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Tom Ward,
Greenhouse Manager/Propagator
The Arnold
Arboretum of Harvard University -- Boston, MA
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"As
a gardener and horticulturist here, my main concern is the well being
of the plant materials. . . And because of the diversity of plants that
we grow, we have to have a wide range of niches to put those plants
into. Some need it to be a little cooler. Some want it a little warmer.
Some want to be drier. Some want to be wetter. Our job here is to work
with Mother Nature and to try to provide the conditions optimal for
growth.
"This material
will probably take 5-7 years before it gets large enough before it's
ready to go out on to the grounds. So in many ways, I feel as if I'm
shepherding it through the processes of its growth. And preparing it
for planting out. Each day is different. When you walk into work, you
have to be flexible enough to adapt. If you try to force the situation,
oftentime the best results don't occur."
"The plants
themselves let us know an awful lot about how they're doing. If they're
lagging behind, if they're not having good color, then we try to augment
what we do to benefit them either by changing the fertilizer or moving
them from sun to shade or trying to put them into the best positions.
"
Listen to an audio
clip.
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"Teaching
is like gardening in a way. [It is] like gardening because you spend
a lot of time digging, planting, watering, nurturing -- enjoying
the fruits of our products and their products."
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Teacher
on the Street
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