“They have to be self-motivated, knowledgeable about plants and good with the public,” said Richard Hopkins, superintendent of grounds for the University. “They are stewards of the gardens and the Academical village.”
The trio of gardeners is responsible for the pavilion gardens, the courtyard at Rouss/Robertson Hall, the Cabell Hall courtyard, the two Rotunda courtyards and the front plaza. Once the Carr’s Hill house restoration is complete, they will have a small area there to tend, too. With weeding, pruning, raking and cleaning, the gardeners are constantly busy and there is never an end to the work.
And yet the three are well-suited for the job, with backgrounds in farming, botany and agriculture and an ability to find peaceful moments in the daily tasks.
“I like that it is outdoors and relatively low-stress, and that you can actually see results at the end of the day,” Von der Muhll said.