Lisa Gustavson
Like so many gardeners, Lisa learned her craft on the job—in the soil she worked, weeded and loved. The year was 1995 and she and her husband had just settled into their present home in Chili, N.Y.
LisaLisa started gardening as a creative outlet for herself and her kids.
“I'm a self taught gardener,” says the stay-at-home mother of four. “Though I read voraciously and I love meeting and talking with everyone who gardens or farms.”
She started out growing herbs and perennials for the most part, along with “a small vegetable plot grown out back,” she says.
Organic gardening has always been a priority for Lisa.
“I began growing organically due to asthma,” she says, “And for the health and safety of our children. I wanted to create a natural environment where everything flourished together: people, insects, wildlife and plants.”
Lisa mixes flowers and edibles into a garden symphony that surrounds this hidden patio, shaded by corn and grapes. Her oldest son made the chairs as a Mother's Day gift when he was nine.Lisa has long been an advocate for organic practices to friends and neighbors. But after her youngest son was diagnosed with ADHD, she took a more passionate stance against the use of chemicals like pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
“Especially now with new studies proving a direct link between ADHD and pesticides,” she says.
That’s when she launched her blog, Get in the Garden, “to make as much information available as possible to everyone who wants to grow safe and healthy food,” she says. “It's also a fun way to show that gardening with edibles doesn't have to be boring.”
While organic gardening is an important cause for Lisa, the simple romance of it speaks to her just as strongly. It’s a spiritual pursuit for her, too.
“I love everything old, simple and natural,” she says. “Heirloom seeds are my passion.”
In the process of connecting with others who share her passion, Lisa has found a second home online with two fellow gardeners, with whom she recently launched The Soil Sisters.
“We're hoping to bring a garden community together not only to learn and share about gardening with ornamentals and edibles, but to bring awareness to issues and causes close to our hearts.”
Lisa’s blog, Get in the Garden, is filled with recipes where organic growers can put the fruit of their labor to good use, like ravioli stuffed with fresh herbs.So, what's she up to these days, when she's not at her computer? In Lisa's ever-evolving garden sanctuary, she’s considering a new project this year that'll be close to her heart and her kitchen: a potager for the front yard. Sounds delicious.
See more: Get in the Garden, The Soil Sisters
Say hi: getinthegarden@gmail.com