Sometimes it’s fun to experience life unfolding around you. This past week I started my new position as the Director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens and am very excited to be working with my old friend (she’s not old – I’ve just known her a long time) Paula Gross, Assistant Director of the garden, a fantastic horticulturist, and one of the best people you could ever hope to meet. Together with our highly skilled staff we’re going to be working to bring the world of plants to people. It’s an exciting time in my life, and hopefully an exciting time for the gardens too.
That said, I’m sorry to be leaving Central Piedmont Community College. I have never seen instructors so devoted to their students as at this community college. So often at large universities professors teach because they have to, not because they want to. At community colleges, and particularly at CPCC, the opposite is true. These highly skilled instructors really care. If you are looking for a degree in horticulture I strongly recommend considering a two year school because of the cost, the attention to students, and the hands on education that most four year schools can’t compete with (I know that sounds silly, but speaking as someone who spent fifteen years working as a horticulture professor in a large university I can tell you that it’s simply the truth).
Here’s the official announcement. The only thing I’d like to add here is that we’d love to have you stop by! We are a wonderful little garden in the North of Charlotte with a lot of fascinating carnivorous plants, orchids, a great landscape collection, and a titan arum that just bloomed and which now appears to be setting seed. We hope to see you soon!
Jeff Gillman
Congratulations, Jeff!
Congratulations on your new position, Jeff. As a retired CC horticulture instructor, I second your opinion of two-year horticulture programs and the dedication of their faculties and staff members. I hope that your new position will still allow you enough time and freedom to continue to write your terrific books. I always look forward to reading your publications.
Wish I knew sooner. Missed a (flight) connection in Charlotte last w/e and stayed over. Would have loved to get your autograph for our Extension Executive Director who requires all of the MG’s to buy and read your books!