Exciting times at Contained Gardens as we begin the 20th year of business! In November, I announced that my assistant Stephanie will become a partner of Contained Gardens. She has done an amazing job over the past four years and I’m excited to have her in this role!
Stephanie McCarthy
Stephanie has worked with me daily and she knows the business well. She has been managing the summer maintenance program for the past three years, and she made sure last year’s Fall plantings went on as scheduled without much help from me due to health issues. My health is getting better each day, but I know now more than ever that it’s important to have more help within the business.
Stephanie shares her thoughts, “Until I began working with Andrea four years ago, I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed gardening. I quickly realized that it was something I had a great interest and passion for. There is something about being outdoors and creating beauty for someone else that makes it fun and rewarding. I am beyond excited to begin this role as partner and to see where this takes Contained Gardens!”
When Stephanie doesn’t have her hands in the dirt, she is kept busy by her two young children and her husband. She loves to camp with her family during the summer and spend time outdoors. She is a life-long resident of Grand Rapids and never complains about working in the cold! Stephanie also enjoys hosting hands-on workshops, her most recent one being succulent plantings.
On another note, I continue to stay busy with Digging In Gathering. Now in its fourth year the gathering continues to grow and the community is amazing! In mid-January we met for three fun-filled days in Miami!
Digging In Gathering Miami 2020
Our days were filled with beautiful tropical plants, amazing speakers and great learning opportunities. With the continued growth, I’m focusing on expanding the learning opportunities with more in-person gatherings and online learning resources. The Digging In website is undergoing a major renovation, and will become a great resource for all professional container garden designers. The website will feature an interactive map for anyone to see where all the talented professional designers are located throughout the United States. The updated site, diggingingathering.com will be launched May 1!
This blog post is bittersweet, as it will be the last one I write. The Contained Gardens website will also be getting a new look, come back soon and check it out! Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @containedgardens to see our latest work!
In the meantime, Stephanie and I are looking forward to the arrival of spring and working as a team to bring joy to others with flowers!
