In 2020 I transitioned from a tenured teaching position in fine art, to a focus on horticulture through hands-on learning. I began working at Cold Pond Nursery to learn more about cuttings, grafting and greenhouse growing. For the past several years I have worked for Jim Engel of White Oak Nursery in Canandaigua who runs an operation ‘off the grid’ and specializes in native perennial, shrubs, and trees. After doing some freelance eco design work, I realized there are very few options for places to buy native plants here in Monroe County. I started my own home-based, NYS licensed nursery, Spicebush Swallowtail Native Plants, with a focus on using local and regional ecotype seed to grow plants.

I am also an Ontario County Master Gardener and speak regularly about horticulture with the community. My passion is the biodiversity that comes with starting plants from seed and helping people support nature through backyard eco design. The name of my nursery reflects the connection I feel to the beautiful native spicebush that grows all over my favorite local trails. It is one of the host plants for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly. The caterpillar inspired me from the first day I saw it at White Oak Nursery. Thereafter I planted several spicebush in my yard and the first year I hosted these fantastic creatures rolled up in the leaves of my spicebush. If you plant spicebush, you can host these amazing creatures in your yard too!