Horticulture / Landscaping

What to expect from a career in the Horticulture and Landscaping industry

Looking for a fast-paced competitive industry that requires a creative mind, the ability to work with your hands, solve problems, and apply science to the living world – all within an outdoor work environment? Check out Ontario’s colleges and explore horticulture and landscaping programs to experience an almost limitless choice of career paths, including:

This just scratches the surface of a dynamic industry. Explore the programs in your area of interest and make enrolling in an Ontario college horticulture or landscaping program the next chapter in your story. 

Horticulture and Landscaping Courses

Horticulture and landscaping programs are as dynamic as the industry itself. Some programs will cover a broad base of skills and knowledge, addressing many aspects of the industry, while other programs will specialize on one area of the industry.

Broad-based horticulture programs tend to prepare students for the challenges in the industry by offering classes in plant sciences, soils and hydrology, integrated pest management, plant identification, plant production, and business fundamentals to name a few. 

Landscape broad based programs prepare the students with a knowledge and skills by offering courses such as landscape design, applied horticultural / plant sciences, environmental themes, sustainable trends, equipment maintenance, and other practical theory.

Specialized horticulture and landscaping programs focus on a particular area of the industry, including:

• Greenhouse and Nursery Technician. Greenhouse and nursery technician programs prepare students to work in merchandising and sales / marketing research, or greenhouse and nursery management. Courses include plant science, horticulture entomology, pest management, and more.
• Arboriculture. These programs focus on tree and shrub care, teaching skills like tree climbing safety, tree removal, pest identification and removal, and much more. Graduates of these programs often work to preserve trees and shrubs in communities and urban areas.

Whether it’s a broad based or a specialized program in horticulture and landscaping, the choice is yours and it's a win-win situation as they're all available within Ontario’s colleges. By enrolling in any of Ontario’s horticulture and landscaping programs, you're opening a door and engaging in a $14 billion national industry (Canada), employing over 130,000 workers. What makes this even more exciting, Ontario is home to more than 50% of the horticulture and landscaping industry – talk about endless possibilities along your career path.

General Horticulture and Landscaping Program Requirements

Horticulture and landscaping programs at Ontario colleges typically require an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, with a Grade 12 English credit. Some programs may also require completion of a First Aid course.

Grade 11 or 12 biology and chemistry and grade 12 mathematics are often strongly recommended.

Horticulture and Landscaping Jobs and Salaries

Average salaries in the landscaping and horticulture industries are $41,438 per year. Many landscaping and horticulture technicians leverage their skills, knowledge, and entrepreneurial spirit to launch a business, in which case salary will be determined by the number of clients and the success of the business.

Ontario Colleges Offering Horticulture and Landscaping Programs

Use the left-column navigation to refine your search by College, Program Availability, Program Start Date and more, or see the table below for a complete list of horticulture and landscaping programs at Ontario colleges.

More Information

• Ontario Horticultural Association
• Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association
• Canadian Nursery Landscape Association