12/21/2024 8:44:11 AM	HORT 115.1 Course Outline as of Fall 2016	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  HORT 115.1	Title:  DSGN ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
Full Title:  Designing with Ornamental Grasses
Last Reviewed:12/14/2015

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	1.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		6 max.	Lecture Scheduled	18.00
Minimum	1.00	Lab Scheduled	0		3 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	18.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  36.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 54.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  AG 297.81

Catalog Description:

Course presents effective choices of ornamental grasses for specific landscape varieties of soil, moisture, exposure, and climate, as well as for size, texture, color and garden theme. A field trip will demonstrate extensive application of ornamental grasses in a professionally designed landscape. In-class lectures illustrated with live specimens.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Course presents effective choices of ornamental grasses for specific landscape varieties of soil, moisture, exposure, and climate, as well as for size, texture, color and garden theme. A field lecture will demonstrate extensive application of ornamental grasses in a professionally designed landscape. In-class lectures illustrated with live specimens.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Upon completion of this course, the students will be able to:

1.  Evaluate and select grasses by size, color, texture and growth form for effective design.

2.  Make effective selections of ornamental grasses and grass-like plants for specific landscape situations and conditions.

3.  Create effective plant combinations including grasses.

4.  Identify at least 15 ornamental grasses by foliage or flower characteristics.

Topics and Scope

I.  Grasses as design elements

   A. Texture

   B. Color

   C. Growth forms

       1.  Tufted

       2.  Mounded

       3.  Upright

       4.  Upright divergent

       5.  Upright arching

       6.  Arching

   D. Flower forms

   E. Light

II. Uses of grasses in the landscape

   A. Native plant habitats

   B. Water and bog gardens, wet soils

   C. Containers

   D. Groundcovers and turf substitutes

   E. Erosion control

   F. Color schemes and floral decoration

   G. Accent plantings

   H. Xeriscape

   I. Thematic and special effects

   J. Turf substitutes

   K. Privacy

III. Creating combinations with grasses

   A. Effective plant combinations

   B. Color palettes

   C. Companion plantings

IV. Representative genera

   A. Acorus

   B. Bouteloua

   C. Briza

   D. Calamagrostis

   E. Carex

   F. Cortaderia

   G. Cyperus

   H. Deschampsia

    I.  Elymus

   J.  Equisetum

   K. Festuca

   L. Imperata

   M. Juncus

   N.  Miscanthus

   O. Muhlenbergia

   P. Panicum

   Q. Pennisetum

   R. Phalaris

   S. Scirpus

   T.  Stipa

Assignments:

1.  Sight identify specimens of 10-15 new plants per week.

2.  Write and correctly spell botanical and common names of 10-15 new plants per week.

3. Two quizzes.

4.  Final Report: critique of designed landscape (3-7 pages) that features ornamental grasses.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 40 - 60%
Landscape critique
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 10 - 20%
Plant identification
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 20%
2 quizzes
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 10 - 20%
Attendance and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes. Darke, Rick. Timber Press: 2007 (classic).

Sunset Western Garden Book; Editors of Sunset Books; Oxmoor House: 2012.

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