Missouri Botanical Garden

Horticulture Education and Training

---

Former Interns...Where are they now?

Steve Wolff

Senior Horticulturist & Floriculturist
42 years at Missouri Botanical Garden

MBG Hort Intern, Spring-Summer of 1968

My supervisor at the time was Charles Kreher who had already been at the Garden for 25 years. Mr. Kreher was an expert plantsman, and very well known for his expertise with aquatic plants. He also had a very good knowledge of the history of the Garden, having worked with important names in the horticultural history of MBG such as Paul Kohl, Joe Cutak, and his son Ladislaus, and also Mr. George H. Pring. From Charles Kreher I learned to appreciate the importance of Garden history, and to pass it on to the younger horticulturists who worked with me throughout the years.

While I was spending my first summer working in the perennial garden, I became aware of the fact that the Garden was a very important institution not only in St. Louis, but also had a very respected reputation worldwide. I decided the Garden would be an excellent place to work in order to further my horticultural training. Little did I realize at the time that my internship would turn into a career of 42 years, spanning parts of five decades.

I was fortunate at MBG to be able to work in all areas of horticulture such as tropicals, perennials, lawn care, pot crops, garden design, and roses. I decided that, for me, the most challenging area would be in greenhouse production for I felt it was an integral part of the Garden's horticultural displays, both indoors and out. A very important part of my training was the visits to other Botanical Gardens at the encouragement of the Horticulture Division Administration. I also attended many classes in order to broaden my understanding of how other institutions operate. By doing so, I not only benefited myself, I also brought new ideas and horticultural practices into our operation at MBG.

The highpoints for me were my trips to England to tour many important English Gardens, such as the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, and my trip to the Netherlands to visit many of the major greenhouse production facilities. I was also able to visit many major American Gardens, such as Longwood, and Bellingrath Gardens.

Of importance to me was my ability to work with several historic and famous staff in Horticulture at the Garden, and to come into contact with all of our young staff and interns who are filled with new ideas, and are aware of all of the updated technology which is constantly changing our industry. This is very helpful to me in that it keeps me from becoming set in the ways of the past, and challenges me to look forward to the new information which is constantly flowing into the Horticulture Division at MBG.

I guess I'd have to say being a Horticulturist keeps you young and forward looking. I hope to be able to do the same thing many years from now.

· Introduction · Apply · Housing · Duties · Field Trips · Intern Activities ·

· 2001 Interns · 2002 Interns · 2003 Interns · 2004 Interns · 2005 Interns ·

· 2006 Interns · 2007 Interns · 2008 Interns · 2009 Interns · 2010 Interns ·