Taltree Arboretum & Gardens and Purdue University North Central will offer a three-part gardening series this winter. The trio of three-hour classes will cover everything a beginning gardener should know to plan, plant, and care for a garden. All instructors are lifetime gardeners and have completed the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Master Gardener training program. Classes will be held at Purdue North Central-Porter County Campus, 600 Vale Park Road, Valparaiso, IN 46383.

Those who enroll in one or more classes in the series will receive a free admission pass to Taltree Arboretum & Gardens along with a guided tour field experience from 10 a.m. – noon Saturday, April 10, 2010.

Fee for attending the gardening series is $99 per person; $89 for Taltree members, and includes three classes at PNC and a guided tour at Taltree arboretum.

 For more information or to register, call Purdue North Central's office of Continuing Education: 

• PNC-Porter County Registrations
  (219) 462-4197, Ext. 5343
• PNC-Westville Registrations
  (219) 785-5343.

Part One Thursday March 18, 2010 from 6 – 9 p.m.

Learn from a lifetime gardener the details that come into play before removing that first shovelful of earth. Determine where you want your plants to be by learning considerations like site analysis, design and bed preparation. Discover the hows and whys of design and site location based on available sun and moisture, view and ultimate plant size. Uncover the basics of soil fertility, composition and structure; and how plants are affected by sun and wind exposure.

Part Two Thursday, March 25, 2010 from 6 – 9 p.m.

Learn about choosing the best plants for the site you’ve chosen. Selecting the right plants will contribute greatly to your success as a gardener. From trees and shrubs to perennial flowers and plants, fruits, vegetables and bulbs, you will discover the wide array of plants that already have proven themselves in this long-time gardener’s Northwest Indiana landscape.

Part Three Thursday, April 1, 2010 from 6 – 9 p.m.

This instructor knows that a happy plant is a healthy plant. Learn the nuts and bolts of keeping your plants healthy, including a 12-month calendar of to-dos, fertilization, deadheading, tools, pruning, and disease and insect control. Find out how to detect a problem before it gets out of hand, and how best to deal with it.

Part 4 Saturday, April 8, from 10 a.m. - noon

Those who enroll in this course will receive a FREE admission pass to Taltree Arboretum & Gardens along with a field experience guided by the garden experts at Taltree.

Classes are offered through a partnership between Taltree Arboretum & Gardens and Purdue University North Central.