A true kitchen garden settles into that place where the garden and home merge, becoming an extension of you, opening the senses in new and inspiring ways, and ultimately creating a sanctuary for living.
I garden because I love to eat. It’s that simple, and it became my goal to teach myself and others how to design kitchen gardens. Through structure and design techniques, all gardeners can make their food gardens more inviting and productive, and turn “work” into “play”.
All of my books combine artful kitchen garden designs with fresh, seasonal recipes. From a Cook’s Garden is based on our small family farm and seed catalog The Cook’s Garden. The Complete Kitchen Garden features twelve themed kitchen garden designs with recipes. My other books include The Vermont Cheese Book and the Vermont Country Store Cookbook.
My most recent book The New Heirloom Garden is designed for cooks who love to garden, featuring kitchen garden designs with varieties that offer true flavor, fragrance, and old-fashioned charm. I offer lectures and workshops, and individual design consultation based on my six steps to classic kitchen garden design.
I graduated with a degree in fine arts and art history, then studied with Marcella Hazan in Venice, Italy, and Ballymaloe School in Shanagarry, Ireland. In a world where most supermarket options have largely dulled our palates and choices are homogenized, food gardens are more important than ever.
Here’s a short video of what I teach in my garden lectures.
