I learned about gardening at an early age from my mother. She didn’t actually teach us about plants and how to care for them. Rather, plants and flowers were always present in our house. Usually they were taken from her garden and the beauty was not elaborate arrangements but just a few simple cuttings placed in pretty vases and containers. She tended to her shrubs early in the morning before the daily tasks of caring for her family. We had a traditional suburban yard with grass, roses, peonies, hydrangeas, lilacs and numerous evergreen shrubs. Every summer we had red geraniums in pots by the front door.

In college, I had glass jars on the windowsill rooting pothos, coleus, mint, basil and anything green that I thought might sprout roots. Most were not successful and some were made into experiments to test if music helped their growth. For many years afterwards, plants were prized possessions until it was time to move to a new location. Living in Germany and Italy brought new gardening experiences— plant choices, different climates and foreign plant names. After finally settling in Virginia, I was able to create my own garden. I then became a Master Gardener through the great program offered at Green Spring and fell in love with the gardens and available programs. I am honored to be part of such an incredible team as the FROGS and appreciate the opportunity to support its efforts for the continued growth and enjoyment of our treasured gardens.