2021 Horticulture Internship Placements
Emily Allen
Rising Senior Horticulture Student
Rock Cobble Farm
South Kent, Connecticut
My name is Emily Allen and I went to South Kent, Connecticut this summer to work at Rock Cobble Farm, a 1000 acre private estate in the valley of the Rock Cobble Mount. I worked closely with many professional horticulturalists, landscapers, and estate managers in order to maintain several private and intimate gardens and a herd of Randall cattle, the rarest breed in North America. Among these professionals, I worked alongside two Certified Arborists and used tree climbing gear and lifts in order to trim the Tilia cordata that had been hand sheared using nonelectrical tools to form 30-foot hedges around a private pool. Attached is an image of me getting ready to shape the trees as per the request of the estate owners. This experience was extremely fulfilling and educational and I am grateful to have had this opportunity.
Olivia Campbell
Rising Senior, Horticulture
One Floral Group
Gaffney, South Carolina
My name is Olivia Campbell, and I had the opportunity to intern at One Floral, a greenhouse in Gaffney, South Carolina. I have learned a lot about plants, maintenance of the greenhouse and mindfulness. I also have been picking up a little bit of Spanish! Each week there are certain tasks that need to be completed such as soil testing (of pH and EC), collecting tissue samples to be sent for testing at Waypoint Analytics, checking sulfur pots, and counting bugs on sticky cards. In this picture, I am counting thrips, aphids, fungus gnats, whiteflies, and shore flies. This determines the chemical sprays we do for the week and helps us understand where our threshold is. I have loved getting to see all the different types of bugs and learning so much about them! I have loved working at One Floral. Everyone is so nice and has lots of wise knowledge they are willing to share.
Tristen Clark
Rising Senior, Horticulture
The Hemp Mine
Fairplay, South Carolina
My name is Tristen Clark, and I am a senior Horticulture major at Clemson University. This past summer I worked at Wade Farm, part of the Hemp Mine, because I wanted to get a better understanding of hemp field production. On the farm, I helped plant the fields, prepare field experiments, and maintain the rows. I had a great time working on this internship because I learned a lot about hemp production. It really helped prepare me for the field I want to join. I would recommend working here.
Jarred Cook
Rising Senior, Horticulture
The Hemp Mine
Fairplay, South Carolina
My name is Jarred Cook and I am a senior horticulture student at Clemson University. I was blessed with the opportunity to work for The Hemp Mine located in Fair Play, SC. I worked at two farms as well as the main facility while at the internship. At Isbell Farm, I would be assigned to take cuttings from mother plants, spray pesticides/fungicides such as Yara and Suffolix, set up and maintain the drip irrigation throughout the greenhouses, prepare customer orders for pickup or delivery, perform experiments relating to plants/recording the data, and I spot watered each of the greenhouses when need be. At Wade Farm, I would be assigned to plant cuttings either by using the industrial planter or by hand, weedwacking/bushogging between plant rows, using the tractor to mow or spray in between plant rows, and spot-checking the plants for any weeds or problems with the drip irrigation system. At the main facility, I would package customer orders and maintain the plants within the grow room. My experience at The Hemp Mine was irreplaceable. Not only did I learn a plentiful amount of information, but I also made new connections with people who treat me like family. The experience brought out my love even more for growing plants and being outdoors with nature. The internship improved my social and problem-solving skills. I would recommend The Hemp Mine to anyone looking to work hard with a great group of people as well as learn a good amount of information about a great plant.
Andrew Crawford
Rising Senior Horticulture Major
Hidden Ponds Nursery
Awendaw, SC
My name is Andrew Crawford and I am a rising senior horticulture major at Clemson University. This summer I worked at a place called Hidden Ponds Nursery in Awendaw, South Carolina. Hidden Ponds is a nursery that caters to the weekend gardener as well as to landscape companies buying hundreds of plants at a time. This was a great business to work for to get more experience in the retail horticulture field as well as the manual labor field. This summer I learned how to fix irrigation drip lines, drive a tractor, install trees and shrubs, care for plants, amend the soil, identify different pests and diseases, and treat pests with beneficial insects and chemicals. Working at Hidden Ponds was a great experience that built my confidence in caring for countless species. I enjoyed my summer at Hidden Ponds and recommend it to others looking for an internship as long as they do not mind hard work and the Lowcountry heat.
Victoria Eastergard
Junior Horticulture major
Faust Laboratory, Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina
My name is Victoria Eastergard and I am a junior at Clemson University. This past summer, I was honored to intern in the Faust Lab at Clemson. I spent my time assisting both graduate and doctoral students with their projects. One of the things I learned this summer was how to prepare hemp, chrysanthemums, gerberas, petunias, roses and poinsettias for treatments and, in some cases, even administer those treatments. I also worked in the lab making agar and filling many Petri dishes and copying both bacteria and fungi. I learned the importance of a clean greenhouse and I spent quite a bit of time harvesting and processing hemp to be sent to the lab for analysis. I also harvested chrysanthemum and hemp cuttings for sticking and, when the cuttings rooted, potted them up, then up again as they grew. I was exposed to the many different types of work it takes to move through a graduate degree which I found to be extremely interesting. My internship has given me an appreciation for the hard work that goes into advanced studies and has piqued my interest in possibly seeking a masters or even doctoral degree in the future. I am grateful for the time I was able to spend this summer with all of the students in Dr. Faust’s lab.
Mary Featherstone
Rising Junior, Horticulture, Business Administration Minor
Highlands Botanical Garden
Highlands, North Carolina
My name is Mary Featherstone, and I am a junior Horticulture major from Greenville, South Carolina. I spent my summer living and working as a Garden Assistant at the Highlands Botanical Garden. This was my first experience working in a public horticulture setting, and it was so fun to learn technical skills while also expanding my knowledge of the area’s local flora and fauna. My duties consisted of weeding, pruning, planting, watering beds, trail maintenance, plant rescue and rehabilitation, working weekly with volunteers on various projects, leading virtual and physical tours of the garden to guests, working with data from the station’s Hemlock treatments, restructuring garden beds to improve accessibility and aesthetics, and generally caring for the nearly 500 native plant species on site. This Botanical Garden is part of the Highlands Biological Station, a leading research facility that focuses on the rich biodiversity of the southern Appalachians. Through the Biological Station, I was able to participate in bird banding, fish surveying, exploring the area’s local microclimates, and improving my woodworking skills! Working somewhere that has been at the forefront of native plant preservation for nearly 60 years has given me a perspective on how to plant mindfully and intentionally to promote environmental stewardship, which is something I will keep in mind during my studies at Clemson this year.
Paul Geary
Rising Senior, Horticulture
The Greenery, Inc.
Hilton Head Island, SC
My name is Paul Geary and I am a senior Horticulture major at Clemson University. This past summer I had the opportunity to intern at The Greenery, Inc. at its headquarters in Hilton Head Island, SC and its locations in the surrounding low country. The Greenery is a large, employee-owned landscaping company that provides a variety of residential and commercial services. My internship allowed me to visit many of the company’s branches in Hilton Head, Beaufort, Sun City, Palmetto Bluff, Hardeeville and Savannah. I worked with and shadowed managers, crews and crew leaders, landscape designers, business developers, chemical technicians, irrigation technicians, garden center workers, and office employees. The experience exposed me to many different career fields in the landscape industry. I had a blast learning so many different things and making friends along the way. I would highly recommend The Greenery internship for anyone looking to gain a better understanding of the industry.
Noah Harper
Rising senior
South Carolina Botanical Gardens
Clemson, SC
My name is Noah Harper, I decided to have my internship experience at the South Carolina Botanical Gardens Plant Nursery. I managed inventory, added stock, and managed the many weed problems at the nursery. The experience was amazing, I wish I was smiling in my picture to better represent that. I learned a lot and improved my craft dramatically. This was a very valuable experience that helped me work on myself. Everyone at the gardens was an absolute pleasure to work with.
Benjamin B Kiester
Senior, Horticulture
Greenleaf Nursery
Tarboro, NC
Hello, my name is Benjamin B Kiester. This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern for Greenleaf Nursery in Tarboro, NC. Greenleaf is one of the biggest wholesale suppliers of plants on the East Coast. It is such an extensive facility that every week, I was able to do something new. I took cuttings, stuck cuttings, transplanted cells into pots, sheered, scouted for problems, weeded, spaced pots, filled pots with media, loaded plants on trucks, made sales, tagged plants, counted plants, and met many great people in the greenhouse throughout the summer. It was shocking to see that many plants were grown on such a large scale. They sold over half a million hydrangeas last year! I had a great opportunity and would recommend it to another person unless they were afraid of a little hard work.
Molly McKay
Rising Horticulture Senior
Pleasant View Gardens
Loudon, New Hampshire
My name is Molly McKay and I am a senior horticulture major, at Clemson University. This summer, I had the privilege to intern at Pleasant View Gardens. Located in the small town of Loudon, New Hampshire, this location is the home of Proven Winners, the number one plant brand on the market. I worked in the research and development department, helping to design and plant the annual Proven Winners display garden. This garden showcases the plants that have gone through various research trials and are new to the market in the upcoming year. My daily tasks in the garden and the greenhouses involved cutting, weeding, planting, fertilizing, and organizing. I had an amazing time, and will be leaving with new knowledge and pride, knowing how the gardens turned out. This experience broadened my view of public horticulture and the industry as a whole. It is definitely a humbling experience to work for such a beautiful, and highly known location, so I would recommend this internship to others.
Erin McMullen
Rising Senior in Horticulture
The Hemp Mine
Fair Play, South Carolina
I started this internship after my first year here at Clemson University. Previously, I attended Midlands Technical College to earn my Associate in Science degree and took a gap year to decide what I was passionate about. During that gap year, I traveled around the country and worked on various farms where I discovered my passion for farming and plants. This internship stood out to me because I would be able to be back in a farming environment, but in a different specialization and format. The Hemp Mine consists of both a farm and production facility location, both of which I worked and learned at. At the farm, I helped with the season set-up as well as with taking cuttings, field planting, watering, and maintenance. At the production facility, I worked in the experimental grow room and produced and packaged products to be sold. I could not have chosen a better experience for my internship. I learned so much about running a company, the intricacies of hemp production, and teamwork with my other co-workers who I now call friends.
Rhett Merritt
Rising 5th Year, Horticulture
Summerhill Landscaping
Southampton, New York
My name is Rhett Merritt and I am a rising 5th-year student majoring in Horticulture at Clemson University. Over the summer, I worked for Summerhill Landscaping in Southampton, New York, installing landscapes for residential clients. Our company would perform final, precision grades; and install trees, shrubs, flowers, sod, landscape lighting and irrigation. My specific job included installing smaller shrubs and perennials, as well as making sure all the new plants had enough water until irrigation was installed. I had a great time working for Summerhill and learned a lot of very valuable things that I will use throughout my landscaping future. I also learned a lot about different ways to run a company and good work methods when it comes to creating smooth operations. I would definitely recommend going up to Southampton and working for Summerhill. It was truly amazing and something I will cherish for a long time!
M. Skye Mowery
Rising junior Horticulture major
Godley’s Garden Center
Salisbury, N.C.
My name is Skye Mowery and I am a junior Horticulture major at Clemson University. This summer I worked at Godley’s Garden Center and Nursery in Salisbury, NC. I chose to intern at a garden center and nursery because I want to someday open my own cut-flower production business with my mom. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to expand my overall knowledge of plants, plant care, and business operations. At the garden center, I worked at fertilizing, watering, weeding, and pruning. I also helped customers pick out plants for different areas of their yard that would be best suited for that environment. I loved doing this internship because it helped me to become more creative with landscaping as well as develop additional plant care skills. I can use the knowledge I have learned in the future when I help a friend out with landscaping, or when I have my own garden or business and I am able to properly care for my plants.
Lauren Skyler Murray
Rising senior, Major in Horticulture/ Minor in Crop & Environmental Science & Animal & Veterinary Science
Biltmore Estate Asheville, NC
My name is Lauren Murray and I am a senior Horticulture student who had the privilege of an amazing internship experience this summer at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Biltmore is located in downtown Asheville and has the vision of being self-sustainable. They grow the fresh fruits and vegetables that are used in the restaurants on the estate; and raise the livestock that is consumed there as well. I was able to be involved in all processes of this business while working as an intern. This involved sowing seeds, caring for plants, harvesting plants, taking care of animals, updating animal records, and informing the public of practices that are used at Biltmore. I had an extraordinary experience this summer and am so glad that I had an amazing opportunity to be an intern at Biltmore. It was amazing to see how much information you use from class on a job like this.
Briana Naumuk
Rising Senior, Horticulture with Agribusiness minor
Piedmont Physic Garden
Union, SC
My name is Briana Naumuk, and I am a rising senior horticulture major with an agribusiness minor. I worked at the Piedmont Physic Garden over the summer to expand my knowledge of public horticulture and how public gardens operate. While at the garden, I worked on maintaining the garden through pruning, deadheading, weeding, and planting. In addition, I wrote articles to be published in the local paper and on the blog as well as organized weekly open houses. I learned a lot from this internship in a short period of time. I enjoyed being able to work closely with the community and feel like I had become an integral part of it by the time I was finished.
Noah Ownbey
Rising Senior, Horticulture
Yellowstone Landscape
Charleston, South Carolina
My name is Noah Ownbey and I’m a senior Horticulture major at Clemson University. This summer I had the opportunity to intern with Yellowstone Landscape in Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston is just one of Yellowstone’s many locations, 53 branches to be exact. The focus of my internship was in the chemical and irrigation divisions. I learned about countless different chemicals and fertilizers, as well as their uses. I also got to enhance my problem-solving skills when it comes to irrigation. Even though I was placed in specific divisions, I got to spend some time learning landscape construction, arbor care, management, and business development. Interning with Yellowstone Landscape was an outstanding experience, and I am so grateful for everything that I learned. I was fortunate to expand my knowledge of the industry from every angle and I would recommend this top-tier company to anyone interested in commercial landscaping.
Alejandro Ruiz
Rising senior, Horticulture major
Musser Fruit Research Center of Clemson University
Seneca, South Carolina
My name is Alejandro Ruiz and I am a rising senior Horticulture major at Clemson University. This past summer I was able to do my internship at the Musser Fruit Research Center of Clemson University, to gain more knowledge in fruit production. While working there, I had many tasks such as: picking peaches, taking leaf samples, spreading fertilizer, retrieving soil samples, grafting, mowing grass, repotting young peach trees, disease identification and many more. Through these tasks I gained overall knowledge of basic and complex components of what is needed to have success in fruit production. I enjoyed this internship and everything that I learned while working here. I would strongly recommend this internship to anybody who is interested in research within fruit production.
Caroline Shanahan
Rising Senior, Horticulture
Fieldstone Flowers, Liberty, SC and
Petal Pickers Flower Co, Greenville, SC
My name in Caroline Shanahan and I am a rising senior Horticulture major at Clemson University. This past summer I worked at Fieldstone Flowers and Petal Pickers Flower Co to expand my knowledge of flowers and the industries that produce and sell flowers. At the farms, I worked on propagating, planting, harvesting, watering, weeding, and maintaining the fields and tunnels the flowers were grown in. I also learned how to make, package, and ship bouquets of flowers across the country. I learned how the industry works and what it takes to keep a flower farm running. I was able to explore the horticultural and business side of the industry. I loved this internship because I was able to learn a lot and be creative while at work. I would recommend working at both beautiful farms!
Sam Shrier
Senior Horticulture Major and Biology Minor
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Boston, Massachusetts
Hi, my name is Sam Shrier and I am a senior Horticulture major at Clemson University. I’ve spent this past summer working in Boston at the Arnold Arboretum as one of two horticulture interns. During my time at Clemson, I have focused mainly on greenhouse production of annual flowering plants. I wanted to find an internship in a separate field under the umbrella of horticulture and was lucky enough to land a spot here at the Arnold. The Arboretum mainly focuses on the care for woody plants and trees rather than the herbaceous plants I was more accustomed to. This internship has mainly consisted of plant collection and landscape maintenance along with classes and semi-local trips scattered about in the schedule. It is better to think of the Arnold Arboretum as a museum of plants rather than just a landscape. Each plant is carefully curated with its provenance, method of propagation and more. The plants are sectioned throughout the landscape in sections with other closely related plants and each section is referred to as a ‘collection’. My day-to-day tasks generally involved working with woody plants and ranged from pruning, hand-weeding, weed-whacking, mulching and more. The work has been very physically intense, but I have really loved my time here seeing another side of horticulture. The landscape is breathtaking, and the crew has been so friendly and helpful. I highly recommend applying for this position.
Courtney Tharp
Rising Senior, Horticulture major and Sustainability minor
The Land Institute
Salina, Kansas
My name is Courtney Tharp and I am a senior Horticulture major with a minor in Sustainability at Clemson University. Over the summer, I had the opportunity to participate in an internship at The Land Institute (TLI) in Salina, Kansas. I chose this internship in order to gain hands-on experience in field crop agriculture, and because TLI is a leading research organization in sustainable agriculture that is working to perennialize grain crops. On any given day, I could be found harvesting or weeding in a wheat field, rating plant disease in a greenhouse, hammering in soil cores for nitrogen sampling, or taking pollinator observation data. I am grateful for my time here because it gave me a much more robust understanding of the hard work that goes into conducting research. I am inspired by the trailblazing scientists that work here, and I feel reassured that the future of agriculture is bright due to the many people fighting for sustainability.
