As a little girl, I was always itching to get into the gardens. Whether it was collecting blossoms from perennials growing in the yard, exploring the woods, or harvesting vegetables from the garden, I had my dirt-covered fingers in it. I grew up in Mosinee, Wisconsin, observing the surrounding landscapes as I grew along with them. In High School, I discovered my passion in Horticulture. Through Agriculture classes and FFA, I was able to practice and learn about Horticulture and the Green Industry. After the passion sprouted, there was no turning back. I was accepted into the Horticulture- Landscape Design and Management program at the University of Wisconsin- River Falls. My course work focused heavily on plant sciences, practices and the processes of designing landscapes. I was very involved with the UWRF Horticulture Society, where I was able to broaden my experience by traveling and competing in contests. Through UWRF, I was able to participate in summer internships with Schalow’s Nursery in Marshfield, WI for three summers. I was very fortunate to graduate a semester early in December of 2017, and was offered a full-time position at Schalow’s Nursery-Garden Center.

For the past two years, I have been the Nursery Manager at Schalow’s Nursery. Being the lead Horticulturist, I was able to help customers with their plant care needs, grow nursery stock, provide landscape services and design residential landscapes. I loved being surrounded by the plants and immersing myself in plant knowledge. Yes, I am a “plant nerd”! Every summer we would hire seasonal staff or interns, and this gave me the opportunity to spread interest even more. I love to see someone’s eyes light up when we are talking plants.

After graduating I knew that I wanted to come back to the area that first sparked my interest in Horticulture. I wanted to be able to “bloom” where I had been “planted”. By taking on the Horticulture and Grounds Manager position at Monk Botanical Gardens, I will be able to share my wealth of knowledge with the surrounding communities that built me. I am excited to use my experience to enhance the grounds and people involved with the gardens. I can’t wait to see what we can create together!