Liam Call
Native Plant intern
Liam Call, SelfieHello, my name is Liam Call, and I was the Native Plant Intern at Green Spring Gardens. I am entering my final year at George Mason University for my Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science. I am grateful for the time that I worked with and learned from Brenda Skarphol. She taught me more about invasives and natives than I could have hoped for at the beginning of my internship. We spent most of our time working on invasive removal to stop the spread of akebia and to control and manage the crab grass, nutsedge, porcelain berry, stilt grass, wineberry, and wiregrass. I also worked with Parker Jennings and Pamela Smith, learning about native plants in other forms, such as our native lilies while working in the pond for Parker, and our pollinator plants such as Joe Pye weed, ironweed, and milkweed while working with Pam. The only complaint I could have about native plants would be that poison ivy is drawn to me like a sponge, and even with the most cautious approach, I couldn't escape without a rash or two.
The Virginia Native Plant Society (VNPS), also took me under their wing, teaching me about the natives they were propagating and maintaining. I assisted them with weekly watering, propagating, and weeding. I quickly learned how to identify and care for the native plants of this region. I even ended up taking a few of them home with me during their monthly plant sales.
Through all of this, I have learned more than I could have ever hoped for during my internship, and I cannot thank Green Spring, VNPS, and our wonderful master gardeners enough for all the support, guidance, and vast wealth of knowledge they have given me during my time here.
