As graduation approaches, many seniors are sending announcements out to family and friends who will come from all over to watch them receive their degrees.

At the same time, the employees of the OU Office of Landscape and Grounds are working hard to make sure that students' loved ones have a beautiful campus to visit.

The workers have been busy preparing a red theme for May commencement. They've planted solid red dianthus on various areas of the campus in March, said Allen King, assistant director for the department.

"We're in full-steam for graduation," he said. "We try to make the campus look as pretty as can be for graduation, so that when all the visiting people come here, they can see and admire the campus."

But while the results of the department's work are easy to see, the hard labor that goes into creating and maintaining a beautiful campus is less noticeable.

There are 50 full-time employees working in landscaping and grounds at OU, said Julie Cohen, director of the department.

Norman's campus requires extra attention due to the state's weather conditions.

"We once had a landscape architect visit from out of state who said people don't realize how difficult it is to do this in Oklahoma," she said. "You go to Philadelphia and you spit a seed in the ground and it grows a tree. In Oklahoma, you have to work with every inch of it because it's so hot and so dry."

The hot weather not only potentially affects the growing, it also takes its toll on the employees.

Kymberli Butler is a gardener for the South Oval, one of the areas where the red dianthus have been planted for May. She said she has to arrive at work at 6 a.m. in order to water and weed in reasonable conditions.

"I'm wiped out, pretty much," she said. "As the weather gets hotter in the year, I usually pull off the oval around noon. It's too hot to be out there."

Landscape specialist Susan Peterson has worked for the department for 15 years. She said the workload has increased significantly in the last five years. When the Borens came to OU, they brought with them endowments and funding, and developed more property to manage, she said.

"Compared to 15 years ago, it's a lot more intense ... It's a lot busier, but in a good way," Peterson said.

OU Landscapingo 50 full-time employees work in landscaping for OU because of Oklahoma's hot and dry weather conditions.o Some landscaping employees arrive at 6 a.m. to work around difficult weather conditions. o The landscaping workload has increased greatly for grounds employees since last five years due to Boren's development of more OU property.

Although she said she thinks students don't realize how much time and work go into beautifying the campus, Peterson said some students have stopped to notice and comment.

"Several years ago on move-out day, a lady stopped me over at Couch [dorms] and said, 'I remember you from four years ago ... I've come to campus several times and wondered if you were still here. I knew when I had seen these flowers that this was your area.' That made me feel real good," she said.

Some students, including Jessica Salmon, sociology senior, said they notice the landscaping on their way to class.

Salmon said she appreciates the hard work the employees put into making the campus look great.

"I'm glad they're here to do it," she said. "Whether it's raining, shining, cold, or whatever, they're out here doing it."

Despite the hard work and whether they're recognized, employees like Butler and Peterson keep working not only for the sense of pride the campus brings them, but also for the passion they feel toward their work.

"It takes a certain personality to do what we do," Peterson said. "I feel very lucky to be able to do what I love to do and get paid for it ... I have been blessed with that."
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