Practical Experience

Students participate in several areas of horticulture

• Conservatory Display

  
  

  Gain insight into the distinct practice of gardening under glass through hands-on involvement in the day-to-day process of installing and maintaining indoor displays and collections. Work with world-renown indoor displays of more than 1,000 different seasonal crops and 5,000 permanent taxa, in one of the nation’s largest conservatories.

  
  

• Greenhouse Production

  
  

  Learn about the systems and horticultural skills needed to manage a state-of-the-art container production greenhouse. Longwood’s nursery production greenhouse, opened in December 2020 and accommodates a variety of plant materials, growing methods, and environments.

  
  

• Conservation Horticulture

  
  

  At Longwood, research combines long-term vision with short-term problem solving. Our diverse portfolio includes both breeding and research endeavors. Explore ecological practices involved in operating horticultural research laboratories, greenhouse facilities, and outdoor trial beds.

  
  

• Integrated Pest Management

  
  

  Learn plant health diagnostic skills such as proper pest scouting and identification techniques and the recognition of common plant disease/pest infestation symptoms on plants.

  
  

• Land Stewardship & Ecology

  
  

  Immersed in both the practice of land stewardship and the science of ecology, learn from varied experiences that range from restoration of native plant communities and scientific data collection to GIS mapping and invasive species management.

  
  

• Woody Nursery Production

  
  

  Learn propagation, potting, labeling, record-keeping, pruning, and transplanting techniques through involvement with the day-to-day operation of Longwood Gardens’ plant nursery.

  
  

• Outdoor Landscapes

  
  

  From formal layouts and highly manicured plantings to experimental approaches to gardening and design, Longwood’s outdoor areas encompass a variety of beautiful landscapes. Learn about the care and maintenance of herbaceous and woody plants throughout these diverse areas.