Senior Horticulturist
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
10901 Old Cutler Road
Miami, FL 33156 USA
305.667.1651 ext. 3332
mcollins@fairchildgarden.org

Education

Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN,  Bachelor of Science, Agriculture, 1973

Employment 

1973-Present  Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden  

1997-present   Senior Horticulturist, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

 Adds field observations and nursery plant information to the database (BG-BASE). Annually updates nursery inventory.  Supplies plant information from BG-Base for staff, research purposes and the public upon request.  Primary plant propagator for our Members’ Day, Ramble, and Spring plant sales.  Takes photos and write promotional material for signs and publications for the plant sales.  Writes articles for the Miami Herald.  Content Manager for Living Collections and Garden Landscapes portion of FTBG’ website.  Copy editor for publications.  Teaches Basic Horticulture to volunteers and Plant Collections at Fairchild Core Class.  Serves on Plant of the Year committee.  Assists answering horticultural questions.  Ensures that that the Fairchild plant collections are compliant with national and international legislation and policy (e.g. CBD and CITES.)  Manages 8 employees.

1979-1996       Horticulturist, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Responsible for managing three yearly plant sales; determining what species will be grown for sales, propagating plants, advising nursery manager on plant care, writing promotion material and descriptions of plants for sale, working with staff and volunteers to organize the sales.  Managed the summer intern program, hired and scheduled the students.   Managed FTBG’s seed distribution program, working with 25 volunteers who collected, cleaned and mailed the plant material.  Answered horticultural phone inquiries.

1973-1978       Plant Recorder, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Responsible for accessioning, labeling, mapping and inventory of all plants in FTBG.

Other Appointments

Member, Community Image Advisory Board for Miami-Dade County.  Member, Urban Horticulture Extension Advisory Committee and Florida Yards & Neighborhoods, University of Florida/IFAS  Miami-Dade County Extension.