MSU to host 2026 Horticulture, Landscape Architecture summer camp
Contact: Kaitlyn Church
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State is hosting its 2026 Horticulture and Landscape Architecture summer camp June 7-10 on the Starkville campus, offering high school students hands-on experience in plant science and design.
The four-day camp is open to students aged 15-17 and is limited to 30 participants, allowing for small group instruction and direct interaction with faculty and industry professionals. Participants stay in campus resident halls and take part in activities across the university.
The camp is designed to help students build skills, experience college life and feel better prepared for future educational opportunities.
“The primary goal is to introduce students to horticulture and landscape architecture while sparking interest in related careers,” said Pawel Orlinski, MSU plant and soil sciences assistant professor and vegetable specialist with the MSU Extension Service. “We want students to explore the scientific design aspects of working with plants and outdoor spaces.”
Students learn and experience plant identification and floral and landscape design projects. Additional activities include turfgrass management, nursery production and fruit and vegetable cultivation. The program also offers campus tours, field trips to local agricultural sites and structured group activities.
Organizers said the camp reflects MSU’s land-grant mission by promoting education, research and outreach through applied learning opportunities in agriculture.
“We hope students gain practical knowledge, increased confidence and a clearer understanding of careers in plant sciences and design fields,” Orlinski said.
The cost to attend is $200, which covers housing, meals and program materials, and concludes with an awards luncheon open to families. Applications must be submitted by May 22 and mailed with payment. For more information, contact Richard Harkess at Richard.harkess@msstate.edu or Mary-Margaret Fancher at 662-325-2311, me800@msstate.edu.
The camp, held annually since the 1960s, is supported by MSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design, along with external partners including the Garden Clubs of Mississippi and the Mississippi Nursery and Landscape Association.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.