About
I love how my kids eat food right out of the garden, and I don't have to worry about what's been sprayed on it. And I love the discoveries we make as we explore nature together.
But to be honest...sometimes, gardening can feel overwhelming.
Maybe you've been there?
You want your family to have clean, healthy food. . .
You want a little beauty in your own backyard. . .
You want to live more sustainability. . .
Maybe you already have a small vegetable patch or a few fruit trees. Or maybe you want to start a garden this year.
But, up pop the challenges...figuring out what to plant when...dealing with weeds and bugs...diagnosing a strange wilty disease...keeping little feet from trampling everything! Not to mention, you have a long “to-do” list that rarely allows enough time in the garden.
We’ve been there. (Goodness knows, some days we’re still there!)
And over decades of tending plants, we’ve learned gardening is a deliciously forgiving endeavor.
Our 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.
My wish for you is to have the same, a garden that matters to you.
We’d love to help you create your own garden that matters.
Hi, I’m Amy Landers and this is my husband Colby and our boys.
On our family’s small homestead in western North Carolina, we grow food for ourselves, our community and the resident wildlife. We use organic methods and practice a mix of permaculture, biointensive growing and traditional farming.
Our boys are at the heart of it all. We want to make the world a better place for them in very real ways: healthy food, good soil, a love of nature, resilient ecosystems and communities.
Colby and I are passionate about helping others learn to garden. That's why we founded Gardens That Matter.
What Is Gardens That Matter
Gardens That Matter is a membership community that brings together gardeners to develop skills and confidence so that we can all successfully grow more food and flowers, enjoy deeper connections with nature, and live more sustainably in our backyards and beyond.
As a member, you will:
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Get exclusive content and conversation about gardening you can’t find anywhere else. These are designed to help you make progress. Our Success Path and monthly themes will guide the way.
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Meet other gardeners who live near you or in a similar ecoregion, who face the same challenges, who share your interests, or who care about the same gardening topics.
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Gain knowledge and skills that make you a more confident gardener. You’ll be able to make better decisions, and ultimately, experience more abundance and success in your garden.
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Swap stories, experiences, and ideas around our shared mission. You can build deeper connections (without the ads and distractions of social media) and be yourself here!
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Find inspiration and get encouragement from your fellow gardeners each time you log in.
If you want to create beautiful outdoor spaces where you can garden, connect with nature, take time to smell the mint, and feel good about living more sustainably, 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...]
The Neighbors
We live in a hundred-year-old house that belonged to my grandparents. Our next door neighbors are my parents, “Nana” and “Grandpa.” Having grown up next door to my Grandma Millie, I know how awesome this is for our kids. The boys know just where to go for treats and extra hugs.
Nana and Grandpa are willing, if sometimes skeptical, participants in our eco-friendly farming endeavors. [Read more...]
The Community
We are blessed to have family, friends and neighbors who love and support us. We’ve got mentors who blaze the paths we walk and teachers who light the way.
We want to pass on the love and encouragement to others. We want Gardens That Matter to grow into its own community of readers, contributors and gardeners. Will you join us?