Hi friends! 👋 I'm Sarah, and I'm looking forward to connecting with all of you here. I haven't been on social media very much recently, but I'm going to try to share more, starting... Now!
A little bit about me: I'm a lifelong vegetarian, a proud Mama of two amazing kids, married to my high school sweetheart, and I hold degrees in both Marine Biology and Interior Design.
I'm a wandering soul. A seeker. And my career path has taken me down many different avenues. At one point I was rescuing baby sea otters and seals at the Alaska Sealife Center. At another point I was designing trendy retail spaces in Vancouver, Canada. I now call Frederick, Maryland my home.
In 2020, I found Gardenary. @heynicoleburke inspired me to blend my creativity with my love for the environment in this revolutionary new career pathway of - Garden Consultant.
My company is Harvested Gardens, and as a certified Garden Consultant, I design beautiful and functional spaces to grow food.
I didn't always know how to garden. I'm learning every day. I especially love to learn from you all online. There are so many wise, talented people doing amazing things out in the world.
So far, it has been difficult for me to really share and be vulnerable on Social media. On one hand, it fosters a deep sense of connection and community. Sharing personal experiences and struggles, often invites others to relate and share their own stories, creating a sense of belonging.
Yet, this same vulnerability can also feel like exposure. The pressure to conform, and the weight of comparison can take a toll, and I am proceeding cautiously.
But rest assured, my desire for connection is greater than my fear of being judged.
So let's inspire each other, and share this journey of gardening. Nourishing our families, communities, and hopefully our planet along the way❤️
#Introduction #Gardenconsultant #Gardencoach #Gardenary #connection
My lavender this year is so vibrant! I just had to harvest it. Pruning prevents it from getting too woody and leggy. It will also bloom again by the end of summer. Isn't the color gorgeous? I'm going to hang these little bundles upside down to dry and give them as gifts🪻🪻🪻
#homegrown #healingherbs #lavender #homemadegiftsarethebest
🍓Strawberry Season!!!!🍓
There is nothing like fresh strawberries, especially when you can go out and pick them from your OWN garden!!
Strawberries are easy to grow in Maryland, and come back year after year. We have a small patch, roughly 10 square feet of growing space, but the few strawberries that we get each year bring my family so much joy!
#homegardening #growyourown #growyourownfood #backyardgarden #strawberries
Last fall I planted a variety of dwarf kale in my garden. As the cold set in and we officially transitioned to winter, I left the garden alone. I didn't put up row covers or cold frames. I just let everything stay in the ground to keep nourishing the soil.
To my surprise, the kale came back to life beautifully in the early spring. So did the broccoli, spinach, cabbage, and Italian parsley that I had also planted in the fall.
I Harvested lots of fresh kale leaves, smaller than average broccoli heads, and lots of fresh parsley to dry and freeze.
But then we had an unseasonably warm week, where temperatures climbed into the high 80s. All of my cool season crops "bolted" and put their energy into making flowers, and eventually seeds. When plants flower it changes the flavor of their leaves. I chose not to harvest the rest and leave it in the garden. The flowers were lovely and brought in early spring pollinators.
Then one day I noticed that some of the stems were looking gray in color, and when I looked closer, they were actually COVERED in aphids. Aphids really gross me out🤢 I usually blast them with a jet of water from my hose, or as a last resort, spray dilute neem oil if they are on a leafy vegetable that I am excited to eat.
But I realized that it didn't matter that my kale was infested because that meant they were leaving my other veggies alone! The perfect "trap crop"!
I also noticed that, right on cue, the amazing ladybugs arrived. Ladybugs consume aphids and are a wonderful natural predator.
Lesson learned: Amazing things happen when you allow nature to do what it does best.
#gardenpests #gardenpestsolutions #organicgardening
#gardentotable #natureisbeautiful
Our backyard swing set has been transformed into a cozy nest for a family of robins! My kids have absolutely loved watching the tiny eggs hatch and the chicks grow before our eyes. The mother and father Robins are very protective and attentive, but have allowed us to take a peek at them every day.
#NatureLovers #BackyardAdventures #RobinsNest"
Today it rained all day, but we needed it. My garden needed it. I needed it. The constant rain meant that I could focus my efforts inside, and actually clean my house after weeks of neglect 😂
But, I always take a trip through my landscape to check out how everything is growing. Today the rain made it magical. Everything was vibrant. The greens were greener. The earth smelled fresh. Tiny droplets of water clung to everything. The birds were cheerful.
I love experimenting with photography and I wanted to show you all the beauty I found. It's there. Do you stop to notice it too?
I had such an amazing time at the inaugural Spring Bloom Immersive Art pop-up event yesterday!
It was so beautiful with all of the creative artwork, fresh herbs, flowers, and gorgeous food. And what a spectacular group of women entrepreneurs to spend the afternoon with!
Special thanks to @chrissyszemeremiller of @_abstractbotanicals_ for crafting the idea for this event and inviting me to be included.
Rebecca from @thehargreavesstudio and Sue from @giverisestudio thank you for hosting us!
#springbloom #springbloomimmersiveartpopup #frederickartists #womeninbusiness
Perennials are my constant fascination in the Spring. It amazes me that they poke up through the cold ground year after year, looking more beautiful every season.
I decided to bring some of my favorites inside to enjoy, because the longer I get to look at them, the happier I am❤️
What are some of your favorite spring-blooming perennials?
Amateur bouquet created with:
🌿Euphorbia
🌿Ammonia blue ice
🌿Brunnera Jack Frost
🌿Helleborus orientalis
🌿Snowdrop Anemone
🌿Ostrich Fern
#backyardbouquet #homegrown #perennials #springblooms
Time to get those cool weather plants in the garden!
#gardening #growyourownfood #kitchengarden #gardeningismytherapy #gardenlove #frederickmaryland
The magical process of germination. From tiny seeds to flourishing plants; it's a beautiful reminder of growth, patience, and the endless wonders of nature🌿
This is day 4 of my Mesclum salad mix that was sown on February 17th
#seedstarting
#gardenmagic #newbeginnings #plantparent #growyourown
I absolutely LOVE growing seeds indoors during the cold winter months! It's such a great way to get a jump start on spring gardening while you patiently wait for the ground to thaw. Plus, there is something magical about the hope that is contained within those seeds✨
Today I planted:
🌿Leeks
🌿Chives
🌿Broccoli
🌿Kale
🌿Peas
🌿Arugula
🌿Romaine
🌿Spinach
🌿Mesclum mix
I am experimenting with various seed starting mediums, to find the blend that produces the healthiest plants. I chose a pure compressed organic coconut core for this batch of seedlings. Stay tuned to see how they turn out!
#seedstarting
#seedstartingindoors #growyourown