Imagine eating strawberries right out of the garden, with no worries about what's been sprayed on them. Watching hummingbirds visit the flowers along your fence.
Or listening to bumblebees as they pollinate your tomatoes. Seeing the healthy soil fed by compost you made yourself. Plucking fresh cilantro to sprinkle over tacos.
Gardening is incredibly rewarding.
But it can also be overwhelming and frustrating.
That's why we created Gardens That Matter to help people develop knowledge and skills to grow with confidence.
After more than 10 years of teaching, we’ve learned gardening is a deliciously forgiving endeavor. We'd be thrilled to share encouragement and insights with you.
Our own garden is far from perfect, but it is full of the things that matter most to us—food, beauty, wildlife, opportunities to care for others and the earth.
Our wish for you is to have the same.
We’d love to help you create your own garden that matters.
Get started with bite-sized email lessons on growing food, making compost, helping pollinators, and more.
Hi! I'm Amy. 👋 Although I grew up in my family's garden, I made plenty of mistakes when I set out on my own. Planted okra too early and lettuce too late. Tomatoes with lush leaves...and no fruit. 😖
I wanted to grow organically, but didn't know where to start.
Today, my husband Colby and I harvest delicious foods from a "beyond organic" garden in Western North Carolina. Our yard is full of flowers and fascinating wildlife. The kids enjoy time outside with us...though they disappear when it's time to weed. Still, I love knowing they can eat strawberries and cherry tomatoes right off the vine without worry.
I've been writing and teaching about nature for over twenty years. Since Colby and I founded Gardens That Matter in 2015, our mission has been to help new and experienced gardeners who want healthy food and a healthy planet.
I look forward to hearing about your experiences and supporting your gardening journey!
What Is Gardens That Matter?
Gardens That Matter is learning community for gardeners developing the knowledge and skills to grow food, support wildlife, and live sustainably in our backyards and beyond.
As a student, you'll...
- Gain access to online courses designed to help you take action
- Get step-by-step guides for working with nature
- Ask questions and share ideas in the community forum
- Join live virtual events to connect with instructors and fellow gardeners
- Find inspiration and encouragement (without the ads and drama of social media)
- Learn about ecology and biodiversity with frameworks that make complex concepts easy to understand
Our classes and community are hosted on Mighty Networks, so you have easy access from any device.
If you want to create beautiful outdoor spaces where you can garden, enjoy nature, and make a difference for the planet, you are in the right place.
Meet the Team
The Naturalist
Amy here, and I love science. I majored in biology in college, and I’ve been a nature nerd ever since. Yes, I geek out over plant identification, animal scat and the occasional biochem reaction.
I can’t even tell you how proud I was when my then 3 year old correctly identified a maple tree. Turns out, he called all leafy trees “maple” (and all needley ones “pine”), but it wasn’t a bad start. [Read more ...]
The Artist
Colby is the the weirdo artist of the family. He designed and built sets for stage and screen for 20+ years before becoming a farmer. All that experience in carpentry, welding, painting and even sewing comes in handy on the farm.
Although he has less experience with plants, Colby brings a unique creative perspective to our endeavor. He is passionate about design, artistic expression, and sound craftsmanship. [Read more...]