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I grew up on a dairy farm in Lancaster County, PA.  Like many children in those circumstances, I spent a large part of my early adulthood getting as far away from farming as possible.  The 365-day work program had little appeal.  If someone had told me at twenty-one, that I would 'crave' digging in soil and think being covered in dirt a delight for the senses, I would never, ever have believed them.  But, here I am. Somewhere along my journey of adventures, I found out what coming full circle meant.

WHY I STARTED GARDENING

It wasn't my idea ... it was her idea.  She doesn't look harmful does she?  My mother was a force in my childhood.   Flowers made her happy.  It followed that if they made her happy, anyone recruited for planting them would be equally happy. My siblings and I did not share that view most of the time.   I would say we didn't share that view any of the time.

She had us planting petunias and marigolds 'ad nauseum'.  It has taken me 40 plus years to get to where I will recommend either plant to a client, let alone, have one land in my cart at a nursery.   Both of these summer bloomers have come a long way from the plants of my childhood.  You can't argue with their toughness.  They always looked great at home.  People would often say, 'oh you live at that farm with those gorgeous flowers along the road'.  Mom gleamed; the rest of us groaned. 
LEARNING THE FINER POINTS

During a job transition period (aka restructured schedule for child rearing), I began to volunteer at Longwood Gardens.  The fact that it was a world-class garden wasn't really relevant to me at the beginning.  The key criteria was it was 15 minutes away and volunteering allowed me take classes at a reduced price.  Volunteering and learning at the same time was a win-win.  The people were friendly, and the instructors and courses available were great.  I completed both Series I & II programs. Learning how to put everything together is another skill.  The education programs grew to include a Design Certificate  Curriculum which I completed several years later.
HANDS-ON PRACTICUM

Theory and working at a world-class garden with a large budget are one thing.  Working with a homeowner is another.  Along the way, I started doing maintenance for individuals.  There is nothing like going into someone else's garden and trying to decipher how it got to where it is and how to get it where the homeowner wants it to go. Those experiences have given me an added perspective of what can happen, might happen and should happen after plants are installed.  There has been the good and the bad.   You learn a lot from both experiences.  
  
One other piece in this practicum was working at and with  Kirkpatricks Nursery.   I picked this nursery long before they picked me.    Bill Kirkpatrick, Owner and Bill Hallman, Nursery Manager understand what plants need to thrive.  Working with them continues to be a valuable part of learning the trade. Seeing liners (baby plants) come arrive in early spring, planting them up in pots, watching them grown on to sell in the nursery, trimming along the way opened my eyes to another dimension of growing plants.
HOME GARDEN

I've also learned a lot from trial and error in my own garden.  It is one acre with a 45 degree slope in the back.  I grow a lot of different plants – trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs and annuals.  I have ripped out beds, added beds, moved trees, shrubs and perennials.  Yes, I've had plants die.  Everyone does.  

I have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of landscape plant material for the Delaware Valley.  I won't pretend to tell you how to grow indoor or tropical plants -- or growing grass for that matter.  Nor will I go into depth on vegetable gardens.  But, I will locate the correct information or direct you to a reliable resource.