LAND 3410 - PLANTS OF THE SOUTH Professor Maureen C. O’Brien Contact info: 706 254-8685 cell Office Hours: T,TH 3:15-5:00 PM FALL SEMESTER, 2014 Office in Kitchen Building of Founders Memorial Garden (FMG) mcobrien@uga.edu Please call or email for an appointment Class Meeting Times: T, TH 12:30– 3:15 PM and FRI 12:20-1:10 PM Course Description: The course is a study of plant materials of the southern United States that are growing on the UGA campus. It will cover both native and introduced species used in landscape architecture, including trees, shrubs, grasses, vines, herbaceous annual and perennials, and groundcovers. The ornamental attributes, cultural requirements, climatic tolerances, historical origins, and ecological characteristics of plants will be emphasized. In addition, the concept of sustainability and its practice in growing plant materials will be investigated during the outdoor classroom sessions, in lecture, in outside reading, and in a field trip to local nurseries. Course Objectives: Plants are one of the most basic materials in the landscape architect’s design palette. This course will involve the concentrated study of approximately 200 plants. Specific objectives of the course will be: (1) to provide opportunities to observe the seasonal nature of plants in the landscape; (2) to provide opportunities to encounter the plants in as many and varied situations as possible; (3) to study the role of plants as major landscape design materials, providing an in-depth study of plant characteristics as design elements (form, texture, line, color); (4) to provide a basic knowledge of the cultural requirements of the plants studied; (5) to introduce students to common plant communities/associations in the southeastern US; (6) to provide an understanding of how plants are a reflection of a site’s condition and history; and (7) to challenge the students to understand the concept of sustainability and the role it will have in their decisions on plant choices in their future practice. Material presented in class may be supplemented by off-campus field trips. Learning Outcomes and Assessments: 1) After completion, students should be able to identify on site, by both the common and botanical names, approximately 200 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Testing will be done by weekly quizzes, and midterm and final field exams. 2) Students will assemble a compilation (notebook) of the plants studied during the semester in a format designated by the professor at the beginning of the semester. The notebook will include the significant ornamental attributes of each plant, as well as their cultural requirements and native habitat, and a quick sketch of the individual plants. This notebook will serve as a resource for the students in subsequent LAND courses and in their professional career. 3) Students shall demonstrate an understanding of the ornamental attributes, cultural requirements, and design potential of the plants presented in class through assessment on the midterm and final written exams. 4) Students should show an understanding of the definition of the term “sustainability,” and how it can be applied in the growing and specifying of the plant materials learned in this class. Assessment of this will be done on quizzes, and written midterm and final exams. Required Textbook: Southern Plants for Landscape Design by Odenwald and Turner, 4th edition “Land 3420 Supplemental Plants” is available at BelJean’s and should be purchased by 2nd day of class. Supplemental Textbooks: The Southern Living Garden Book, edited by Steve Bender Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael Dirr (available on CD) Dirr’s Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates: An Illustrated Encyclopedia by Michael Dirr Armitage’s Garden Perennials: A Color Encyclopedia, by Allan Armitage Grading System Grades for this course shall be based upon individual performance on the following items: ITEM % OF FINAL GRADE Pop Quizzes 40% Midterm Written Exam 10% Midterm ID Exam 10% Final Written Exam 15% Final ID Quiz 15% Plant Notebook 10% Pop quizzes will be held at irregular intervals during the semester and will not be announced in advance. It is anticipated that nine to eleven quizzes will be held. Class grades will be based upon the eight highest scores of each student on the quizzes. Grade Calculations B+ 87.50 - 89.49 C+ 77.50 - 79.49 D+ 67.50 - 69.49 F less than 59.49 A B C D 90.50 - 100 80.50 - 87.49 70.50 - 77.49 60.50 - 67.49 ABCD- 89.50 - 90.49 79.50 - 80.49 69.50 - 70.49 59.50 - 60.49 IMPORTANT CLASS DATES (Tentative, Subject to Change) August 18 First day of academic semester September 1 Labor Day th September 30 Field trip to local nurseries October 1st Rain date for field trip October 7 Mid-Term ID Exam (10%) (weather dependent, could be switched with Oct 9th) October 9 Mid-Term Written Exam (10%) (see above) October 23 Withdrawal Deadline - Mid-point of semester October 31 Fall Break December 2 December 4 December 9 December 10 December 11 Final ID Exam (15%) Rain date for Final ID Exam Final Plant Notebook due at 3 pm (10%) Last day of class for LAND 3410 Last Day of Friday Classes - no class scheduled for LAND 3410 Reading Day Final Written Exam for Thursday classes– 12:00-3:00 PM (15%) CLASS POLICY It is the University's stated policy that students are expected to attend classes regularly, and that students who incur an excessive number of absences may be withdrawn from the class at the discretion of the professor. Daily attendance will not be taken for this class, however, experience indicates that class attendance and participation are directly reflected in quiz and exam scores. Quizzes will not be repeated. Exams may be made up with prior notification to and consent of the professor. Students will be allowed to make-up scheduled exams due to acute health problems or family emergencies with prior notification to and consent of the instructor. The instructor will not consider any pleas for extra credit or grade changes. If you do not agree with the grade you earned during the semester, you have the option of filing a grade appeal with the College of Environment + Design in the main office. Thank you for your cooperation with the rules of this class. I look forward to a great semester for both of us. Students who know or suspect that they have any type of learning disability must inform the instructor of such disability in writing before the third class meeting. The instructor will work with the University Counseling and Testing Center to accommodate the needs of such students. Without such notification, no special accommodations will be considered at any later date. Students with documented learning disabilities are served by Disabilities Services in Clark Howell Hall (542-7721).