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| Interview
with Emily. (For some background, visit the "Emily"
page)
Oh, too long, about thirty years. There's never a day that goes by that I don't pull a weed, pinch something here and there, search something out, or teach someone about gardening, or propagate something. Have you experienced the joy of different zones? Yes, and it is a joy, not to mention some of the challenges. Change is always appealing to me but definitely it can make one readjust their methods since a garden is never finished. No matter where you live, having to re-create a new one is wonderful. Anyone can do it by not moving at all. I've been lucky to have the opportunity to travel or live in many places so it's reassuring once in a while to see the same methods and techniques utilized again and again. Trends, fads, such as they are, come and go. People do move on and go back to the basics. Its nice to see a strong garden.
Probably viewing botanical gardens. They all have the same goal of pleasing the public, it's amazing how differently it is accomplished. What do you enjoy most about what you are doing in the garden world? Actually, aside from creating my present garden, doing this site has been a lot of fun. A whole new world. Who has influenced you the most in the gardening world, and why? That's a difficult questions. I appreciate and respect all the 'everyday' gardeners I have met. I learn something from everyone. I think I base some of the wonderful gardens on the effort and care. But I started off reading Maggie Baylis. What is your favorite garden magazine? I read as many as I have time for. I only subscribe to two at a time. "Garden Design" and "Horticulture" have been high on the list. A regional magazine is nice to receive because there is always lots of insight that one does not get in a general gardening magazine. In your garden library what are your most useful books? I try to own the best book in each topic of interest. Recently I purchased "A-Z" as an all purpose reference. I love my "New York Times Book of House Plants", and I pay more attention to the authors. Anything produced by Horticulture is excellent. What about catalogs? I love 'em. They're great references, but you have to be careful that they are reputable and use botanical names and are honest about the growing zones. Sometimes an expensive way to go but if one is looking for that special variety it is a great resource.
Not really. In early, early years, because my children were close in age and we were busy every minute, I tended a lot of indoor houseplants. The children were my watering pals. I raised starter plants for three plant shops in a metropolitan area. What do you remember most about growing up around gardening? In my early years, I worked in my mother's strawberry patches. She had three large ones and supplied fresh strawberries to the local grocery store. I also had my own little garden plot and a worm business which failed. One customer, no worms. The entire family was into gardening of some sort. We composted and my mother had a beautiful perennial bed. I remember hollyhocks against an early 1900's barn, bulbs being planted every spring, berry picking of all kinds. Tons of canning every summer. Trading strawberries for eggs. Do you propagate? All the time. Any which way I can. It's the joy of sharing and giving. But I do make sure the plant is a decent size before I give it away. Something tiny and little just doesn't have a chance in new hands. And, I make sure the person really wants it. I always use rootone when doing cuttings in sand, perlite, or vermiculite. Not only does it have hormones, but it also has a fungicide to prevent dampening off. Have you used any of the garden computer software? Yes. I have two search libraries and a design program. The design program is fun but when it comes right down to it, hands on and actually feeling and visualizing the space works best. For working with numbers, software is good because it provides scale. What do you strive for in a garden? Low maintenance. Simplicity. No fails (perennials, annuals), and mostly natives. It saves a lot of time in the long run. I try to learn from others mistakes, but don't mind stretching the zones a bit to see if I can grow it. Are you an organic gardener? I believe for the most part I think we all would like to be. The strongest characteristic of an organic gardener is their care of the soil. Without that we will not have an earth. Recycling and composting takes time but with everyone's individual effort we can halt the destruction of our living space. What better inheritance can we give our children? Being strictly organic means using organic seeds and plants when planting. If bought at a commercial site it's hard to know what has been done in the growing process. Growing your own seed helps. I've been lucky not to have to resort to chemicals recently but in the past I have used them at times for a specific purpose. How much "help" do you have in the garden? Aside from my husband who is a great help, and having a few things delivered, I really do it myself. What question do you wish would have been included? I think, "Do you have time for anything else?" And, the answer would be, that I make time. It's nice to take a breath from a passion once in a while. How long do you intend to garden? Forever !
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How long have you been gardening?
What has been your favorite gardening
adventure?
Do you favor one plant material over another?