|
The Peak of My Journey
Aug. 7, 2008
 I
have still been having an absolute blast in England enjoying and
embracing every moment—the ups and the downs. I had tea with her Grace,
the Duchess of Northumberland last week, which was wonderful. Her grace
explained how things were going in the garden and some of its future
plans. I also got a chance to show her Grace a few of my designs and she
said that if I actually constructed my design for a public garden in the
Roseland Community, she would open it, which blew my mind. So now I'm
looking for major funding to construct this youth public garden.
Besides that, I have still been doing various tasks in the garden, such
as splitting irises to get more blooms, pruning pleached crab apple
trees, pruning roses, clearing a deserted area, dumping topsoil on the
area, spreading grass seed, and trying out new high tech lawn mowers.
But the most enjoyable part of my trip was during an attitude behavior
disorder event that the garden was having. They needed a destroyed car
that would be displayed in front of the grand cascade. So us gardeners
had the privilege of breaking out the windows, putting dents in it,
scratching our names across it and all sorts of destructive things. As
well, last week me and Trevor Jones (Head Gardener of Alnwick Garden)
went to the Tatton Park garden show where they had several fantastic
garden designs, floral arrangements and all sorts of
horticulture-related stuff.
Now as my journey has nearly ended, I will be taking a trip to the
Netherlands and staying at an Amsterdam youth hostel so that I can have
the chance to meet the designer of the Lurie Garden who lives just an
hour away from Amsterdam.
I'm Looking forward to seeing you all soon!
AsSalamu Alaikum (peace be upon you)
July 2, 2008
 I wanted to update you all on
how everything is going for me in Alnwick, England. I have recently been
featured in the Northumberland Gazette, which is their state
paper that is spread throughout what we would consider a state (Link here to view). The Duchess managed to arrange this article so all thanks are due to
her. But once she returns from Abu Dahbi, her grace and I will be having lunch
in the tree house in the garden so I can show her a few of my
designs. Then following that, I will be going visit Piet Oudolf to meet
him since he is one of the designers of the Lurie Garden in Chicago’s
Millennium Park, which is where I worked last summer. But besides that,
I have still been loving every moment. I have been doing a wide variety
of gardening jobs from hedging using electric and shears, laying turf,
scarifying, seeding, dead-heading roses, transplanting , propagating,
cultivating, weeding, grass cutting, trimming, and not to forget, I have
been playing tennis nearly every day with some of the local lads and
lasses (boys and girls).
From the other side of the pond
June 16, 2008
 I just wanted to let you know that I have
made it here (England) safely and have just finished my first day of
work, which consisted of working the roots and shoots garden for
children. They design their own square-foot garden, then plant their
plants, then they come back in a month to see how it’s grown. Besides
that I didn’t do much today, but go on a tour of the garden and I was
introduced to the staff.
The cottage that I am living in is absolutely wonderful. It’s located
one block from the center of town where they have a wide variety of
different restaurants ranging from Indian, Italian, Subway and high
class places. Overall, all the food is expensive.
Cheers!
From
nothing to something
June 11, 2008
I grew up in the Roseland community on the far south side of Chicago,
where the scarce variety of vegetation is limited to the average
dandelion and various weeds pushing up through the cracks of every
street and overgrown in vacant lots transforming them into miniature
jungles. The only color within the landscape was scattered potato chip
bags and candy wrappers. However, I would soon learn to appreciate the
quality and beauty that the good Lord has blessed us all with on this
earth within every landscape.
I was once enrolled at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences
and took several agricultural courses. The experience cultivated my
knowledge of and ambition for landscaping. It was there that I networked
and made the necessary connections that will lead to my success in life
and eventually to one day becoming the world’s most renowned landscape
architect. I received my pesticide applicator’s license, placed second
in the 2007 landscape design competition at my high school, and took
part in the design and construction of my school’s entry in the Flower
and Garden Show and Garden in the City. With these accomplishments on my
resume, I was able to receive an internship at the Lurie Garden located
inside Chicago’s downtown Millennium Park.
Little did I know that my drive and ambition to work as hard as I can,
as fast as I can, for as long as I can, would lead me to receive an
internship directly from the Duchess of Northumberland at the Alnwick
Garden in Alnwick, England. I attended her presentation where she
explained what all was put into the renovation of what is now one of the
world’s largest public gardens. I told her how amazed I was at the
remarkable architectural design, and how I would love to have the
privilege of working at the Alnwick Garden. Seven months and several
e-mails later, I will be traveling to Northern England for a two-month
summer internship, that is unpaid, but well worth the once-in-a-lifetime
experience.
|
Tahir Ibrahim
Oak Lawn
Getting to know me
I am an 18-year-old Muslim American, who is blessed and grateful to have
been born and raised Muslim as the son of an Imam (preacher) at the
Mosque of Umar in the Roseland community on the far south side of
Chicago. I am a full-time Moraine Valley student and a part-time student
aide in the college library.
While still being a college student and Muslim, I am like any other
student that just wants to have fun and hang out, only in an Islamic
way. Even though I have hardly described myself, I feel as though words
can only aid in describing someone since everyone has their very own
unique personality that enables words to perfectly describe them.
Rather, interaction with a person can allow you to build an unbreakable
bond between one another. So, don’t be afraid or shy to say AsSalamu
Alaikum (peace be upon you) or what’s up if you see me on campus so we
all can get to know each other and maybe build that unbreakable bond.
Activities
Very active member and volunteer at the Mosque of Umar, Roseland
Community Corporation and Member of the Muslim Student Association
Best advice
for students considering Moraine Valley
If you’re even considering Moraine Valley as a college to attend, I
guarantee you that it is most likely the best place for you. I have
traveled to well over 50 universities and colleges across the Midwest.
Moraine Valley is by far the best institution I have ever been to and
now attending is saving me thousands of dollars on tuition, room and
board, and meal plans. But, everyone has their own individual
circumstances and what’s best for me might not be what’s best for you.
So, plan a visit and you decide.
|
