Summer is Auburn's best season.

I know, that statement may go completely against the grain.  Most people, in general, would say that in Alabama there are only two seasons: Summer and Football.  And our Football tradition, which is an experience that is unmatched anywhere in the country, is undoubtedly King.  Full of crisp, clear nights and thousands upon thousands of "out-of-towners" the Fall definitely steals Best in Show of Auburn's seasons.  However, despite all the publicity and pomp that will arrive in August, this city's charm smiles brightest on the warm, sunny days of Summer.

And this Summer has not veered from this expectation that has continued to grow in me after seven years of living here.

Classes have settled into feeling routine again for me after spending my spring semester working with the horticulture staff at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens for an internship.  Although not at all what this south Alabama boy knows as winter, I acclimated well to the frigid midwestern temps and quickly began to feel at home among the chimps, giraffes, and rhinos - a fact that is alarming to me, but may not surprise many others that know me well.  The staff was more than welcoming, and I connected with many of the directors, administrators, zookeepers, maintenance workers and educators around the zoo on a daily basis.  I helped out with several projects that they had underway upon my arrival.  The $32 million "Africa" exhibit required the most time and effort.  (By the way, planting 8" and 9" caliper x 35 ft. tall Honeylocusts and Baldcypress is no short order.) The ground was frozen and the trees came in one at a time, so it was a grueling process, but nonetheless, rewarding.  The horticulture department is responsible for theming the gardens and grounds.  Their approach is to use Cincinnati climate-friendly species to match the appearance of those that may be found in the environments that each animal is native to throughout the world.  Needless to say, they used ALOT of bamboo...

Other projects I worked on included a raised-bed vegetable garden, an irrigation system addition to their greenhouse facility, a Tree-walk map, and the landscape installation around their new sprung-style facility that will be used for special events.

...As winter turns to spring in Cincy!

Cincinnati skyline - looking across the Ohio River from Kentucky.

I had to check out a Reds game.

The tulips are unbelievable!

I loved my time in Cincinnati, OH, but I was more than happy to return to Auburn.

Since being back, I've enjoyed taking Retail Garden Center Management under the forever-brilliant Dr. Ponder and Tree Fruit Crops with Dr. Spiers.  Both of these subjects are relatively new and fascinating to me in horticulture because my focus has always been on landscape.  Inevitably, though, whenever someone finds out that I'm a horticulturist, the following discussion will have something to do with their prospective fruit/vegetable plans or what they bought at a garden center recently and if they got a good deal or not.  At which point I usually have to confess my unfamiliarity with their subject, and they usually leave thinking, "I thought he would know alot about plants..."

Now, thanks to my varied curriculum, I'll have some knowledge to bring to the table.

Assisting in teaching Small Trees, Shrubs, and Vines has also been enjoyable.  The summer class is usually around 10-12 undergraduate students and lasts only 10 weeks.  It's basically a full-throttle, plant identification and landscape learning experience like none other.  It's challenging and tough, but it's a class that Auburn horticulture students will remember for years after they gone on to work in the Green Industry.  And it is designed to assist them in whatever area of horticulture that they pursue.  It's a class that encouraged my love for horticulture, and I'm honored to get to help do the same for others that are willing to tackle it.

That is what's going on with me this summer.  Like I said, I couldn't think of anything better that I'd rather be doing with my life right now.  I've been extremely blessed to be a part of what's going on around here.

Annnnd... the first-year public hort group just got back from their public garden trip to the Big Apple this past weekend. (I'm kinda jealous...)  So, be looking for an update from them coming very soon!

-Monte J. Baugh