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Internship with Grounds Management Operations involve manual labor;
exposure to adverse weather conditions (particularly heat
and humidity); and exposure to dust, dirt, and possibly
some horticultural chemicals. Internships that focus on
the gardens and greenhouse operations include regular horticulture
maintenance duties such as planting, watering, weeding,
and pruning.
Special projects are typically added to an intern’s regular
duties so that they can practice project management skills
needed to see a project through from start to finish. Projects
vary greatly and are determined on an individual basis.
They may include everything from record-keeping, analyzing
ecosystems and researching nomenclature to turf management
and public programming.
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 The
Smithsonian Butterfly
Habitat Garden consists of four different habitats:
wetland, wood's edge, wildflower meadow, and backyard garden.
While working in the garden, the intern will be responsible for
the daily gardening maintenance that sustains an ecologically
balanced habitat. Through observation and analysis of the ecosystem,
the intern will develop a record from which lists of plants can
be produced for use in future plantings in the urban setting.
The intern will integrate research conclusions into educational
materials such as web pages and/or presentations for visitors.
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 This
urban rose
garden was designed as a four-season garden and serves
as an important backdrop to the Smithsonian’s iconic Castle building.
Modern roses are displayed among a mixture of complementary plantings
and enhance the many historic furnishings on display. The maintenance
of this garden not only includes the watering, weeding, fertilizing,
mulching, pest and disease control of all of the plants, but also
the pruning and training of roses.
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 This
four acre garden was designed and built in 1987 with funds donated
to the Smithsonian by philanthropist Enid
A. Haupt. Interns chosen to work as part of this
garden's horticulture team will have the opportunity to experience
many aspects of grounds management in a large public display garden.
Enid A. Haupt Garden interns will assist horticulturists and gardeners
with day-to-day management and maintenance of formal displays.
They will take part in turf management, hanging basket and tropical
plant maintenance, as well as annual plant care. Interns will
learn about what it takes to keep the garden in top shape for
special events and for the millions of visitors who explore it
each year.
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 The
intern chosen for the Ripley
Garden will have the opportunity to work in this
densely planted garden which displays plants from around the globe.
This garden is designed, planted and labeled for both its aesthetic
appeal and its educational value to visitors and staff.
Working
with the horticulturist and volunteers, the intern will assist
with all aspects of garden maintenance, diagnosing and controlling
disease, insect and weed problems, and maintaining containerized
specimens and hanging baskets.
The intern will have the opportunity to assist with interpretive
programs including public tours, plant labeling and record keeping.
They will experience first hand the challenges and joys of working
in a public garden and will be called on daily to answer visitor
questions.
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  The
National Museum of American History, Behring Center, has the largest
turf and tree area of all the Smithsonian gardens located on the
National Mall. Also found on the grounds of this museum are a
developing woodland and two specialty gardens of interest--the Victory Garden and the Heirloom
Garden.
The intern will assist SG horticulturists
with maintaining the gardens and grounds and researching appropriate
plantings for the specialty gardens.
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Native Landscape
at the National
Museum of the American Indian |
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 The
newest of all the Smithsonian museums! Opened in 2004, the National
Museum of the American Indian features four natural environments
– cropland, meadow, wetland and forest – within an urban setting.
Intern responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, maintenance
of the native plant landscape, wetland mitigation, pest and disease
identification and control, and helping with the increase of plant
diversity. This position will offer the opportunity to promote
an understanding of the relationship of Native Americans to this
ecologically balanced habitat.
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 Do
you want to be exposed to the inner workings of a public grounds
management program and acquire a professional skill set for a
career in the horticulture field, while learning teamwork and
networking skills? SG is looking for motivated and hardworking
interns to be a part of its Rotating Internship program which
provides a cornucopia of experiences within the many gardens,
greenhouse support facilities and interiorscapes of the Smithsonian
for a minimum of twelve weeks.
For various lengths of time over the course of the program, interns
will have the opportunity to work with and learn from numerous
members of SG’s skilled staff on the Mall and at outlying support
facilities. Interns will learn about plants from around the world,
managing and maintaining formal landscapes, and applying pesticides
in a museum setting. They may participate in organic landscape
management and pot and mount orchids as well as conduct a proper
Integrated Pest Management inspection, garden with historically
significant vegetable crops, inventory butterfly eggs and caterpillars,
and properly prune roses and woody plants.
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If you have questions regarding the internship application process, please contact the Intern Coordinator at (202) 633-5840.
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