Within minutes of meeting Amalie Bolinder, you can feel the love and joy she has for horticulture. From backyard experiments to hands-on restoration projects, that passion has guided her journey to College of Western Idaho (CWI), where she is turning it into a career.
“Everything I do in my free time is horticulture,” Bolinder said. “The books that I read, the videos that I watch on YouTube, and the podcasts I listen to — it just makes sense to me. Talking about horticulture right now, I’m just so excited.”
Before discovering CWI, the Boise native always had a love for gardening and the outdoors, but she never imagined it could be a full-time profession. Bolinder spent her first few years studying visual arts at a university and, after feeling unsatisfied with her classes, took time off from school.
It wasn’t until she moved into a home where the landlord told her she could shape the landscape herself that her interest in gardening started to become something more.
“The freedom to experiment with and tend to living organisms made me feel at home,” Bolinder said.
Working with plants, observing how they responded to care, and working with soil gave her a sense of purpose that eventually had her explore how she could turn this hobby into a career.
That curiosity led her to CWI’s Horticulture Technology program. After discovering the program online, she spent nearly a year revisiting the program page before finally deciding to take the step and enroll.
“I was convinced that college wasn’t the right route for me after my first attempt,” Bolinder said. “But I wanted to make sure I had the knowledge to landscape and garden right and responsibly. I knew CWI would help me build relationships with people in the industry.”
Bolinder said she felt like she was in the right place on her first day of class. Enrolling after time away from school, she entered her first class feeling nervous but quickly found assurance.
“When the instructor started lecturing about soils something about it just clicked for me,” she said. “I realized I was exactly where I was meant to be.”
Her academic interests center on native plants and soil science, areas she sees as essential to creating sustainable landscapes and supporting local ecosystems. While native plant gardening initially drew her to the program, coursework expanded her interests into soil health, weed management, and restoration.
“I would love to integrate soils management into native plant landscaping, and I’ve even thought about pursuing further education in soil science when I graduate from CWI,” Bolinder said
Hands-on learning has become central to Bolinder’s CWI experience. On campus, she works through the Work-Based Learning Center as a work-study student for the Horticulture Technology program, applying classroom concepts to restoration planning, plant propagation, and weed management projects.
“It doesn’t feel like a job,” she said. “It feels like an extension of my education.”
CWI’s new Nampa Campus Agricultural Sciences Complex strengthens these experiences. With dedicated lab space, open land, and centralized access to advisors and resources, the complex gives students like Bolinder room to experiment, collaborate, and pursue long-term projects in ways that weren’t possible before.
“It’s such a blank canvas,” Bolinder said. “It opens up so many possibilities for restoration projects and hands-on learning that weren’t available before.”
She has also emerged as a leader in the program. As Horticulture Club president, Bolinder connects students to the broader nursery and landscaping community, organizing guest speakers and coordinating volunteer opportunities, including Rake Up Boise and restoration projects with the Bureau of Land Management.
Bolinder’s growth has gone far beyond campus. She recently completed an internship with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s Plant Pathology Lab, assisting with identifying plant diseases and pests and gaining insight into state-level diagnostic and regulatory work.
She also works at Sego Lily Native Gardens, focusing on native plant installations and beginning to assist with project coordination.
“I really love the problem-solving side of horticulture,” she said. “It feels like working through a puzzle, and the lab helped me see how those skills translate into real-world impact.”
Bolinder’s hard work and expertise have gained recognition within the broader horticulture community. She was awarded the Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association (INLA) 2026 scholarship, presented at the Idaho Horticulture Expo 2026 in Boise. The scholarship honors Idaho students pursuing careers aligned with the green industry and reflects both academic achievement and dedication to the profession.
“It was overwhelming in the best way,” she said. “Getting to meet people in the industry and see how many possibilities exist in horticulture really expanded my world.”
Bolinder credits the close-knit nature of CWI’s Horticulture Technology program for much of her growth. Faculty mentorship and collaborative learning have helped her build confidence and professional skills, especially during the program’s transition to the new campus.
“It feels like everyone in the program is rooting for each other, and our connections will remain after we’ve all graduated,” Bolinder said.
For Bolinder, the recognition and opportunities she has gained through CWI affirmed that returning to school was the right decision.
“I feel very lucky and thankful because it took me so long to figure out my passion. I have all of these opportunities and people that believe in me. It is amazing.”
With graduation on the horizon, Bolinder plans to continue working in native plant landscaping and is considering further education in soil science. Whatever path she chooses, she knows she has found the field she wants to grow in.
