All photography provided by Leslie Reed or Bob Braine
My art practice, garden design and teaching are focused on land use and the integration of human needs within native ecosystems.
Biography
I was born in Maryland where I grew up spending a large portion of my time outside, both in my mother's gardens and the woods. I graduated from The Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Glass. After college I moved to Brooklyn where my artwork led me to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. While there, I earned a Certificate of Horticulture. In 2006 I began a two year move up the Hudson Valley to the Village of Athens. Through Reed Gardening I have been designing and maintaining gardens organically for more than ten years in Brooklyn and Greene County. My focus is on sustainable design in the garden and working within native ecosystems.
Design
From hiking in the boreal forests of Maine as a child, to boating on the freshwater rivers of Maryland and New York, I look for inspiration for my garden designs where ever I am fortunate enough to find native plant communities.
Teaching
Lately I have had the opportunity to develop some garden eduction programs for children at Clermont State Historic Site, as well as in Catskill at the Catskill Wheelhouse. Having gained so much from a rich relationship with the outdoors and gardening I am particularly excited to be sharing and working with children in the garden.
ART
My work is primarily concerned with the intersection of culture and nature, as embodied in place. The unique combination of cultural and natural events that have been physically drawn onto any specific spot on the Earth create a sense of place and in turn allows for the possibility of the loss of place. To learn more about my art visit: