By Gail Pope

Working at Landscape Ontario is an experience I will never forget. To be quite honest, when I started I was pretty nervous. I had the writing and editing experience, but I think with any job there is always going to be that silent voice asking if you are going to be good enough. That voice quickly went away because of the amazing support I have had from every member of the team. I was able to grow as a writer and learn from my mistakes in such a friendly environment. Scott is a caring boss and an amazing person. I am so fortunate I got to work for him and the rest of the team this summer.

I think what I have enjoyed most about this job is the people I learned from along the way. Every time I started a new story, it presented a new opportunity to understand a topic I had limited knowledge about before. I quickly learned about invasive species like jumping worms, the importance of mulch, and, of course, about the landscaping trade. Every business owner I reached out to was welcoming and showed me the amount of expertise and care that goes into each project.

It is hard for me to choose a favourite article I wrote for that very reason. I enjoyed working on an article about rising material prices because it provided an opportunity to investigate an issue significantly impacting every part of the horticulture profession. I also enjoyed working with various Indigenous organizations to highlight the importance of our interactions with the environment.

I really enjoyed every aspect of this job and all the opportunities it presented. The summer passed faster than I realized. I am excited to continue on my path as I head back to Carleton University for the fourth and final year of my journalism degree. I will keep the knowledge from this internship with me. I hope to see you all again and thank you for the amazing experience!