Internship Spotlight - Jardín Botánico Edition

Ian Hearn, an English Major at College of the Ozarks, soaking up the Fall 2024 semester abroad in Ecuador with Living & Learning. Amidst his studies, Ian's also diving into an internship at the Quito Botanical Gardens (Jardín Botánico de Quito).

At the Jardín Botánico de Quito, Ian's tackling a one-credit internship course, familiarizing himself with the plants and learning the ins and outs of how the botanical garden is maintained. Check out his photo collection for a peek into his internship adventures!

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Inside one of the greenhouses meant to mimic the cloud forest environment of the Andes.

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A common scene at the Botanical gardens: flowers, a trail, and trees. I took this photo around noon time, hence the harsh light.

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This path leads into the fenced area and into the bonsai exhibit, one of the main attractions of the gardens.

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The east portion of the garden is manicured and is meant to be a relaxing area, not so much molded after the natural environment of Ecuador.

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A bridge spans the eastern and western portions of the gardens (the manicured side and the “natural” side).

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This countertop is the main area where we plant seedlings, sort seeds, and develop fertilizer formulas. The worker's office is in the background.

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To the left is the worker's office, and to the right are the greenhouses where small plants and orchids grow until they are developed enough to be transplanted in the gardens.

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This trail winds through the backside of the gardens and is a main walking trail. There is even a small restaurant in the gardens on the north side!

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This is looking from the worker's office area at the countertop where much of the seed work is done.

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The entrance of the gardens is marked by a pyramid-shaped bamboo structure that you walk through to reach the gate.

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Interested in doing an internship internationally or domestically? Our semester programs in Ecuador and Baltimore offer immersive, hands-on experiences in fields related to your major. Or check out our 8-week summer internship programs in Baltimore, Ecuador, or Italy.

Email us at info@landli.org to learn more!