, you are in high demand from a $7-billion industry with a growth rate of 14 per cent per year and a serious shortage of horticulturalists.

Highlights
  • The 125-acre Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake serves as a living lab including Ontario’s largest training greenhouse, newly renovated landscape design studio and computer lab, and a heated landscape workshop.

  • Hands-on experiential learning and pride of work; Niagara College is Ontario’s only college where students are responsible for maintaining the campus landscape.

  • Graduates have the opportunity to earn a co-op diploma in landscape, greenhouse or horticultural fields with an additional year of study. Visit the Pathways tab for details.

Career Opportunities
  • Botanical garden
  • Garden centre
  • Golf course
  • Grounds management and lawn care
  • Irrigation contracting
  • Landscape construction
  • Landscape maintenance
  • Municipal and federal park staff
  • Nursery production
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Courses

Term one (2025 Fall)
Code Course Name Credits
HORT1003 Deciduous Trees and Shrubs 3
HORT1004 Horticulture Practices and Operations 3
HORT1006 Nursery Management 2
HORT1018 Landscape Graphics and Design 3
HORT1007 Plant Science I 3
MATH1100 Mathematics for Horticulture 3
COMM1101 Language and Communications 3
Term two (2026 Winter)
Code Course Name Credits
HORT1008 Evergreen Ornamentals 3
HORT1009 Horticulture Entomology 3
HORT1015 Plant Science II 3
HORT1021 Landscape Design Build 3
HORT1248 Greenhouse Production Science 3
COMM1250 Advanced Communications for Horticulture 2
Elective Information

Completion of additional General Education elective 1 course required

Learning Outcomes Term: 1254
  1. Use safe working practices.

  2. Communicate effectively with clients, co-workers and supervisors.

  3. Apply the principles of plant and soil sciences to horticulture work.

  4. Monitor and maintain turf grass quality.

  5. Utilize knowledge of plant identification, usage and maintenance.

  6. Describe in detail plant storage, transplanting and maintenance.

  7. Use measuring devices and trade calculations.

  8. Prepare a site for landscape installation.

  9. Apply the basic principles of design to horticulture.

  10. Complete basic installation of landscape features.

  11. Implement integrated pest management procedures.

  12. Perform basic maintenance on tools and equipment used in horticulture.

  13. Describe plant production methods and apply plant propagation techniques.

  14. Determine irrigation requirements and methods for a variety of plant material.

  15. Act in a professional manner and describe horticulture career options.

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Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent including the following required course(s):
  • English – any Grade 12 (C) or (U), or equivalent
Recommended Courses and/or Skills:

These courses and skills may help you succeed academically in this program, but they are not required for admission.

  • Biology – Grade 11 (C) or (U) or Grade 12 (U)
  • Chemistry – Grade 11 (U) or Grade 12 (C) or (U)
  • Mathematics – any Grade 12 (C) or (U)
Selection and Ranking

Applications are evaluated based on the published admission requirements. When the applicant provides proof of meeting the requirements, an offer of admission can be issued, provided space is available in the program.

Learn more about admission decisions.

Program Requirements
Physical Fitness
  • Students applying to Environment and Horticulture programs are often required to tolerate physical activity such as walking over uneven terrain, standing, bending, lifting, and carrying equipment.
  • These expectations are reflected in our coursework, and applicants of this program should be highly motivated and have an appropriate level of fitness when entering this program.
Transportation
  • Students are responsible for their own transportation in order to complete program requirements which may not be readily accessible by public transportation.
  • Program requirements could include co-ops, placements, volunteer requirements, practical labs, field projects, assignments, clinicals, or any other off-campus visits required as part of the program’s curriculum.
Computer Requirements

Students are responsible for ensuring that they have a Microsoft Windows-based desktop or laptop that meets or exceeds the following general requirements:

  • A desktop or laptop running on an updated Microsoft Windows operating system (Windows 11 recommended).
  • Minimum 256GB SSD storage and 8 GB memory (note that 16 GB memory is strongly recommended).
  • An integrated or peripheral video camera, microphone, and speaker system.
  • Reliable internet connectivity with Broadband capabilities. A minimum download speed of 10 – 50 Mbps is recommended.

Niagara College may not be able to provide support for systems different than the above specifications as provided software may not operate properly. Academic software for your courses will be made available for download and remote use. Access will also be provided to remote high performance computer labs if software downloads are not feasible.

Note: We do not provide support for Chromebooks or Apple products. (learn more)

Computer/technology requirements may be subject to change without notice.

All costs associated with program requirements are the responsibility of the student.

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Availability

Domestic Applicants Apply
International Applicants Apply
Legendfor intake status table
Open

Accepting applications

Waitlisted

Eligible applications will be placed on a waiting list

Closed

Not accepting applications

Suspended

No longer offered this term

The College reserves the right to cancel or make changes to any course or program, fee, procedure, or campus location at any time.

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Pathways

Explore your pathway options What are pathways? for the Landscape Horticulture Techniques program below.

Did you know?

Applicants with previous postsecondary education will be assessed for transfer credits upon receipt of an official transcript from their previous institution. There is no fee for this service.

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Tuition

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