URBAN GARDEN PROFILE: Geneveive Schmidt

Genevieve Schmidt started her gardening career in urban San Fransisco - She made her way into the suburban landscaping business and has been designing coiffed exquisite private gardens these last few years. My reason for  interviewing was her candor surrounding some of the more dangerous aspects of urban gardening - well that and she's easy to chat with. The last few weeks has left Gen with a bit of a cold and we are lucky to have this interview as the end of the season rush is on. 

“MG: what is the most difficult thing about gardening in an urban environment? 

Genevieve: For me, it was always having to be careful about where I put my hands. Knowing that there might be sharps, broken glass, feces or other detritus that I needed to look out for made it hard to work smoothly in more public areas of the city. I remember feeling great pride to be on a crew out at Grace Cathedral, until we found an un-capped needle in the groundcover. Sorta took the wind out of my sails.

MG: What sort of urban projects did you do---

Genevieve: I did landscape maintenance primarily - no lawnmowing or anything like that - it was more the careful, skilled pruning, planting annuals and generally keeping things looking gorgeous.

MG: What if anything do you miss about urban gardening. 

What I really miss is that sense of excitement and diversity about gardening in the city. There were so many people of different cultures or with different backgrounds that there were always new things to learn and think about, and everyone we worked with brought their own unique set of inspirations and tastes to the projects.

MG: What's better about your work now?  

The biggest thing that I love about gardening in a much smaller area like Humboldt is that everybody knows each other, or is connected in some way, so people tend to be much kinder and gentler with one another. I feel like in the city, sometimes that sense of anonymity makes people feel comfortable acting like jerks, while in a small town, anytime you act wrong it's gonna come back and bite you. I've never been flipped off in traffic here, and I absolutely love my clients and the people I interact with often at nurseries and such. People tend to be warm and friendly.

MG: Please tell us about challenges you are facing now.

BABY OWL PHOTO BY GEN

Genevieve: The challenges I'm facing now are mostly ones of personal growth and evolution. I'm always trying to learn new things and be forward-thinking, and sometimes that means challenging my own beliefs or ways of doing things. For example, I'm reading Teaming With Microbes by Lowenfels right now, and it's been a real eye-opener as to what's going on in the soil and why so many traditional gardening practices are actually short-sighted or damaging. Taking on this new science and applying it in my work, and sharing that information with the other pros I work with, has been exciting for me even though it has meant some changes in how we do things.

MG: IF you were offered an exciting contract would you return to city gardening?

Genevieve: I love Humboldt County, but I admit that for all the charm and friendliness, Humboldt's missing one thing: amazing Dim Sum. I wouldn't rule out a return to the city, but for now I'm really enjoying the peaceful way of life I've found here.

MG: ok Gen - do you have a funny story that you remembered?

 Genevieve: One experience I remember vividly is when I was gardening along the street and this very kind Japanese man was walking by. He was floored to see a nice young lady digging in the soil! We got to talking, and it turned out he had just come to San Francisco recently, and spent his days working hard in an office. He couldn't imagine why anyone might want to kneel on the sidewalk and dig in the soil. We chatted for a half hour or so while I gardened, and finally he was willing to plant a few of my Freesia bulbs after I urged him to join in. He seemed to feel so free and alive to be touching the soil and smelling the greenery that I always remembered him. That's really what gardening does for us all - there's a part of us that lights up when we get connected with nature and plants, and I think that's particularly true when we live our lives mostly indoors.