2025 Reflections: Growing Gardens and Connections
It is hard to believe that 2025 is almost over. We have had a busy year at Deeply Rooted Landscapes, and our team has been reflecting on some of our favorite moments that we want to share with you. These are the moments that made us pause and appreciate the incredible plants, people, and creatures we get to work with.
Many of our moments of awe happened on client sites, whether we were planting gardens or checking in to see how plants were establishing. Courtney and Bronwynn were thrilled to discover a giant patch of Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) in Ed’s woodland garden.
Audrey was especially excited to see her first large design go into the ground at Laura’s. Both Audrey and Bronwynn also fondly recalled planting Colleen’s garden. Chris created a grid to help lay out this design, which made planting such a large space go smoothly.
Bronwynn shared that another memorable installation was at Sherri and Dave’s. Their backyard is incredibly peaceful, and we look forward to watching their new garden grow.
Chris and Bronwynn enjoyed collecting spring ephemerals (plants that bloom early in spring and go dormant before deciduous trees fully leaf out) in Bill’s woodlands. Chris particularly appreciated Cameron walking ahead and clearing the path of every spiderweb, about twenty of them, with his face, so he did not have to.
We visit our clients’ gardens throughout the growing season, and we also love staying connected online. Courtney appreciated every photo her design clients sent, especially one from Brianne of a hummingbird spending time in her garden.
We find fascinating creatures at nearly every job site, as well as in the nursery at HQ. This year we found countless caterpillars and butterflies, salamanders, frogs, rabbits, and deer. Audrey rescued a Red Spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) that had flown into our shop and could not find its way back out. She also spotted her first Monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillar in her own garden at home.
We led more talks and workshops this year than ever before. Courtney gave one of the first talks of the year at Aullwood Audubon, where she got her start as an environmental educator. Later in the spring, Kara and Courtney presented a hybrid talk and workshop at the University of Findlay, and we hope to offer that program again. Courtney also gave her talk, Growing a Moon Garden, seven times this year, including four presentations at Dayton Metro Library branches throughout the Miami Valley.
We attended several community events and plant sales as well. Kara especially enjoyed the Hug the Earth Festival, where she and Ann chatted with customers while her kids, Etta and Kelly, explored the event. The weather was perfect.
2025 was also a big year for projects at HQ. We installed our second greenhouse and fully graveled the nursery. Kara enjoyed terrascaping the land with the tractor and even discovered a pair of underwear buried in one of the gravel loads, a moment none of us will forget. We are looking forward to far less mud in the nursery in 2026.
Everyone loves our nursery mascot and shop cat, Rainbow Fancy. Audrey is his favorite person, and he follows her through the nursery while she works. He enjoys curling up in laps (or on our papers) when we’re working and occasionally offers hugs.
Audrey shared several plant moments of awe from this year. One highlight was seeing the first tray of Tufted Hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) germinate. She experienced multiple first time blooms from plants she brought home from DRL, including Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) that she planted two years before joining the team at her new house. She also watched her Stiff Goldenrod (Oligoneuron rigidum) and New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) bloom near a rainbow of Strawflowers (Xerochrysum bracteatum) at the edge of her vegetable garden. Ann gifted her those plants on her second day at DRL.
We have had a busy, plant-filled year in 2025, and we cannot wait to see what 2026 holds for us and our gardens.