Growing plants. Growing understanding. Growing together.
Sweetpea Growing Grounded began with a simple idea.
My husband and I had a random thought to save and grow seeds from tomatoes we had purchased at the store. He had some experience with growing them, so we gave it a try.
I didn’t know then how much that little experiment would change the way I looked at plants, food, and the world around me.
When I ate my first tomato that I had grown myself, I was amazed by the difference. It made me start paying closer attention to where our food comes from and what goes into growing it. That curiosity sent me down a rabbit hole of learning, and gardening quickly became much more than a hobby.
Learning From Plants
One of the things I love most about plants is that they tell you what they need.
A drooping leaf can be a gentle signal that something isn’t quite right. Yellowing leaves can tell us that watering may need to be reconsidered. Plants can’t speak, but they communicate constantly if we’re willing to pay attention.
To me, good plant care starts with listening.
I look at the plant, the soil, the light, the surrounding environment, and the small changes that can easily be overlooked. I believe there is always more to learn, and I try to stay curious so I can continue understanding the best ways to help plants thrive.
Growing With Nature
My love of gardening has also given me a much deeper appreciation for the life happening around us.
I’ve spent time sitting in the garden watching insects move from flower to flower, gathering nectar from plants I’ve helped grow. Knowing that I created a space where those creatures could find food gave me a feeling of connection to something much bigger than myself.
That is one reason I value native plants and natural gardening practices.
I want the spaces I care for to support more than just the plants. I want them to provide opportunities for insects, wildlife, and other forms of life to thrive alongside us.
My approach is centered around working with nature rather than against it, and I do not use pesticides as part of my standard plant-care practices.
The Joy of Growing
Some of my favorite gardening memories are the simple ones.
The first butternut squash I grew and baked with butter in the oven was incredibly rewarding. Taking something from a seed to a mature plant and eventually bringing it into the kitchen made me appreciate the entire process in a completely different way.
I also love propagation. This involves taking a small piece of a plant, helping it develop new roots, and watching it become a strong plant of its own.
One of my favorite plants is the kalanchoe succulent, which was one of the first plants I successfully brought back to health and learned to propagate. It taught me that sometimes a struggling plant simply needs someone to slow down, pay attention, and understand what it is asking for.
Why Sweetpea Growing Grounded?
When I was growing up, my grandfather gave each of his grandchildren a nickname. Mine was Sweetpea, inspired by an old song that reminded him of me.
The words Growing Grounded have a different kind of meaning.
There was a time in my life when I began a journey of learning, growing, and finding myself. Gardening became one of my first steps toward that growth.
For me, growing grounded means staying connected to ourselves, to nature, to the food we grow, and to the life happening all around us.
That feeling is what I hope to share through Sweetpea Growing Grounded.
Caring for Plants With Understanding
When I care for someone’s plants, I don’t want to simply complete a list of tasks.
I want to understand the plants.
I want to notice the little changes, understand their environment, and give them the opportunity to reach their best potential.
I believe plants deserve the same kind of attention we give to anything we truly care about: patience, curiosity, understanding, and love.
And I believe caring for plants can give something back to us, too.
A garden can bring beauty into a home. It can create a place for insects and wildlife. It can give us food, teach us patience, and remind us that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.
My Hope for Sweetpea
My hope is that Sweetpea Growing Grounded becomes more than a plant care service.
I want it to become a place where people can learn, become more aware of the life around them, and discover the joy that plants can bring into their homes and gardens.
Every plant I care for gives me another opportunity to learn.
Every garden gives me another opportunity to help something grow.
And every person I work with gives me an opportunity to share that connection.
Treating Your Plants Like My Own
If you are looking for someone you can trust with your plants, I want you to know this:
I will treat your plants the way I treat my own, with love, patience, curiosity, and understanding.
When your plants grow, I grow too.
And when we give plants the opportunity to thrive, we create a little more life and beauty in the world around us.
Sweetpea Growing Grounded
Plant care with curiosity.
Gardening with intention.
Growing together.
Serving homeowners in Woodbury, Minnesota and surrounding areas.
