The living legacy of founders Pierre S. and Alice du Pont, Longwood Gardens a long history of public educational programs initiated by Mr. du Pont himself. When the Gardens transformed from private estate into a world-renowned horticultural display in 1956, that focus on education stayed strong with the introduction of the first classes and lectures offered to the public—and that focus remains today as part of our mission. Over the last 70 years, our educational programs have served tens of thousands of passionate learners, adapting to meet the evolving needs of those who look to Longwood for information, inspiration, and joy. Our Certificates of Merit, serving thousands of both amateur and professional students, have been a significant part of this history—our Certificate of Merit in Ornamental Horticulture was available to learners for nearly 50 years, our Certificate of Merit in Floral Design for more than 30 years, and our Certificate of Merit in Landscape Design has enjoyed incredible success for the last 17 years. With the debut of Longwood Reimagined in fall 2024—which includes the opening of our state-of-the-art learning Studios in The Grove—the time to evolve and reimagine our Certificate programs is now. With that, we’re proud to introduce our new Gardening Certificate and our newly-evolved Floral Design Certificate and Landscape Design Certificate—designed with you in mind.
The bright and new Studios in the Grove are designed for Continuing Education students to engage in onsite learning. We have been proudly holding classes in floral design, creative arts, culinary arts, horticulture & gardening, and more in these fantastic spaces since October 2024. Photo by William Hill.
The evolution of our Certificate programs has been an informed process, keeping our students and their needs in mind. Over the past few years, we have studied the history of these programs, gathered student and instructor feedback, and consulted with professionals and industry experts both internal and external to Longwood, all to create these streamlined, comprehensive, and engaging learning programs we are so excited to now offer.
Historically, our Floral Design Certificate program placed an emphasis on the art and theory of floral design, and this focus is preserved in our new curriculum. The core content has been reorganized into a series of eight diverse courses—from Decorative Floral Design to Introduction to Color Theory in Floral Design to Grand-Scale Design. All students begin with Floral Design Foundations—a two-week course offered multiple times throughout each year—which will provide them with the essential tools and vocabulary they need to succeed. Afterward, they are free to continue with any course in the curriculum, providing unprecedented flexibility. At the end of their studies, students complete a written and practical exam to demonstrate their mastery of the content before being awarded their Certificates.
The Floral Design Certificate is perfect for lovers of floral design to professionals looking to level up their skills and grow in the world of floral design. Photo by Meghan Newberry.
The Certificate of Merit in Ornamental Horticulture has been reimagined as the Gardening Certificate to meet the changing interests of our students, many of whom discovered gardening during the pandemic and are seeking new ways to grow their knowledge. From garden planning, to tools, mulching, pruning, watering, and more, this program provides aspiring green thumbs with all the essential skills they need to start or continue their gardening journey. Students also learn to identify pests and diseases and get “into the weeds” on growing vegetables, herbs, and a variety of the most common landscape plants. Students have a wide variety of choices to continue their education with electives that dive deeper into subjects like hardy bulbs, annuals, flowering trees, groundcovers, and beyond. Learners leave with a rich understanding of not only what they’re growing, but how to grow it, and will be set up for success for years to come.
While learning in the classroom, in the Gardens, and in their own backyards, students gain a well-rounded understanding of the basics of planning your garden, to soil science, to planting, pruning, mulching, and more. Photo by William Hill.
Our evolved Landscape Design Certificate grows from our previous Certificate of Merit in Landscape Design, which was our most recently established Certificate program. The Certificate of Merit in Landscape Design had seen incredible growth over the past ten years and served as the program with the most student enrollments. Students across the entire spectrum from amateurs to professionals have found value in this curriculum, and we are excited to bring these learners a series of smaller but no-less-exciting changes in 2025. With our newly-evolved Landscape Design Certificate program, several courses have been renamed to communicate their content more clearly, but the excellent content itself will remain the same. We are also introducing a new core course, Horticulture for Landscape Designers, to replace the prior requirement that students complete a series of plant identification courses. This change streamlines the registration process and ensures that all students pursuing the Certificate receive the same excellent foundational knowledge in key landscape plants and their use.
For hobbyists to landscape design professionals, students gain the design and drawing skills they need to create exquisite landscapes in the backyard and beyond. Photo by William Hill.
Across all three programs, our reworkings and curriculum developments are made with our learners in mind. We are continually challenged and inspired by the passion and dedication of our students and are excited to offer what we feel is an entire suite of excellent new offerings and opportunities. More information, including complete curricula and schedules of upcoming offerings, can be found here, and registration for these new programs is open now! We look forward to seeing you in class soon.
