About Susan

IT ALL STARTED: Innocently enough, gardening with my mom back in Virginia.  Rowdiness first blossomed at Oberlin in the ‘60s while "associating" with SDS and other FBI targets. Wandering around the world in a hippie van naturally followed.*

WHAT NOW: Three husbands later, I coach gardening, write a local newspaper column, write the DC Urban Gardener website and blog, and rabble-rouse every chance I get for more and healthier plants in our overdeveloped world.  More evidence that I can't just Shut Up and Dig are my website Sustainable Gardening and my video about creating and maintaining a sustainable garden. 

WHAT I RANT ABOUT:  Anything that misinforms or discourages gardeners - from old-school quacks to idealistic do-gooders to local laws that mandate conformity.

WHERE:  In the lefty town of Takoma Park, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C.

On my own blog I have even more opinions about gardening and occasionally  wander off-topic and expound seemingly at random - about XM radio, photography, movies, or how Joe Biden treats the help.

Help yourself to a tour of my garden, subscribe to my monthly newsletter, or email me.   

*Here's an update to that wandering hippie photo.

Comments

[Layanee A. DeMerchant]

Susan: Thank you for inviting me into your garden. It was a delightful tour. Layanee

[plangarden]

Susan: I was floored by the photos of your garden -- sorry, after reading your "bored with perfect magazine gardens" comment, I suppose I was expecting something that looked like ours: grass almost non-existent, a shabbily constructed "boat" out of old redwood fencing planks (a convenient storage area for soil), but with a thriving, kick-ass veggie garden boasting a few hundred bulbs of allium :-).

I'm impressed with your "chaotic" garden and most of all envy your location. We were in Jay last Oct. and stayed at the Otter Chalet.

Love this site, the name, the authors -- rant away!

[plangarden]

Oops, just read your location - thought you were upstate NY 'cause of the chairs. haha, those Adirondak chairs sure are comfy!

[Babs]

Your gardens are beautiful and so are the photographs. I enjoyed both. Are you also a photographer?

[susan harris]

Babs - yes, I have my PowerShot with me most of the time. Thanks for the encouragement.

[joey randall]

Loved the photos ... love the comments ... love your garden.

[Garden Wise Guy]

Susan: Hiya, and “tag”, you’re it!

I've been really enjoying your blog!

Not sure if you're ever up for a blogsphere "meme," but they can be kinda fun. It’s kind of like a chain letter filled with fun personal facts. I tagged you for "8 Fun Facts" if you choose to play...click over to… http://gardenwiseguy.blogspot.com/2007/07/little-diversion.html, read the rules and jump in.
Enjoy!
Garden Wise Guy

[chuck b.]

Susan, an article in the paper about garden coaches today:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/26/HOF1QVCMT.DTL

[Sandra]

I saw your advertisement in the USA Today Magazine and love your site!
My husband is a retired engineer and has designed a unique copper garden stake called "Dripless Decor" it is a great conversation piece for the garden. We recently participated in a craft show and we sold them like hot cakes! If any one is interested in seeing his creation, you may e-mail me at sandrajb@cox.net

[Edie Bain]

Susan I gather that you can contact Paul James? A friend of mine writes an annual story called "The Watching" on the Corgi-L. it's sort of a memorial to all the Corgis that have passed that year. This year (2007), she included a mention of Mr. James' Maggie. I thought he might want to see the story. I would be happy to send it to you to send on to him if that would be preferable to putting me in direct contact.

[Barbara]

Hello Susan! If anyone would know, it's you. I am looking for a 6' high realistic-looking (black/brown "bark")leave-out-in-the-rain cast aluminum or iron TREE. Lots of branches...to hang things off of (don't ask). May have to commission.

[Cheryl Hoffman]

I read the article in The Washington Post today and was fascinated. I have always liked to putter around with flowers and small trees in pots, love the look of a relaxed and balanced garden but don't really know where to start. We have just built a family weekend house at Lake Anna, VA. We have lots of Virginia clay and no plants (except what was growing wild) thus far. We have some woods, some former farm land, a bunch of sweet gums and pines. We don't know where to start. Does anyone have any suggestions to help us. PS The builder says he will put down seed around house in spring and that we should put powdered lime on ground. Now we have straw where ground was graded and cleared.

[Ken Sturmer]

Hi Susan,
Some time ago, I sent you a story about our "lawn nazis" here in Beacon Woods, Florida. I just had to send you an update. Check out this link:http://oddculture.com/2008/10/12/gramps-goes-to-jail-for-not-sodding-his-lawn/

[b]

hi susan!

i'm using this as an impromptu tipline... i'd like to see your thoughts on water rights. apparently in colorado, it's illegal to put out a rain catch! kris holstrom sounds like an interesting person.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-contested-rainwater18-2009mar18,0,5585599.story

is that stealing? i mean, eventually it's going in the ground... enjoy, and keep up the good work!

[Margaret Roach]

I was happy (and flattered) to see that we are kindred spirits on the edging front. Made my first rounds Friday here...first 2 beds...this year I may measure all the lineal feet I do annually. I suspect it's closing in on 1,000 now. Nuts, huh? But then, all gardening is at least a little nuts, no?