The classes that Susan Cohan teaches at County College of Morris in New Jersey are part of a two year associate degree in Landscape Design and Planning and a 1 year Landscape Design certificate course.
Landscape design students of Susan Cohan’s at the County College of Morris are getting their final critique in advance of their graduation of the program. Several professionals were invited to critique the students work
“I do not teach the computer applications course where they learn the mechanics of the software, but do insist on using DynaScape Design and Color in Landscape Design and Planning II. My classes are purely about design concepts and the technical aspects of that. For some, it’s like boot camp. Our major projects are all completed using DynaScape with actual field notes and surveys. Sometimes to shorten the process I will simply give them a DynaScape file with the base map and notes already completed. They learn to use DS|Color as a design tool as well as a presentation tool. Their final project is a fairly complex master plan for a back yard with a laundry list of elements they must include. They can include more than that, but at minimum they must have all of the items on the list: fireplace/pit, vegetable garden, pedestrian access, utility area, entertaining area, child’s play area, fenced in for dog, complete planting plan and mood board. It’s a lot! Twelve hours of studio time is dedicated to the project–many more outside of class are put in by some.”
Susan Cohan, APLD is the principal of Susan Cohan Gardens, a boutique design studio which specializes in residential landscape design. She an award winning, nationally certified landscape designer and is well-known in the landscape and design communities for her design work and for her writing about design. Her residential landscapes for private clients and concept gardens are frequently published and have won numerous awards. Susan is a contributing editor to Garden Design, an American voice on the British Thinkingardens, as well writing about gardens and design since 2007 on her own blog Miss Rumphius’ Rules.
Green means more than just the color of plants – it signifies a commitment to conserving our natural resources through sustainable landscape design and management. The new Landscape and Horticultural Technology building, which opened in 2012, furthers this commitment and features a green roof, solar panels and rain water harvesting as well as high tech classrooms to enhance the learning experience. In addition to state-of-the-art facilities, the Landscape and Horticultural Technology Department is well known throughout New Jersey and the tri-state region for the strong relationships the faculty have within the professional horticulture community and for the exceptional quality of its graduates. LHT students have gone on to leadership roles in professional associations at the state, regional, and national level; they own some of the most prestigious companies in the region; and they serve as supervisors and managers in horticulture throughout New Jersey.