Gardening Trainer Course
August 29, 2026 (Saturday)
9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
If you’d like to start teaching others but aren’t sure where to begin, this training is for you. It is designed for anyone who wants to teach the basics of gardening in a calm, practical way—without overwhelming participants with too much information. Throughout the course, you’ll learn how to guide a group, explain complex topics in a clear and accessible manner, and create your own hands-on workshop activities. A key part of the training is also building your confidence as a facilitator.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to teach gardening fundamentals to beginners, understand the seasonal rhythm of the garden, and independently design practical gardening workshops. You’ll also develop your training and facilitation skills. If you’re involved in running a community garden, this course will further strengthen your leadership abilities, helping you build an engaged community around the garden, motivate volunteers, and initiate local activities.
The training will be led by Katarzyna Wysocka, an experienced gardener and educator, who will prepare you to run workshops and courses for beginner gardeners.
The training price includes
A course that combines three areas
9:00 AM – 5:30 PM, Saturday in the garden
| 09:00–09:30 | Opening and Competence Check-In We get to know the group, participants’ experience, and their goals. We set the ground rules for working together and identify the challenges people bring when they want to start teaching gardening. |
| 09:30–10:30 | The Psychology of a Beginner Gardener We talk about what beginners fear — the struggles our potential course participants may face: fear of failure, mistakes, too much information, or feeling they “don’t have a green thumb.” We learn how to strengthen motivation and guide beginner gardeners so they don’t lose their enthusiasm. |
| 10:30–10:45 | break |
| 10:45–11:45 | Core Gardening Knowledge for Trainers We cover the key topics every trainer should be able to explain, such as soil, compost, bed planning, sowing, and more. We take an in-depth look at these processes and see how they fit into the seasonal calendar. We also discuss the most common mistakes made by beginners. |
| 11:45–13:45 | How to Teach Gardening Simply and Effectively We work on the language we use during training sessions and explore good practices: how to create clear instructions and use effective teaching methods, such as “show — do together — hand over to participants.” Then we put it into practice: each person prepares a short explanation of a chosen gardening task and receives feedback. |
| 13:45–14:15 | lunch break |
| 14:15–15:00 | Public Speaking and Trainer Presence In a safe, supportive atmosphere, we practice speaking style, pace, contact with the group, asking questions, and building authority without stiffness. We focus on practical situations that come up during workshops. |
| 15:00–16:00 | Group Facilitation and Difficult Situations We focus on specific examples: a person who dominates the conversation, a participant afraid to ask questions, chaos in the group, off-topic questions, lateness, and complaining. We consider how to respond calmly and professionally, and learn good communication practices. |
| 16:00–16:15 | break |
| 16:15–17:15 | Designing Your Own Workshop To check what we’ve learned and bring everything together, each person creates a plan for a short workshop called “Your First Garden Without Stress.” The planning covers key areas: the goal, main topics, practical exercises, materials, and how to close the session. |
| 17:15–17:30 | Summary At the end of the day, we leave time for reflection: we gather the key takeaways and identify which new insights can be put into practice right away. Participants receive a certificate of completion at the end. |
After the training, you will know
This training is for you if...
This is NOT for you if...
Quick Self-Assessment: Is This Training for You?
If you answer “yes” to at least two of the questions below, this training is a great fit for you:
- Would you like to teach others the basics of gardening?
- Are you planning to lead workshops, classes, or educational sessions?
- Are you involved in a community garden, school, NGO, cultural center, or local initiative?
- Would you like to receive a ready-to-use workshop plan and teaching materials?
- Are you looking for hands-on practice rather than just theory?
Katarzyna Wysocka
Horticultural engineer, green space designer, and educator with over 25 years of experience. She specializes in designing productive gardens and foodscaping - spaces where edible plants become a fully integrated part of the composition. She combines expertise in horticulture, landscape architecture, and ecology to create gardens that are beautiful, functional, and resilient to climate change.
She designs private gardens, residential green spaces, and educational environments. In her work, she prioritizes native plant species, water retention, support for pollinators, and the creation of resilient, self-sustaining ecosystems. Since 2016, she has worked with Kraków’s municipal green space teams. She holds SITO-NOT certification as a green space supervision inspector and leads practical training courses on establishing productive gardens.
