Outstanding Plants for the Home Landscape

Bryce Lane, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Emeritus and Lecturer Emeritus, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University

Mondays, July 14 through August 18, 2025 – 6:30 pm–8:30 pm

Register (In-person Participants) Register (Online Participants)
Monday Nights | In-Person + Zoom | Recordings Provided

Ready to take your garden to the next level? Whether you're planting a new bed or refreshing an old one, this 6-week course is designed to expand your knowledge of the best landscape plants for home gardens. Join us for a fun, informative journey through the many types of plants that can elevate your outdoor spaces — from vibrant annuals to beautifully flowering trees, and everything in between.

Eucomis inflorescence with a bumblebee

Each week, we’ll focus on a different category of outstanding garden plants. You’ll learn how to choose the right plant for the right place, with expert guidance on selection criteria, soil preferences, sun and shade requirements, and seasonal interest. From shade-tolerant perennials to colorful sun-loving blooms, this course is packed with useful information for every level of gardener.

What You'll Learn:
  • How to evaluate and select plants based on your garden’s unique conditions
  • Top-performing plants in each group—what they are and why they shine
  • How to work with exposure, soil type, and climate to ensure plant success
  • Design strategies that combine beauty and functionality in the home landscape
Why Attend?
  • Hybrid Flexibility: Join in person at the JC Raulston Arboretum or from the comfort of home via Zoom.
  • Access Anytime: All sessions will be recorded and shared weekly with all registered participants.
  • Expert-Led Instruction: Learn from an experienced instructor with practical, real-world knowledge to help you transform your garden.
  • Garden-Changing Insights: Discover standout plants that perform well in home gardens — and why they deserve a spot in yours.

Perfect for home gardeners of all skill levels, this course will give you the tools to make informed plant choices and create a thriving, beautiful garden. Don't miss this opportunity to grow your plant knowledge and landscape confidence — register today!

Tentative Schedule:
  • Annual Bedding Plants and Tender Perennials
  • Shade-Tolerant Perennials
  • Colorful Sun Perennials
  • Bulbs, Corms, and Tubers (Geophytes)
  • Flowering Shrubs and Small to Medium Shrubs
  • Ornamental Trees + Wrap-Up and Review

About Bryce Lane

Bryce has been teaching students, home gardeners and garden professionals for over 40 years. Many may know Bryce from his UNC TV public television show called "In the Garden With Bryce Lane" which was on the air for 11 seasons and won three Emmys. Others may know him as a student from his time in the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University.

Bryce Lane

Growing up in Western Massachusetts, Bryce discovered his passion for plants and telling others about them while 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 where he taught in the two-year and four-year programs, majors and non-majors, served as the undergraduate coordinator and even the interim director of the JC Raulston Arboretum.

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. Most importantly, he has been married for over 45 years to his high school sweetheart, has two happily married daughters, and six incredible grandchildren. He is an avid gardener who has gardened in the same spot for more than 40 years with many stories, advice and passion to share with other gardeners regardless of their experience!

Cost
$250.00 for JCRA Members, $300.00 for nonmembers. Note to nonmembers: instead of paying $50.00 more for the program, become a JCRA Member for $50.00 instead.
Registration

Advance registration is required. Registration is available for in-person, on-site attendance or online attendance.

Registration is considered complete when payment is received. You will receive a confirmation receipt from notify@cashnet.com when registered.

Cancellation
Program cancellations can be made up to two weeks before the program's start date. No refunds will be made after this time. A 15% cancellation fee applies.
Location
Online and in person at the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 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 the JCRA Education Team at jcraprograms@ncsu.edu for more information about this program.