Lars Pertwee is one of those guys you like right away. His broad smile and firm handshake are genuinely warm. His smooth British accent reveals a well-mannered confidence. He makes you feel right at home, even if you're a long way from it. That's an asset for Lars because he works at Florida's Walt Disney World, one of the most popular vacation spots in the world.
Disney World's home in Orlando, Florida, is an Atlantic Ocean away from Lars' hometown of Frinton-on-the-Sea, England, a small village in Essex County. He is in the United States on FFA's Work Experience Abroad (WE A) program and has worked at Disney since December 1 of last year.
Six days a week, Lars drives through the heart of Orlando just as the sun is rising to arrive at the Magic Kingdom by 6 a.m. He is one of only three people who care for all indoor plants at Walt Disney World. This "interiorscaping" crew installs and maintains indoor plants in offices, restaurants, hotels, the Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center.
Lars' main responsibility is the Polynesian Resort Hotel, where healthy plant-life is crucial to its overall look and feel. The hotel is famous for its main entrance area, the atrium, where a tropical jungle display, towering over two stories high complete with waterfall, greets visitors and hotel guests. Lars alone is responsible for the atrium and it's his pride and joy.
The Atrium
"The atrium is a showcase. Outside the hotel, you need plants that can take the frost, cold weather, a lot of sun and wind," says Lars. "Inside you can use one-of-a-kind plants. We have a Kentia palm, which grows slowly, growing to the roof. You can't put a price on it, but it's certainly worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. It's irreplaceable. I didn't know what it was because I'd never seen one that big!"
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