SASKATOON — The USask Campus to Creation student garden made its inaugural debut at Gardenscape 2025.
“Experiential learning enhances not only students’ comprehension but also their self-confidence,” said Jessa Hughes, a horticulture lecturer in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources (AgBio) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
“Students are more engaged and excited to learn when they can apply concepts in practical ways. Creating a beautiful design is one thing but bringing it to life is a far more enriching experience.”
Hughes is the instructor for the PLSC 435.3 Landscape Design course. The project-based course examines the intersection of art and science in landscape design, with a strong focus on experiential learning.
“While fourth-year horticulture students are well-versed in scientific aspects, many are encountering art and design for the first time in this course,” said Hughes.
The final project for the course was a large indoor landscape design at Gardenscape 2025. Gardenscape is an annual horticulture, gardening and outdoor living tradeshow held in Saskatoon. Thirteen Horticulture Science students participated, with each student being assigned part of the landscape to design.
“By working together to design the landscape and create a cohesive flow, our class was able to think outside the box and bring a beautiful vision to life,” said Brooke Bedard, a Horticulture Science student. “Gardening provides a hands-on way to learn about science, from plant structures and soil composition to the role of ecosystems.”
“What surprised me most about this project was how much the final design changed from the original plan,” said Bedard. “Some constraints along the way meant we had to adjust, especially when ordering plants, since some plants were out of stock and substitutions were necessary. Seeing the final result come together was a rewarding experience that highlighted the value of teamwork and creative problem solving.”
