Gardening School is a series of courses designed and accredited by National Garden Clubs to stimulate interest and understanding in the growth of plant material. The series consists of four two-day courses offered approximately six months apart that can be taken in any order. Each course includes 10 hours of instruction (combination of lecture and hands-on) plus time for review and testing. Students who choose to take and pass the exams become Gardening Consultants, certified by National Garden Clubs, Inc. upon competition of the entire series. Consultants are eligible to join the Michigan Consultants Council whose objectives are to protect the environment by stimulating a continuing interest to increase knowledge of horticulture and promote excellence in landscape design.