Mark Garland's undergraduate and graduate training is in systematic botany and for 15 years he worked as a biologist for the State of Florida; most recently he was the State Botanist of Florida. Since his youth, he has also pursued the study of Latin, first through several years of courses in high school and college and now by continuing study of the grammar and vocabulary of classical Latin and neo-Latin literary and scientific texts. For an example of a neo-Latin botanical text, see the Philosophia Botanica of Carolus Linnaeus on this site.

For over 20 years Mark has translated English descriptions of new species of plants, algae, and fungi into Latin for scientists and plant enthusiasts worldwide. (See these samples of published descriptions.) He has also translated many Latin botanical and zoological texts into English. These texts have treated subjects as varied as orchids on the Aleutian Islands and the reproduction of oysters in the Bay of Naples.

Combining his interests in Latin, history, and science, he expanded his services to include the translation of Latin medical, pharmacological, and geological writings into English.

Mark also receives hundreds of requests to translate short phrases and mottoes, without scientific content, from English to Latin or from Latin into English. He cheerfully translates these as well.