HGTV and Public Horticulture: A Unique Partnership with the University of Tennessee

A powerhouse in media communications, HGTV is widely known for their television and web programming focused on home and garden. Although media communication experts, HGTV felt their campus grounds around their Knoxville, TN headquarters did not reflect the horticultural information and practices they teach in their programming. Wanting to put into practice what they teach, HGTV has partnered with the University of Tennessee Public Horticulture program to develop their campus grounds into a dynamic teaching and demonstration landscape that benefits not only their employees but students in the UT public horticulture program as well. The University of Tennessee is uniquely positioned with undergraduate concentrations in both public horticulture and landscape design.  Additionally, the UT campus is less then a 15-minute drive to HGTV’s headquarters.  Student interns gain hands-on experience in creating and maintaining a ‘cutting-edge’ landscape including making interpretative signage and plant labels; teaching monthly ‘lunch n’ learn’ employee seminars; and leading a monthly employee ‘garden walk’ around the HGTV campus landscape. HGTV employees benefit from an enhanced work environment and an outdoor classroom and laboratory providing reality education about plants, gardening, and landscaping. The vision, mission, and details of this mutually beneficial partnership will be presented. This partnership serves as an excellent model of the unique opportunities and outcomes that can be created in public horticulture.