This Cultivating Place program is dedicated to two plantspeople in my region who have now passed to the great gardens and trails beyond. Rebecca Lynn Yarrow, also known as SuperElf and Supertunia, and Wes Dempsey, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at California State University, Chico, who shared with me and taught me more than I can express about the love of the plant life in my region. The shining plant loving spirits of these two will be missed, in their own very distinct and smiling ways, they each made this garden life brighter.
As summer arrives and with more than 1 million US households now engaged in gardening – a number that is more than double what it was pre-pandemic, this week we focus on the power and importance of local garden programs and knowledge – in person, in columns, on podcasts and radio-airwaves, or in writing to help grow gardeners.
We’re in conversation with Lyons Filmer and Susan Hayes, creators and hosts of In The Coastal Garden, a bi-weekly community radio program serving their region of coastal Northern California and airing on KWMR in Point Reyes Station, where Lyons served as the Program Director for more than 19 years (she retired a few years back).
I caught up with Lyons and Susan a little earlier this spring – and they offer a great template for any region!
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JOIN US again next week, when with summer vacation firmly in sight, we head to the coast to speak with two coastal gardeners whose Marin County radio program In a Coastal Garden explores all things coastal gardening. Listen in!
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF FLORA FORAGER, all rights reserved.
Thinking out loud this week:
This Cultivating Place program is dedicated to two plantspeople in my region who have now passed to the great gardens and trails beyond. Rebecca Lynn Yarrow, also known as SuperElf and Supertunia, and Wes Dempsey, Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at California State University, Chico, who shared with me and taught me more than I can express about the love of the plant life in my region. The shining plant loving spirits of these two will be missed, in their own very distinct and smiling ways, they each made this garden life brighter.
Remember that question I asked you last week about your favorite Garden metaphors? I hope you’re all still thinking about this – appreciating these psychological and emotional gifts of the garden. This week – with both the work of Lyons and Susan, and all local garden communicators everywhere – I think of so many bloggers, and other podcast hosts I follow and lover and learn from – which brings me to the garden’s lesson of generosity and sharing forward.
This was true of the two plantspeople to whom I dedicated todays episode – Rebecca’s flamboyant enthusiasm and colorful exuberance, alongside Wes Dempsey’s academic rigor shared with students, colleagues and indeed our entire region of plantspeople public and private – and both of their smiles could light a small town with the generosity they radiated.
SO again, What about you – are there particular metaphors, messages, lessons from the garden you hold tight to? I would love to hear them if you do - send me an email: cultivatingplace@gmail.com. I would love to hear your favorite garden metaphor lessons. We all have them, I think!
And – just because you are here listening with me even now and AGAIN at the very end of the second podcast break, I have five copies of Flora Forager’s The Fairy Journals that I would like to share. Whoever sends me an email with their best garden messages/metaphors by June 1st will be added to a drawing for a copy of the The Fairy Journals. I will pick five names on June 1st. To be added to the drawing send me an email with your most valued garden metaphor/messages: send your email to cultivatingplace@gmail.com by June 1st.
To be added to the drawing, send me an email with your most valued garden metaphor/messages: send your email to cultivatingplace@gmail.com by June 1st.
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