Exotic, captivating, and seductive, orchids have long fascinated plant lovers. They first attracted the attention of Westerners in the 17th century, when explorers brought back samples from South America and Asia. By the mid-1800s, orchid collecting had reached a fever pitch, not unlike that of the Dutch tulip craze of the 1630s, with rich (and…

Current trends in park maintenance are overviewed, including maintenance impact statements, avoidance of cost through efficient use and national resource conservation, horticultural accomplishments that influence maintenance management, and vandalism prevention. (CB)

Special educators and horticultural staff in rural Cherokee County, Alabama, collaborated on a curriculum guide intended to promote independent functioning at the job entry level. The guide, which covers such areas as work related skills, adapted equipment, and sales, has been used by mildly handicapped and nonhandicapped students as well. (CL)

The development of a core curriculum for secondary horticulture that New Hampshire teachers would actually use required grass-roots teacher input, independent and team writing, and feedback from employers and postsecondary instructors who would ultimately be affected by the new curriculum. (SK)

For the construction of its newest school in Quebec (Canada), the Grandes-Seigneuries School Board, which has long been noted for its energy efficiency approach, wanted to set itself an especially challenging project which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions to close to zero. From an architectural standpoint, a series of simple methods, well…

Describes a program in vegetable gardening developed by Purdue University specialists in horticulture and computer technology. This computer program offers residents of Indiana individual garden plans based on their own specifications. (CT)

The Cherokee County (Alabama) horticulture training program provides 40 mildly mentally retarded adolescents with vocational training in a marketable skills. The broad spectrum of vocational skills makes horticulture ideal for the handicapped. (DB)

At the start of each school year at Oil City Elementary Magnet School in Oil City, Louisiana, eager students ask, "What's our theme this year?" This curiosity comes from their expectations that they will study a different environmental concept each year. Kindergarten classes learn to "Be a Friend to the Earth," followed by life…

A Clemson University introductory landscape design class collaborated with South Carolina Botanical Gardens (SCBG) staff and coordinators of Sprouting Wings to design an exploratory Children's Garden within the SCBG. Service learning provides students with invaluable real-world experiences solving problems and interacting with clients while…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that campus and urban landscaping has important connections to biodiversity conservation, perceptions of natural heritage, sense-of-place, ecological literacy and the role of campus landscapes in the larger community. It also aims to show how campus landscapes express values and perform as a…

Based on a survey of 710 randomly selected persons from the Pinellas County (St. Petersburg area), Florida, Cooperative Extension mailing list, 54 of 566 respondents (9.5 percent) were willing to volunteer part of their time to assist the local Extension education program. Most respondents indicated home economics and horticulture as the main…

Forestry, horticulture, conservation, craftsmanship, hard work, and civic responsibility are the lessons for Lunenburg (Massachusetts) High School students. Project Greenthumb has allowed for more occupational training at the school as well as for more effective programs for students who were not succeeding in the standard high school program. (CT)

Describes a business-school partnership involving gifted students in the design and cultivation of a medicinal garden. Students studied the uses of native plants for medicine, food, shelter, clothing, and landscaping, and developed portfolios and presentations through their work on the community garden site and an outdoor classroom. (PB)

Discussion of sustainable communities, or sustainable development, focuses on the ethical role of information in fostering sustainable environmental development. Topics include background information, developments in information technology, permaculture in the area of horticulture and information ethics, information ethics models, hardware…

In order to promote the understanding of plants, nurture imagination, and provide a place for the enrichment and delight of children, the Michigan 4-H Children's Garden on the campus of Michigan State University has over 50 theme areas for children to experience. History, purpose, and projects are briefly described. (SAS)