According to the U.S. Labor Department, a faster-than-average growth in the area of landscape development is expected due to an increase in new construction and a growing commitment to environmental planning and historic preservation.

Employment opportunities exist in golf courses and lawn management, landscape design and sales, arborculture, plant propagation and nursery management, floriculture and greenhouse management, integrated pest management, garden center management, applied research, and education.

The Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Ornamental Horticulture-Landscape is designed for students who enjoy working with nature to preserve plants and improve the environment. Ornamental horticulture enhances our living environment and merges the natural ecology of the land with the preservation and development of ecologically sound landscapes. Involved are culture and production of ornamental plants, development of landscape plans, and preservation of shrubs, trees, turfgrasses, and ornamental foliage plants from pests. Blending the beauty of nature with sound scientific methods is the approach of the Ornamental Horticulture-Landscape Development Degree at Finger Lakes Community College.

Students earning this degree learn to protect and develop the environment as an outdoor "livingscape" by determining what composition of plant life will not only survive, but will benefit the environment. The A.A.S. Ornamental Horticulture-Landscape Development degree is also environmentally-based and prepares students in the areas of turfgrass management, arboretum management, applied plant science research, plant health care, landscape design and sales, tree care, plant preservation and garden center management. Graduates can start their own business in horticulture or landscaping, work for established firms and agencies, or transfer directly to 4-year institutions.

FLCC's Ornamental Horticulture Program is widely respected for its emphasis on quality. Our instructors are experts in the field and are often called upon for consultation and assistance by agencies locally and nationally.

Our small class size allows for individual attention enabling you to uncover your talents and develop strong skills.

A one-year certificate program in Ornamental Horticulture is offered if you are currently employed in the horticulture-landscape-plant protection field and wish to further your training or if you have a general interest in flowers and plants and wish to grow ornamental plants to landscape your own property.

In addition, the College offers honors courses that provide enhanced educational experiences for students who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability. Enrollment in honors courses is open to qualified students enrolled in this degree program as well as all other qualified FLCC students. Successful completion of honors courses or an Honors Certificate may increase student transfer options to four-year
institutions.

The unique beauty of the Finger Lakes Region is part of the "outdoor classroom" in this degree program. We use as part of our training the world-renowned New York State Agriculture Experiment Station in Geneva and Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua.

Extensive field experiences include trips to the Experiment Station for plant research and field technical training; Sonnenberg Gardens for plant materials, identification and design of trees, shrubs, perennials, and ground covers; the Royal Botanical Gardens of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada which yield the finest in arboretum education and plant collections; many field trips with small classes to area gardens and landscapes for plant, insect, and plant-health specimen diagnosis.

Trips to the Niagara Horticulture Institute, Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, Letchworth State Park, and the Cornell University Plantations are also a feature of this program.

You will also attend the New York State Turf and Grounds Conference, the Rochester Flower and Garden Show, Regional Integrated Pest Management conferences, and the Genesee/Finger Lakes Horticulture Education Days.

Internships at locations such as the Experiment Station, Genesee Mumford Museum, and Kodak Inc. enhance your experience at Finger Lakes.

Graduates of the Horticulture program are prepared for employment opportunities in golf courses and lawn management, landscape design and sales, arborculture, plant propagation and nursery management, floriculture and greenhouse management, plant health care, insect management, arboretum managers, garden center management, and field research in the applied plant sciences.

Those graduates who transfer pursue degrees in landscape architecture, plant pathology, forestry, environmental studies, biology, horticulture sciences, entomology, and turf management at such four-year institutions as Cornell, Syracuse, Penn State, Colorado State, and Purdue Universities, Universities of Texas, New Zealand, California, and Georgia, SUNY Colleges at Brockport and Geneseo, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute.*

* This is a sampling of some of the four-year colleges and universities to which our students have transferred. Please consult your advisor or the Center for Advisement and Personal Development for a complete listing of transfer agreements between Finger Lakes Community College and four-year institutions.

Scholarships available to horticulture students meeting specific criteria include the New York State Nursery and Landscape Association Scholarship, New York State Lawn Care Association Scholarship, Turfgrass Association and Arborist Scholarships,the Genesee Finger Lakes Nurserymen Scholarship, FLCC Conservation/Horticulture Faculty Scholarship, and the Collins Scholarship. For details, contact a member of the horticulture faculty or the Financial Aid Office.