• Hi, I’m Joe! •

My infatuation with gardening and nature began as a child, growing up in Miami, Florida.

After a run-in with my parents’ favorite shrub, I panicked and jammed the broken branch into the ground.

A few weeks later, it had taken root.

I was not only relieved; I was hooked on horticulture.

That defining moment was literally life-changing!

From there I couldn’t get enough information about growing plants. I was a sponge for book knowledge and practical application. And I was only eight years-old! I propagated, planted, and grew everything I could get my hands on.

When it came to plants, I didn’t discriminate. I grew pole beans from seed along the side of our house, mango trees in the backyard, and even found room for a rose garden!

I took cuttings, potted them up and sold them at church fundraisers, bazaars and flea markets. There was no turning back.

When it came time for college, I was dead set on a horticulture degree. Fortunately, my very wise mother encouraged me to pursue a business degree as well. Mother knows best, so that’s what I did.

Upon graduation, there were a lot more employers looking for business majors
than horticulture grads, plus the pay was better.

My life in the business world, although successful monetarily,
left me restless and yearning for a professional life
with the sun on my back and my hands in the soil.

My business background gave me the skills I needed to venture out on my own - shedding the suit and tie and working in horticultural consulting and design, while endlessly using my own home garden and landscape as my living laboratory and loving every second of it.