Gardening Series
A workshop series to guide the home organic gardener’s season, from prep and planning all the way through harvest and soil maintenance.
We'll help you create the garden of your dreams.
Want in-depth guidance on building a successful home garden tailored to Western North Carolina conditions? Turn your gardening vision into reality with the Spring Gardening Series, led by Laura Ruby and hosted by West Asheville’s Peace Gardens & Market.
Gain practical info on garden planting schedules, bed and soil preparation, seed starting, transplanting, and more. Whether you’re a beginning gardener or a seasoned grower honing your skills, we’ll help you grow a garden you’ll love.
We’ll gather for three Saturdays in April, 9 am–12 pm, for hands-on outdoor learning. After submitting your registration details, you may choose any individual session(s) at checkout — one, two, or the full three-part series. Each class is $25.
Class Curriculum & Information
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When: April 4, 2026 from 9 am - 12 pm
Cost: $25
This class will cover the fundamentals of garden planning, including setting priorities, making observations, designing garden layouts, budgeting, and implementing succession planting. Participants will gain insights into selecting what to grow, including perennials and atypical crops. They will learn about the requirements for starting and caring for plants, whether by growing from seed indoors, purchasing transplants, or direct seeding. The course will discuss useful tools and their applications, along with hands-on experience in transplanting. -
When: April 18, 2026 from 9 am - 12 pm
Cost: $25
In this class, participants will dive into soil management. They will explore the principles of healthy soil and learn how to naturally and affordably amend their soil. Discussions will encompass composting, vermicomposting, and various strategies for building a raised bed, clearing space for a new one, or reviving an old garden bed. Everyone should get ready to get their hands in the dirt! -
When: April 25, 2026 from 9 am - 12 pm
Cost: $25
We will cover common garden pests, methods to deter them, and holistic garden planning through the season as the days get longer and hotter. In this participant-led class, we will talk troubleshooting: what have been your issues so far, and what are some ways to fix them? Other subjects include cover cropping, understanding NPK, addressing common garden problems, preserving the harvest, and strategies for maximizing garden space.
Meet the Instructor
Laura has a strong, inborn love of plants and animals. But it wasn’t until she earned her Permaculture Design Certificate in 2002 from Crystal Waters EcoVillage in Australia that she understood how to work with them sustainably through whole systems design. After this experience and graduating from the University of Colorado with an Environmental Science degree, Laura started working with the Growe Foundation, designing and implementing gardens at 14 elementary schools. Through an inspiring curriculum and seeing more and more children eating veggies that they grew at school, she started YummyYards to help families grow food where they live.
YummyYards supports those who want to create and expand their aesthetic and edible gardens. She believes these two types of gardens do not need to be separate. Instead, they can ebb and flow to create a more resilient, productive, and beautiful outdoor living space.
In 2013, she moved to Western North Carolina and immediately started working with other landscapers and nurseries in the Asheville area. From 2015 to 2018, she was the curriculum director at The Roots Foundation. Through the foundation, she worked with teachers in Asheville City Schools, developing multidisciplinary, real-world, project-based learning lessons for grades K-7. She also co-designed many outdoor learning classrooms at the Lucy Herring Elementary School of Ecology.
Laura is creating an educational and inspirational farm, the Ruby Ranch, in Candler, NC.