Botany for Gardeners
Bryce Lane, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Emeritus and Lecturer Emeritus, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University
Mondays, January 22 through March 5, 2018 – 6:30 pm–8:30 pm
The craft of gardening requires knowledge and skills in both the art and science of growing plants. The scientific principles behind how we grow all kinds of plants are built on the foundation of botany. As gardeners, when we study basic botanical principles, and apply them to our own gardening practices, we get more flowers, fruits, foliage, wildlife, beauty, and fulfillment. In this class, we will learn the basic botanical principles that are relevant to our gardening endeavors. We will talk about how plants are classified and named, how they are put together, how they grow and develop, and how they reproduce. All for the purpose of changing the way we choose, use, and care for them in all our garden spaces.
Tentative Syllabus
January 22 – Welcome & Introduction, Plant classification: categories and names
January 29 – How plants are organized and named (taxonomy and nomenclature continued)
February 5 – How plants are put together (plant anatomy and morphology)
February 12 – How plants grow (primary and secondary growth)
February 19 – Earth Wind and Fire: Holistic plant growth (absorption, translocation, photosynthesis, transpiration and respiration), Light, water, nutrition etc.
February 26 – Holistic plant growth continued
March 5 – How plants make more of themselves (reproduction)
About Bryce Lane
Bryce grew up in Western Massachusetts, where he discovered his passion for plants and telling others about them, working at a local garden center through high school and college. After earning his B.S. in plant science from the University of Massachusetts in 1979 and an M.S. in horticulture from The Ohio State University in 1981, he came to the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University as a lecturer, teaching in both the two-year and four-year programs. He taught plant identification at NC State for 18 years. In 1987, he became the undergraduate coordinator, serving the department in that capacity for 26 years. Bryce taught both large and small courses, for majors and non-majors. In the past 30+ years, he has taught more than 20,000 students. He has received numerous local, regional, and national teaching awards and is frequently invited to speak at many workshops and symposia, about teaching as well as horticulture and gardening. He hosted and produced a three-time, Emmy winning UNC TV public television show called "In the Garden With Bryce Lane" which was on the air for 11 seasons. Most importantly, he has been married for 37 years to his high school sweetheart, has two happily married daughters, and six incredible grandchildren.
Bryce retired from NC State in January 2014, and is now spending more time with his family, pursuing the next chapter in his public speaking career, and teaching part time at NC State and the JC Raulston Arboretum. He served as interim director of the JC Raulston Arboretum from July through November 2014. He is an avid gardener who has gardened in the same spot for more than 30 years!
- Cost
- $175.00 for members, $225.00 for nonmembers. Note to nonmembers: instead of paying $50.00 more for the program, become a member for $50.00 instead.
- Registration
- Advance registration is required. Please register online using our registration e-store. Registration is limited to 24 people and is considered complete when payment is received.
- Cancellation
- Program cancellations can be made up to two weeks before the program's start date. A 15% cancellation fee applies.
- Location
- JC Raulston Arboretum, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, NC 27606.
- Directions
- Need directions? Click here.
- Parking
- Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.
- Questions
- Contact Chris Glenn at (919) 513-7005 or chris_glenn@ncsu.edu for more information about this event.