Dawn Hummel - Pacific Northwest
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- Category: Expert Bios
User Rating: 0 / 5
Sub-Region: Willamette ValleyBiographical Information
Professional Gardening Experience
Glenn Walters Nursery, Inside Sales Representative
Blooming Nursery, Inc., Sales & Marketing Manager Fred Meyer and PoppyBox Gardens, Customer Service & Retail Landscape Sales, Perennial Plant Association - Local Publicity Coordinator for 2010 National Symposium
Gardening Community Involvement
Proven Winners Northwest regional consumer on-line gardening contributor Garden Club, Yard, Garden & Patio Show, and PH&GS – Invited tradeshow speaker Portland Home & Garden Show – “Knot Your Ordinary Blooming Garden”, Publicity Manager - Winner of Bronze award for design and education ribbon for brochure educational content Yard, Garden and Patio Show – PR, Marketing and Tradeshow Coordinator - Winner of first place Best of Display Garden, The Multnomah Village Post Newspaper – Monthly Garden Columnist
Smart Gardening PBS television show – Plant procurement lead. GWA award winner
Washington County Master Gardener since 2001, Perennial Plant Association (PPA) Member Association of Northwest Landscape Designers (ANLD), Member Hardy Plant Society (HPSO), Member Garden Writers of America member – Plant a Row for the Hungry volunteer.
Biographical Information
Where can members get more of your advice?
Email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Background Information
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Dawn's Book Recommendations Great reference book to have on hand for pruning perennials, shrubs, trees and more. The "go to" bible for photos, descriptions and general information on plants.
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Dawn's Favorite Websites Missouri Botanical Garden Monrovia |
I live in Zone 7b - 8 which has a definitive Mediterranean feel. Wet winters followed by dry summers. We can garden every month except for August and January.
How long have you been gardening?
Since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Professionally over ten years.
What triggered your interest?
We tried to get pregnant and wasn't able to after many years of fertility treatments. I still felt the need to grow and nurture something, anything. The garden provides me a way to express my creativity while feeling like I'm connected to something bigger than myself.
What is your specialty, expertise or claim to fame?
Designing with perennials.
What formal horticultural training do you have?
I am an Oregon State University Master Gardener for over nine years. I studied landscape design at Portland Community College.
What is your biggest gardening pet peeve? Tell us about it.
Running out of room to try new plants as existing 'anchor landscape' plants mature.
How much time per week do you spend gardening?
Depends on the time of year - I spend more intensified pockets in Spring and Fall depending on landscape design client's needs. I do not spend as much time as I would like in my own garden since I'm in others. I try to spend at least 4 hours in mine per week.
How much time per week do you spend working at the business of gardening, such as consulting, reading, writing or talking about your gardening subject?
40 hours or more.
What gardening or horticultural clubs, societies, or organizations (or any other interest) do you belong to?
Perennial Plant Association (PPA), The Association of NW Landscape Designers (ANLD), Garden Writers of America (GWA) and the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon (HPSO).
What other biographical information would you like to share?
Gardening Questions
Soothes the soul.
What do you dislike most about gardening?
Muscle Aches, back aches and taking too much Advil Monday mornings.
What individual has influenced your gardening interest the most? How?
The Olmstead Brothers - having the foresight to design gardens "way back when" that are still relative to landscape design today.
What is your favorite place or activity in the garden?
Putting together new and exciting plant combinations. Gathering inspiration from nature on 'happy accident' combinations that plants make on their own.
What is your favorite time in the garden?
Early morning when the birds are eating breakfast or dusk when hummingbirds dash in for a late night snack.
What is your favorite public or private garden in the world? Why?
Can there be just one? Chanticleer and Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania.
What is your favorite color in the garden?
Pink, green and white.
If you could grow only one plant, what would it be?
Impossible! Paperbark cherry. It has multiple season interest and provides fruit for birds to eat.
What plant have you tried to grow that has given you the most trouble? Or, what plant would you like to grow and can't, and why?
Clematis family took me eight plants before I figured out what they preferred in my garden to become successful.
What is your favorite gardening outfit or costume?
Ripped, torn Tommy Hilfiger cropped jeans, old t-shirts and LL Bean red baseball cap with LED lights so I can garden into the evening.
Benign neglect is a beautiful thing.
Who is your own favorite gardening personality on TV, radio or in print? Why?
Joe Gardener: www.joegardener.com I have met him at the GWA conferences. Joe is very down to earth - what you see on TV or his website is how he is in person.
What is a garden myth you hear frequently which you know is untrue?
Myth: Using organics exclusively is non-toxic for humans and the environment. Reality: If you can not place fertilizers, etc. in your hand without gloves and not have it affect you, then how will it affect plants as well?
And, what is the reality?
Of course, there is no answer. The answer is "when it needs it", butt you often hear this answered in a matter of fact manner. Too bad.
What group or kind of person do you think would benefit most from the advice you can give on gardening?
Anyone interested in designing with perennials in borders.
Would you like to participate, or can you recommend someone who you think should? We're always looking for more expert gardeners to tell about their philosophies and give their plant recommendations contact us and we'll get started (it's easy and a great way to promote yourself).
