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Horticulture Practitioner Program (HPP)

Course Instructor:

 


Donna Zarudny

Are you looking to turn your green thumb into a career? Or are you already working the industry but looking to expand your knowledge to advance your career? The Horticulture Practitioner Program (HPP) will equip you for working as a Horticulturalist, from basic plant identification to bed design to creating purchase orders. 

 

This is a self taught course - theory will be completed online, and there will be a quiz every Monday for each section. This format will allow you to work through the course materials at your own pace, without having to take an extended period of time off work.

This course is broken into three levels. Each level of this course is 3 weeks in length. 

Horticulture Practitioner Program (HPP) Level 1 :

  • Plant ID 1

  • Hand Tools

  • Small Engines 

  • Personal Protective Equipment

  • Legislation (OH&S, Book 7 etc...)

  • Turf - Mowing Skills

  • Soil Types

  • Plant Health Care

  • Cultural Practices/Bed Maintenance

  • Pruning Basics

  • Public Relations/Team Dynamics/Image Training

  • Customer Service

  • Union Expectations

Horticulture Practitioner Program (HPP) Level 2 :

  • Plant ID 2

  • Design Basics

  • Display Installation & Maintenance

  • Irrigation

  • Soil Amendments 

  • Fertilizer

  • Advanced Pruning

  • Attend 

  • Intro to Greenhouses

  • Leadership Skills


Prerequisite: 

  • Completed HPP Level 1

Horticulture Practitioner Program (HPP) Level 3 

  • Botany
  • Turf

  • Greenhouse Operations

  • Production & Propagation

  • Advanced Display Design

  • Interior plantcaping, green roofs, ponds etc…

  • Xeriscaping

  • Trade Calculations

  • Purchasing, ordering tendering materials

  • Computer programs & Record keeping

  • Basic Project Management

  • Managing Staff, HR Skills, Leadership Skills


Prerequisite: 

  • Completed HPP Level 2


Upcoming events

    • 26 Feb 2025
    • 27 Feb 2025
    • 2 sessions
    • Zoom - Online
    • 29
    Register

    Horticultural Therapy Workshop now being offered as TWO Half Day Sessions!!

    Mutual Support: The Bridging of Horticultural Therapy and Green Spaces to Build Communal Health

    “I cultivate my garden and my garden cultivates me”- Robert Breault

    Urban green spaces are vital to the physical and mental health of communities. For municipal employees in parks, recreation, urban forestry, and conservation authorities, understanding the therapeutic potential of horticulture and green spaces can support enhancement of communal well-being while addressing multi-faceted health challenges of today. 

    This two-part, interactive workshop delves into the principles and practices of Horticultural Therapy (HT), a purposeful approach to using plants and nature-related activities to achieve goals that promote well-being for participants.

    This workshop is for professionals seeking to elevate their understanding to improving individual and community health through nature-based solutions. Be prepared to broaden your perspective about the spaces you manage and the lives they impact. 

    Topics that will be covered include: 

    • The fundamentals of Horticultural Therapy

    • Current research supporting the therapeutic application of horticulture

    • Relevancy to pressing issues of today

    • Applications for green professions to support human health and well-being.

                                                                                                                                   

    Instructor Bio:

    Guinevere Kern is a Registered Horticultural Therapist with extensive experience in integrating nature-based therapies into health and community settings. Her accomplishments include: 

    • Designing and implementing therapeutic gardening programs for mental health and long-term care facilities. 

    • Providing nature therapy services for individuals recovering from motor vehicle accidents and other trauma. 

    • Completing a 1,000-hour Horticultural Therapy Internship specializing in therapeutic gardening and community development. 

    • Conducting research in native wildflowers and ornamental plants at the University of Guelph’s Department of Plant Agriculture. 

    • Working in diverse horticulture settings, including nurseries, greenhouses, landscaping, and organic agriculture across Canada and the United States. 

    As a passionate educator and advocate for green wellness, Guinevere brings a transdisciplinary perspective to equipping professionals to deepen their understanding of the healing potential of green spaces. 

    Note: This course is now provided in two half-day online seminar's.

    Course Date's: February 26, February 27, 2025

    Course Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 

    If you would like to register for this exciting new workshop, please click here

    • 03 Mar 2025
    • 24 Mar 2025
    • Online-Zoom
    Register

    OPA is happy to announce we are running the Horticulture Practitioner Program again this year. We are happy to welcome our new instructor John Howard! Level 1 of this program will offer a new experience for OPA training, taking place over three weeks of self-guided learning, allowing attendees to work at their own pace through content covering the following topics: 


    Week 1

    1. Legislation

    2. Tools

    3. Soil Science

    4. Plant Health Care

    Week 2

    1. Workplace Hazards and Safety Practices

    2. Small Engines

    3. Bed Preparation

    4. Pruning 1

    Week 3

    1. Public Relations

    2. Mowing Turf

    3. Planting Trees and Shrubs

    4. Plant Identification 1

     

    This course will have quizzes every Monday and Q&A session presented online on the afternoons of March 10th, March 17th, and March 24th with our instructor providing answers to any questions that attendees may have during each 1 week period. 

    Our goal with our 3-Level Horticulture Practitioner Program is to provide valuable information for those looking to get into the field of Horticulture that will take them from newcomer to job-ready.  This program also aims to provide career advancement for those in the Horticulture field through attaining the OPA Horticulture Practitioner designation as a valuable resume asset. Each level will cover new topics or provide more depth to existing concepts, creating a strong foundation for those looking to build a career in the field of Horticulture.

    Levels 2 & 3 of our Horticulture Practitioner Program will be running in May 2025 and July 2025. We're looking forward to providing you with new and exciting opportunities to expand your career and enrich your knowledge!

    Click Here to Register
    • 05 May 2025
    • 26 May 2025
    • Online-Zoom
    Register

    Level 2 of this program will offer a new experience for OPA training, taking place over three weeks of self-guided learning, allowing attendees to work at their own pace through content covering the following topics: 


    Week 1

    • Plant ID 2

    • Design Basics

    • Display Installation & Maintenance

    • Irrigation

    Week 2
    • Soil Amendments 

    • Fertilizer

    • Advanced Pruning

    Week 3
    • Attend 

    • Intro to Greenhouses

    • Leadership Skills


    Prerequisite: 

    • Completed HPP Level 1


     

    This course will have quizzes every Monday and Q&A session presented online on the afternoons of May 12th,  May 19th, and May 26th with our instructor providing answers to any questions that attendees may have during each 1 week period. 

    Our goal with our 3-Level Horticulture Practitioner Program is to provide valuable information for those looking to get into the field of Horticulture that will take them from newcomer to job-ready.  This program also aims to provide career advancement for those in the Horticulture field through attaining the OPA Horticulture Practitioner designation as a valuable resume asset. Each level will cover new topics or provide more depth to existing concepts, creating a strong foundation for those looking to build a career in the field of Horticulture.

    Level 3 of our Horticulture Practitioner Program will be running in July 2025. We're looking forward to providing you with new and exciting opportunities to expand your career and enrich your knowledge!

    Click Here to Register
    • 07 Jul 2025
    • 28 Jul 2025
    • Online-Zoom
    Register

    Level 3 of this program will offer a new experience for OPA training, taking place over three weeks of self-guided learning, allowing attendees to work at their own pace through content covering the following topics: 


         Week 1

      • Botany
      • Turf

      • Greenhouse Operations

      • Production & Propagation

      Week 2
      • Advanced Display Design

      • Interior plantcaping, green roofs, ponds etc…

      • Xeriscaping

      • Trade Calculations

      Week 3
      • Purchasing, ordering tendering materials

      • Computer programs & Record keeping

      • Basic Project Management

      • Managing Staff, HR Skills, Leadership Skills

    Prerequisite: 

    • Completed HPP Level 2

    This course will have quizzes every Monday and Q&A session presented online on the afternoons of July 14th,  July 21st, and July 28th with our instructor providing answers to any questions that attendees may have during each 1 week period. 

    Our goal with our 3-Level Horticulture Practitioner Program is to provide valuable information for those looking to get into the field of Horticulture that will take them from newcomer to job-ready.  This program also aims to provide career advancement for those in the Horticulture field through attaining the OPA Horticulture Practitioner designation as a valuable resume asset. Each level will cover new topics or provide more depth to existing concepts, creating a strong foundation for those looking to build a career in the field of Horticulture.

    Click Here to Register

For more information on hosting or attending, please send an email referencing the course title to training@ontarioparksassociation.ca

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