Horticulture & Design – Bainbridge Island, Washington
 
The Bloedel Reserve Horticulture Internship offers a welcoming and transformative educational experience for individuals passionate about public horticulture and land stewardship. Spanning 10 to 12 weeks, this program provides hands-on learning in diverse garden areas with weekly educational sessions and an enriching field trip. Interns will rotate among garden area managers, arborists, turf specialists, communications, and visitor experience staff, gaining a well-rounded understanding of public garden operations.
 
Each week focuses on a different learning module, covering topics like plant identification, propagation, composting, integrated pest management, storytelling through social media, and visitor experience. The program culminates in an intern-led landscape improvement project, where interns can demonstrate their newly acquired skills and creativity.
 
Our Setting: Bloedel Reserve’s 140 acres offer a stunning and accessible outdoor classroom from which to learn. Our grounds include cultivated gardens, native forests, meadows, waterfalls, ponds, and trails that sustain wildlife and inspire visitors to connect with nature. Key highlights include:
  • The Japanese Garden blends traditional schools of Japanese landscapes, including a dry sand and stone garden, stroll garden, and pond, with native Pacific Northwest elements. 
  • Rhododendron Glen, where thousands of perennials and bulbs bloom among native and non-native rhododendrons collected worldwide. 
  • The Residence Landscape features a European style manicured landscape with views across the Puget Sound to the Cascade Mountain range.
  • The Moss Garden, one of the largest in North America, originally planted by hand with over 275,000 plugs of Irish moss.
  • The Pollinator Meadow and Bird Marsh, a dynamic ecosystem that provides habitat for birds, amphibians, pollinators, and other wildlife. This area demonstrates various land stewardship practices, including prescribed burning, soil solarization, and grazing animals.
  • Native woodlands, demonstrating the beauty of second-growth Northwest evergreen forests and forest management strategies.
  • Architectural landmarks include The Residence (J. Lister Holmes), The Japanese Guest House (Paul Hayden Kirk), and The Virginia Merrill Bloedel Education Center (James Cutler).


Student Experience: The program is designed to provide a supportive introduction to public horticulture. Interns work full-time (40 hours/week) for 10 to 12 weeks, gaining hands-on experience alongside experienced horticulturists. At least one half-day each week is dedicated to workshops led by Reserve staff.

What You’ll Learn

  • Industry standards for plant propagation, pruning, weeding, planting, and transplanting
  • Native and non-native plant identification
  • Sustainable garden maintenance and renovation
  • Rotations through various departments (communications, visitor experience, public programs)
  • Basics of integrated pest management, composting, and green waste management
  • Wildlife habitat and forest stewardship
  • History and maintenance of diverse gardening styles
  • Safe work practices, including tool and machinery use


Who Should Apply?  We welcome applications from students aged 16 and above, including college, high school, and nontraditional students, as well as individuals exploring career changes. No prior experience in horticulture is required—just a demonstrated interest in plants, the environment, or working in public green spaces. Selection will also consider school performance, work history, and community involvement.

Deadline to Apply: February 28, 2026

Interviews: First two weeks in March 2026

Our Commitment to Diversity: Bloedel Reserve is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging. We recognize that public horticulture has historically excluded and continues to disproportionately exclude Black and Indigenous people, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people. We strongly encourage applications from individuals with these identities, as well as anyone who brings a unique perspective to our work.

We are committed to supporting interns by making accommodations as needed, ensuring accessibility, and promoting an environment where interns feel valued and empowered to grow.