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mygardentravels's profile Catherine Kaufell / Member since January 2008 / Last seen 7 days ago

I’ve always been a gardener. Every spring I would make an annual trip to the local garden center, and purchase my flowers. My choices would always be marigolds, portulacas, petunias, and many of the old standby annuals that I grew up with.

In 1987 my husband put in a garden behind the house in memory of his father, and we visited a new garden center filled with perennials. I was shocked to find out that these plants came back every year. Every week he would pick out a new plant to add to his collection.

During the winter of 1988 I was reading a garden magazine, and fell in love with all the beautiful perennials so I asked my husband to build me a raised garden in the front of the house. I think he was more excited than me. When it was completed I couldn’t believe how large it was, and calculated that the cost was also going to be large. So I started thinking, which is always dangerous because in the past I’ve come up with some incredible brain storms. I went to (Russell Gardens) our perennial garden center, and found out that they were also wholesale, but you had to buy in quantity, which was not a problem with this garden. They had all the plants that were on my list. I live on a very busy highway, and I’m zoned agricultural. We planted some of the plants, and put the others out by the highway with a sign that said “Perennials For Sale”. To my astonishment people started coming in, and by the end of the weekend I sold all my extra plants and was able to brake even. I went back, and purchased more plants, and continued to sell them on the weekends. I never had so much fun. My customers were wonderful and educational.

At the time I traveled 3 hours a day back and forth from Center City, Philadelphia, and I was getting tired of the commute, so I thought that eventually a nursery might be an option for me. I always wanted to have a business of my own, but never thought in a million years that it would be growing plants. For two more years I kept buying plants, and selling them on the weekends.

In 1991 I quit my job so I could work at my nursery full time. During the winter I borrowed every book in the library, and read everything pertaining to propagation. I joined the “Perennial Plant Association” and went to all their conferences. My husband installed my first greenhouse. I was now on my way as a plant propagator, and found that growing plants became my passion. One day while strolling around Russell Gardens I walked into some small greenhouses and couldn’t believe the fragrance coming from them. I was in the “Herb Houses”. I thought I was in Heaven. I spent hours in the greenhouses, and came home with an assortment of herbs that my customers loved. That day started my love affair with herbs. Herbs were added to my propagation list. You can’t have herbs without roses so I brought in antique roses.

The nursery business is hard physical work, so in 2006 I made a hard decision, and closed my nursery. The spirit was willing, but the body was weak. Those 18 years were filled with so much joy and beauty. I loved sharing it with all the wonderful people that I had the privilege of knowing. When you see my website you’ll see that it has not ended.

After closing I kept wondering what was next. I now had the time to garden and visit other gardens. I don’t believe anything is worth having unless you can share it with others. Through the years I took photos of my flowers and gardens to show people what a plant would look like in flower because most perennials bloom at different times of the season, and it’s hard to judge unless you can see them in flower.

I’m now on a new journey with my camera and I’m still having the time of my life. I hope you’ll come and enjoy My Garden Travels.

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My Garden Travels

http://www.mygardentravels.com/blog1/

I was an owner/grower of a small speciality nursery for 18 years. Since closing my nursery in 2006 I now have the time to pursue my love of garden photography and garden…

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