Flowers, Shrubs, and Lawns Senior Project Guide

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Overview

Georgia 4-H Project Achievement empowers young people with skills for a lifetime. Through a competitive process, students explore their interests, unleash their creativity, share their work, and celebrate their achievements! This guide provides 9th—12th graders with examples for getting started with their project exploration.

Overview of Project Achievement Process

1) Choose project
2) Develop skills in leadership and service
3) Prepare portfolio for work completed from January 1 – December 31
4) Prepare presentation
5) Practice
6) Compete
7) Reflect

Description of Flowers, Shrubs, and Lawns Project

4-H’ers may explore the selection, installation, and care of flowers, shrubs, and lawns. Through this project 4-H’ers may:

• Develop an understanding of the scientific principles related to plant growth and their artistic and functional use in the environment and home landscape
• Acquire knowledge and develop skills to plant, grow, maintain, and appreciate flowers, shrubs, and grasses and use them in landscape design
• Identify processes that impact the growth of flowers, shrubs, and lawns
• Determine the appropriate plantings for environmental needs (i.e., sun/ shade, drought tolerant, etc.)
• Learn safe and effective methods of insect control and management
• Explore aspects of ornamental gardening, as well as the therapeutic values of engaging in horticulture
• Acquire an understanding of hand and power tools, equipment, and safety procedures in home garden, nursery, and landscape operations
• Acquire an understanding of the basic principles of landscape design
• Explore career opportunities related to landscape and horticulture

Examples of Project Development Experiences

• Tour an independent garden center or the gardening section of a local store
• Plant and care for flowers, shrubs, lawns, or a terrarium
• Attend a plant seminar or gardening workshop to learn more about plants
• Visit an Extension demonstration garden, public garden, or a local greenhouse
• Interview a local gardener, Extension Agent, Master Gardener Extension
• Volunteer, or a local landscaper to discover opportunities in this field
• Shadow a horticulturalist at the nearest botanical garden, nursery, or horticultural operation

Project Sharing and Helping Examples

• Organize a trip for your 4-H club to go to a botanical garden
• Plan for a speaker to talk about plant care at an upcoming 4-H meeting
• Show younger members how to properly care for a certain plant
• Grow flowers to be given to senior citizens at a nursing home
• Assist senior citizens with caring for their lawn and gardens
• Teach younger 4-H’ers how to create and care for terrariums
• Serve as a teen leader for a city beautification project
• Share what you have learned in the Flowers, Shrubs, and Lawns project with 4-H club members, school classes, and civic clubs
• Enter a Flowers, Shrubs, and Lawns-related mini-booth as an exhibit at a fair
• Mentor a younger 4-H’er in the Flowers, Shrubs, and Lawns project
• Lead a 4-H project club to plant and grow a flower garden, including how to grow transplants
• Volunteer your gardening services to a local non-profit organization
• Lead school students in planting a pizza garden at school

Special Considerations

• Please use best safety practices when handling tools and equipment.
• Be sure to gain land owner permission prior to entering someone else’s property.
• Give plenty of notice for any interview or mentoring requests.
• Contact your local county Extension staff to discuss how you can collaborate and assist with current programming.
• Live animals/insects and weapons are not permitted in the project.
• Consult with your local county Extension staff to determine appropriate project demonstration tools at Project Achievement.

Recommended Resources

Project Achievement – Georgia 4-H
Topic Areas | UGA Cooperative Extension
Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteer Program
State Botanical Garden of Georgia | UGA | Athens, GA
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Botanical Gardens in Atlanta and Gainesville
University of Georgia Trials
Commodity Teams – Extension & Outreach | College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

At Competition

Flowers, Shrubs, and Lawns 4-H projects may use posters, artifacts, biofacts, and/or technology to support their presentation. The time limit for these presentations is 12 minutes. Computers, projectors, screens, and other technological devices may be used.

Prepared by: Keri Hobbs, Sheri Dorn, and Craven Hudson
Reviewed by Jason Estep and Jordan DeRosa