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Inspired by the work they do maintaining the gardens on campus, the women who work on Thomas Aquinas College’s grounds crew took a trip on Saturday to Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. An internationally renowned botanical collection, the gardens boasts more than 3,000 roses and are home to North America’s largest camellia collection.

“It was gorgeous but also educational,” says one member of the group, which was joined by College Landscape Assistant Benedict Coughlin. “We saw new varieties of plants, many with which the girls on grounds already have some familiarity. We also had the opportunity to see a modern rendition of Shakespeare’s sonnets performed in the center of the gardens.”

As part of the College’s Service Scholarship Program, 78 percent of Thomas Aquinas College students work 13 hours per week in exchange for a reduction in their tuition. Of those, 45 make up the year-round grounds-keeping crew. They — not professional gardeners — do all the planting, trimming, weeding, mowing, spraying, and watering that help to beautify the campus.

Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017
  • Descanso Gardens visit 2017