EPISODE · Feb 2, 2024 · 59 MIN
Julie Witmer on Designing Gardens and Inspiring Minds (#26)
from The Plantastic Podcast · host Julie Witmer, Jared Barnes
JULIE WITMER BIOJulie Witmer works to create beautiful and ecologically sensitive gardens across the continental United States. She began in perennial production and garden nursery retail before earning a Certificate of Horticulture—Britain’s professional gardener qualification—from the Royal Horticultural Society in Wisley, UK. She is a popular local speaker, teaching classes for all ages, and is a published garden photographer in books by Timber Press, Kew Gardens, and Rodale. Her own garden, Havenwood, is nearly one acre and divided into fifteen diverse garden spaces which grow a wide variety and succession of plants throughout the year. With a keen eye for design and place, Julie has worked with private clients for nearly twenty years, helping them realize their own garden dreams, and providing one-on-one coaching in order to grow the skills of the gardener alongside their garden. She shares online classes and garden inspiration on her Substack Julie Witmer Gardens and Instagram at @juliewitmergardens. You can learn more about Julie by visiting her website juliewitmer.com.THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes. He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX. To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com. He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe. Until next time, #keepgrowing!
What this episode covers
In this month’s episode of The Plantastic Podcast, Julie Witmer shares her journey on becoming a passionate garden designer in Pennsylvania. She talks about how she was influenced by figures like Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto and her continuous learning and problem-solving in gardening. Julie's expertise shines through with her design business, her homeschooling practices, and helping families design better spaces with plants. We talk about aligning gardens with personal desires and the environment; how with writing, teaching, and engagement she shares her knowledge and love for plants; layering plants and how to think about a garden; her daily routines of observing seasonal changes; and how we can make gardening accessible and enjoyable for all. Enjoy the show!
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Julie Witmer on Designing Gardens and Inspiring Minds (#26)
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