Annie Tharp has worn many different hats—or gardening gloves—in her nearly 40 years in the Landscape Services Department. Now focusing specifically on the iconic campus flower arrangements, she has been instrumental in the creative process behind the rotating floral displays across campus.
What do you like most about your job?
What I enjoy most about my job is being able to be creative in coming up with new ideas for different colors and designs for our annual flower displays, our tulips and daffodils, and designs for all the flower planters on campus.
What makes you feel appreciated?
What makes me feel most appreciated are all the compliments I get from University faculty and staff, students, and visitors.
What do you do?
In spring, summer, and fall, I am involved with all the flower beds from designing to planting, watering, and weeding. In the winter months, I plow snow in a plow truck.
What do you like most about working at Notre Dame?
What I like most about working at Notre Dame is the friendly, welcoming people and atmosphere. It helps that this campus is absolutely gorgeous, and football weekends are pretty great, too!
What is a fun fact about you outside of work?
I love to travel and do it as much as I possibly can. I have seen some really beautiful places but, of course, my favorite so far is Ireland.
(Photos by Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)
Originally published by at ndworks.nd.edu on May 26, 2026.