Rooted in community
On a whim, Bare took Fundamentals of Horticulture as a first-year student, and “horticulture” not only entered her vocabulary—it became the focus of her professional aspirations. She set her mind to working at public gardens, and became increasingly convinced that a well-cultivated garden could improve and beautify communities.
“I never wanted an office job,” said Bare, “I was drawn to horticulture because it was outside and hands-on.”
Planting seeds for impact
Bare remembers the rainy day when her Fundamentals instructor, Barry Cyphers, took the class on a trip to Andalusia, an historic house and garden in nearby Bensalem, Pennsylvania, where Cyphers served as head gardener. Bare was enthralled.
“Visiting Andalusia was the turning point for me,” she recalled. “I didn’t know that was something you could do for a job—to take care of a garden.” She decided then to switch her major and asked Cyphers if she could volunteer at Andalusia.
Bare spent three summers interning at Andalusia as a Temple student. It was her gateway to the tight-knit horticulture community of Greater Philadelphia, which comprises more than 30 public gardens, arboreta and historic landscapes.
During this time, Bare was also introduced to Temple’s 187-acre Ambler Campus, home to the Horticulture and Landscape Architecture programs. “It’s a giant garden, and it’s gorgeous.”