Meet Tara

Working with me means that you get someone with end-to-end knowledge and experience on just about anything plant-related.

As a kid I was lucky enough to grow up in the Northwest as a native Oregonian playing in the wild. The summer before 1st grade my family moved just outside the Salem city limits to almost three acres surrounded by forest and fields. I’d delight in watching deer at our salt lick, climbing pussy willow trees, building forts in the blackberry brambles, observing birds and their hatching eggs. I made art from homemade media like paper and paint sourced by natural materials. I’d return to the same areas to celebrate the return of cattails and trilliums each year, and return to grieve their memory once they didn’t return due to environmental changes. My parents gave me a small area to experiment with growing edible and ornamental things of my own choosing. My absolute favorite thing was to eat lemon cucumbers fresh off the vine.

It’s been a rich path traveling from childhood to today. I didn’t know my grandfather well, but I got to spend a bit of time with him at his plant nursery. I have stayed active in the outdoors with hiking and exploring. I’ve tended many houseplant companions. I first started out in college studying Fine Art with an emphasis in sculpture. During my studies I worked on the landscape crew at Oregon State University, gleaning years of hands-on experience. After taking a few courses in horticulture and botany, I eventually decided I wanted to switch my studies to Landscape Architecture (BLA) and transferred to the University of Oregon where I double-majored. I had realized that Landscape Architecture is still a form of sculpture, only it involves using a specific palette of live materials and hardscape materials.

Upon graduating I knew I didn’t want to work as a traditional Landscape Architect; I wanted to work with people and plants in a different way. I happened into the field of Horticultural Therapy and instantly felt that it resonated with the direction I wanted to pursue. During the few years of intense study and internship through Legacy Health System, I started my business in 2008. I became a registered Horticultural Therapist (HTR) in early 2009 and continued with my business. Over the following decade I maintained many of the therapeutic gardens at Legacy hospitals, I held therapeutic horticulture sessions with a wide variety of populations, a high percentage of which was work with seniors. In recent years I focused on learning about the floral industry. No matter where I’ve turned over the years, I’ve been deeply connected with plants.

Today, I’m still growing lemon cucumbers every year. I use them along with other grazed garden goodies to fuel my body and mind in my pursuit to tend nature in both wild and more curated settings, and helping others reach similar goals. My own garden has a ton of variety and I see it as an opportunity to demonstrate different ways to utilize and interact with the natural environment, in addition to being my personal haven. I see myself as a steward of this sweet slice of earth, as well as an educator, designer, liaison, cheerleader, artist, and witness of nature in all of its glorious forms.

I would love to assist you with your planty endeavors!