Experiences Abroad: Scotland
Paul Sandefur, Horticulture
Oct. 28, 2009

Paul Sandefur explores the Scottish Highlands while on a break from his internship at the Scottish Plant Explorers Garden.

“My internship has been a genuine real world working experience, says horticulture major Paul Sandefur.

Sandefur completed a summer internship at the Scottish Plant Explorers Garden in Pitlochry, considered the gateway to Scottish Highlands. The Explorers Garden is a tribute to the early Scottish plant hunters, such as George Forest and David Douglas. The Garden is separated into geographical sections from North American to China, Nepal and South Africa, to show where plants originated.

Working at a public garden, Sandefur says, involves many monotonous routine jobs but gives a real taste of what gardening requires.

“I can truly say that I know what it feels like to manage an ornamental public garden,” Sandefur said. “In addition to the extensive maintenance required, simply managing and organizing 50 volunteers who help out in the garden can exhaust the workday and require extensive planning and preparation."

In addition to Sandefur’s work at the Explorers Garden, he also worked one day a week at Pitcairn Alpines in Perth, a nursery specializing in the production of unusual bulbs and ornamental flower seed. After taking a 40-minute train ride from Pitlochry, Sandefur put in a full day pulling weeds, spreading mulch, digging bulbs, planting bulbs and seedlings. He said planting seedlings was the most enjoyable job at the nursery.

“Using an old lettuce planter, which was basically a motorized truck frame with an open floor board and four drills, we crept down the field, placing the seedlings in the furrow dug by the truck,” Sandefur said.

Sandefur said he would recommend this internship, but be prepared to work. The Explorers Garden, he said, offers the potential to gain substantial knowledge and work experience.

Apart from the mountain climbing and hiking, Sandefur said the most exciting aspects of his internship was interactions with the garden patrons.

“I was able to interact with the garden volunteer staff and work with various school children, teaching them the basics of planting and bed cleaning," Sandefur said. “My internship has certainly been one to remember and utilize in my future.”

Global Studies Program
Dr. Raymond W. Barclay, Director
425 Hotz Hall, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701
479-575-6727 • rbarclay@uark.edu