Steve Ward, owner of S & E Ward's Landscape received his Ornamental Horticulture Degree from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. This degree entails design landscaping and garden arrangements that are sustainable and pleasing to the eye.
Ornamental horticulture is the study of growing, arranging and tending decorative plants and flowers. Studies in ornamental horticulture explore methods for designing plant and flower displays that can be used by golf courses, greenhouses and public or private businesses. Steve incorporates conservation strategies that use native plants to replenish the soil. Being an ornamental horticulturist, Steve is able to plan flowering cycles and match companion plants when designing landscapes. He has obtained a vast knowledge of gardening techniques, plant care, soil chemistry and plant biology.
Colorado Certified Master Gardner
The following is a list of courses that Steve has taken and received his certification.
How Plants Grow
This course teaches you how to use common horticulture terminology and the system of taxonomy and classification, as well as how plant structures and growth processes correlate with common plant disorders. You'll also have the opportunity to practice diagnostic skills for tree identification.
Soils, Fertilizers and Soil Amendments
This course covers characteristics of typical landscape soil; soil organisms and their benefits; and soil, fertilizer, and mulch selection, as well as the management of soil pH, iron chlorosis, and compaction. You'll also learn about the relationship between soil texture, structure, pore space, and tilth; the ins and outs of home composting; and how to take a soil test.
Diagnostics and Pest Management
The Diagnostic Process
This course explores the concepts of Plant Health Care (PHC), including Integrated Pest Management as it applies to the landscape environment; the life cycle of trees; steps in the diagnostic process; and diagnostics of abiotic disorders.
Insects
After this course, you will be able to identify common insects and their relatives according to taxonomic orders and apply appropriate management options.
Plant Diseases
This course covers fungal, bacterial, viral diseases, and abiotic disorders, and teaches you how to identify and manage common landscape/garden diseases.
Weeds
This course defines what a "weed" is from the perspective of the home landscape, including problems they cause and contributing factors; the difference between noxious, native, and invasive weeds; resources available for weed identification; lifecycles and control strategies; and herbicide use and selection.
Trees and Shrubs
Identifying Trees and Shrubs
Upon completion, you will be able to successfully identify common trees and shrubs in the landscape.
Tree Selection and Planting
This course applies Right Plant, Right Place considerations for tree selection and placement, as well as covers steps to tree planting for rapid root establishment and post-planting care.
Pruning
Become an expert in all things tree pruning. Learn how trees grow and how that influences decay; find out the difference between removal cuts, reduction cuts, and heading cuts; discover pros and cons related to the time of year you prune and considerations to take in how much foliage to remove. In addition to pruning techniques and methods for young and mature trees, you'll also cover pruning options for flowering and evergreen shrubs.
Herbaceous Plants
This course provides an overview of selection criteria for various garden situations, teaching you how to interpret plant labels and all the information found there, including life cycle, exposure, irrigation and soil requirements, and drought tolerance. The course also describes methods to create and utilize microclimates.
Lawn Care
The course covers foundational, routine lawn care for cool season turf grass, including mowing; fertilization; irrigation; and thatch, soil, and weed management.
Fruits and Vegetables
Small Fruits
This course offers an understanding of planting, pruning, and general care of raspberries, strawberries, and grapes.
Tree Fruits
This course discusses considerations when planting fruit trees at home, including structural training and annual pruning of apple and peach trees.
Vegetables
You will learn foundational principles for planning a vegetable garden in this course, including planting times, layout design, soil preparation and fertilization, routine care, and frost protection tips.
Water Wise Landscape Design
Discover six steps to landscape design, including why the process is important and water savings involved. This course will cover site analysis regarding how family values play into landscape design; what hydrozoning means for water savings and plant selection; and how to use rectilinear, curvilinear, and angular design styles. You'll finish the course with tips and tricks to mix lines, color, texture, and form with scale, balance, simplicity, variety, emphasis and sequence to create unity and pizzazz in your designs.
Irrigation Management
This course describes issues surrounding Colorado's water situation and Western water rights, covering the maintenance and management of efficient landscape irrigation, as well as how to perform a lawn irrigation check-up.
Michigan Certified Nurseryman
The Michigan Certified Nurseryman specialty has been developed for Green Industry professionals who grow annuals, perennials, shrubs and/or trees in a nursery or greenhouse setting. Topics that are covered by this specialty include:
• Nursery Operations
• Propagation
• Soil Properties and Soil Fertility
• Container Substrates and Nutrition
• Water Quality and Management
• Implementing a Nursery Scouting Program
• Insect Pests of Nursery Plants
• Weed Management
• Plant Disease Management
• Industry Laws and Regulations
• American Standard For Nursery Stock
