I’ve had a lot of requests, during my speaking engagements, for a little more information about me. So since I’ve taken down my LinkedIn profile, I thought that I would put up some information about my gardening career here:
Connecticut Judge, America’s Best Gardener Contest, 2017. Chosen one of only 25 judges nationally to judge a nationwide competition for best vegetable gardener, best indoor gardener and best ornamental gardener.
Garden Columnist, West Hartford Magazine, (www.westhartfordmagazine.com), March 2012–present. Garden columnist for local glossy publication
Blogger, Gardendaze, https://gardendaze.wordpress.com, February 2010-present—an irreverent but informative blog about organic gardening, sustainable living, nature and weather (1000 plus posts so far)
Book Review Editor, Connecticut Horticulture Society Newsletter Spring 2008—present
Part-time Lecturer, Capital Community College, Hartford 2004—Spring 2008
- Offered a series of one-hour courses on various garden topics
Topics included early spring gardening, perennial gardening, and gardening for butterflies and hummingbirds
Gledhill Nursery, West Hartford–Water Gardening 2001-2005
- Created water gardening department at retail nursery
- Established annual lecture series
- Presented several lectures in annual series, as well as lectures on seasonal topics and lectures off-site to community
- Designed layout and display of water garden plants and hard goods that Connecticut Nursery and Landscape Association (CNLA) members singled out as especially attractive on its tour of nursery
- Creator and author of two email newsletters: one devoted solely to water gardening and the second, a more general “Timely Tips and Topics in the Garden”
Published Articles
- “Drought or Deluge: Helping Your Garden Cope with Connecticut’s Fickle Weather, ” Connecticut Horticultureal Society Newsletter, June 2014
- “Trade Secrets: A Garden Writer’s Inside View of How Plants Come To Market, ” Connecticut Horticulture Society Newsletter, May 2010
- “Hot Garden Trends,” Connecticut Horticultural Society Newsletter, October 2006
- “Easy Organic Houseplant Care, “ Connecticut Horticultural Society Newsletter, Winter 2005
- “Saving Cannas and Bananas: Overwintering Tropicals and Tender Perennials,” Connecticut Horticulture Society Newsletter, September, 2004
- Cover article, March 2003 Connecticut Horticulture Society Newsletter, “Creating a Backyard Habitat”
Lectures (presented to garden clubs, women’s clubs, homeowners’ associations, garden centers, the Farmington Valley Arts Center, at the 2004 Environthon™ and at some far flung places like Gardeners Supply in Burlington, VT)
- Request list of topics from author—over 30 different topics available
Media Appearances
- Television Fox 61
- Morning Show w/Rachel Frank—5 minute segment discussing houseplants
- Morning Show w/Rachel Frank—5 minute segment discussing orchids
- Television WVIT NBC 30
- 5 minute segment on Janet Peckinpaugh’s morning show on late winter cold and protecting plants
- Featured expert on 6 p.m. news in Doug Greene’s segment on drought
- Radio WTIC-AM 1080
Substitute co-host on “Garden Talk with Len and Lisa”
- New Britain Herald, February, 2005, “A Lifetime of Watching Wings”
- West Hartford Life and Farmington Valley Life, April 2004, “How Does Your Garden Grow?”
- West Hartford News, June, 2002 “Local Expert to help in Artists’ Garden Weekend”
- West Hartford Life, April, 2002 “Peace and Pleasure are Found by a Water Garden”
- Hartford Advocate, September 2001 “Greener Days”
Private Garden Design and Consulting
- Created landscape plans for clients in West Hartford and the Farmington Valley
- Consulted with clients on solving existing design dilemmas and landscape challenges
- Consulted with homeowners on pond construction, placement, re-design and planting
- Assisted homeowner’s association with organic aquatic weed management and plantings to deter Canada Geese and with native plant installation to buffer storm water runoff
Member, Garden Writers Association; Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group; Connecticut Horticultural Societies; and Connecticut Orchid Society
Gardendaze 
Good afternoon,
We recently came across your website and feel we could have a beneficial partnership. We noticed you have posted blogs addressing items which are of interest to us. We’d like to know if you would like to link to our blogs to supply supplemental information to your readers as well as ours. Please follow the link https://myperfectplants.com/category/blog/ to review our blog section. We are always working on more blogs and planting guides. Furthermore, we recently started a scholarship focusing on helping students in a Horticultural or Agricultural program throughout the US – https://myperfectplants.com/scholarship-application/
Please contact me via email, elisa@myperfectplants.com, or phone, 850-997-3008, if there is a possibility of Perfect Plants and Garden Daze working together. Given the opportunity, we’d like to send you one of our plants for your review and incorporated in your beautiful garden. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration and we look forward to hearing from you.
Elisa
Looking to re-design foundation plantings. Live in Newington. Do you come at to Newington and what do you charge and would you be interesred.
Hi Bobby,
Thanks for your question. I don’t do this sort of work anymore–but thanks so much for your interest!