About
I live and garden in Zone 6b in the Rocky Mountains of Utah where I reside with my husband. Together we have five free-spirited children and one beautiful grandchild, as well as two rambunctious Beagles, a sleuthing cat, two guinea pigs, and a myriad of fish.
Where did I develop my love for gardening? I lived in Austria for 1-1/2 years and fell in love with their gardens, landscaping, nature, and Alps with all of the beautiful hanging baskets outside the windows. I dreamed of having such a garden. Little did I know when we purchased our first home that I would be immediately immersed in the gardening world. Our landscaping was 50% garden that was wild, overgrown, and unkempt. I didn’t have a clue about soil types, flowers, bushes, trees, deadheading, soil amendments, etc. All I knew is that I loved flowers. My many attempts at gardening failed. Whatever I planted, died. Our hard clay soil choked, strangled, and murdered whatever I planted. I quickly learned about “soil amendments”, “waterwise” and drought tolerant” plants. Thus my journey began…And 17 years later I continue to be an active gardener.
I have maintained a garden blog for several years and recently launched Garden Stems in 2011. I enjoy profiling plants, touring gardens and writing about my adventures. I volunteer my time on the Advisory Council and Education Committee for a local botanical garden and I am a contributor at UtahGardenBlogs.com. I was featured in 2009 on The Women on the Web (wowOwow.com); created, run and written by Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin, Candice Bergen, Lesley Stahl and others.
Welcome to my home, garden, and farm. I hope you enjoy this site and choose to stay awhile and visit often.
Garden Stems!
Where did I develop my love for gardening? I lived in Austria for 1-1/2 years and fell in love with their gardens, landscaping, nature, and Alps with all of the beautiful hanging baskets outside the windows. I dreamed of having such a garden. Little did I know when we purchased our first home that I would be immediately immersed in the gardening world. Our landscaping was 50% garden that was wild, overgrown, and unkempt. I didn’t have a clue about soil types, flowers, bushes, trees, deadheading, soil amendments, etc. All I knew is that I loved flowers. My many attempts at gardening failed. Whatever I planted, died. Our hard clay soil choked, strangled, and murdered whatever I planted. I quickly learned about “soil amendments”, “waterwise” and drought tolerant” plants. Thus my journey began…And 17 years later I continue to be an active gardener.
I have maintained a garden blog for several years and recently launched Garden Stems in 2011. I enjoy profiling plants, touring gardens and writing about my adventures. I volunteer my time on the Advisory Council and Education Committee for a local botanical garden and I am a contributor at UtahGardenBlogs.com. I was featured in 2009 on The Women on the Web (wowOwow.com); created, run and written by Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin, Candice Bergen, Lesley Stahl and others.
Welcome to my home, garden, and farm. I hope you enjoy this site and choose to stay awhile and visit often.
Garden Stems!