Landscape Manager

      I’d like to pose this question what is a horticulturist? A horticulturist is an agricultural professional who helps grow plants. These specialized professionals apply an integrative approach involving botany, biology, and environmental science to improve cultivation techniques. For instance, a horticulturist might alter farming conditions to increase plant yields or help a plant develop resistance to diseases.             I have been in this industry since 1989 when I began my own part-time business that later turned into a bigger business which included design work, irrigation, and general maintenance that I eventually sold in 2013.  In 2013 I went back to school and got my associate in science in horticulture and graduated in 2016 from Trident Technical College while maintaining the dean’s list every semester.  I took a year off then in 2017 I got my bachelor’s in science on -line in agricultural education with an emphasis in professional services and graduated with a 3.88 GPA from North Carolina A & T State University in 2019.  While at North Carolina A&T State University I was a member of the honor society.   I got my degree while working full time and going to school full time for the South Carolina State Parks system as a building and grounds supervisor.  After leaving the parks system I went to work for The Citadel as the assistant grounds supervisor where I oversaw maintaining the parade field from mowing, fertilizing, aerating, weed management and Irrigation.  I also helped manage the crews in the department while doing flower designs and graduation plant setups.  While I was doing all that I began getting my master’s in science in leadership at The Citadel and graduated in 2022 with a GPA of 4.0.              During my career I have obtained and maintained non-commercial pesticide license for turf and ornamentals.  In order maintain my pesticide license I continue to take classes either in person or online to keep myself up to date on new and improving technology and techniques.    I am also a professional certified landscaper through Clemson.  My degree in horticultural allowed me to obtain an athletic fields maintenance certificate, a sustainable landscape certificate, landscape maintenance certificate and several irrigation certificates.              My degree in leadership has allowed me to be able to problem solve with employees and become a better manager and mentor.  It also has allowed me to be able to identify different problems associated in the horticultural and landscape industry.  With this master’s degree in horticultural science from your institution will allow me to understand different aspects of the horticultural industry that I have not already learned from my previous degrees or on the job experiences.              I look forward to hearing back from the admission committee and hope this statement reflects my experiences and allow me to get in your program. I want to leave you with this final quote. “Landscape consists in the multiple, overlapping intricacies and forms that exist in a given space at a moment in time”. Annie Dillard             Sincerely yours, Timothy Warren Farmer MS. Leadership