Hello! I’m Helen Wilkie and that’s me on the right-hand side of the photo at the top of your screen. I’m a professional speaker specializing in communication at work, and if you want to know more about that you are welcome to visit my main website.

But for purposes of this site, I’m all about getting out in the garden and learning how to dig and plant and weed and prune, and all the other fun things that go into creating a beautiful garden. I’m a total newbie, so I’m lucky to have such a great teacher. Not only is Barbara a highly qualified gardening professional, but we’ve been friends for years and we work well together. We both like to laugh too, so that will make learning to garden with Barbara lots of fun for both of us — and I hope for you as well.

Most of my learning will be done in Barbara’s garden, and you’ll be able to follow along and see the results as things take root and grow. I hope you’l subscribe to our RSS feed or e-mail notification, and joine me in this greart adventure. The important thing is that YOU will be learning to garden with Barbara right along with me!

Now, over to you Barbara!

Hi there! I’m Barbara Phillips-Conroy and I’m right there in my periwinkle garden shirt on the other side. I was so pleased when Helen approached me with the concept of putting together a gardening website that would be fun and educational. While it’s great to have so many years of experience in the garden, it’s even better to be able to share with you.

My earliest memories of gardening were with my parents and grandparents — I was always drawn to the beauty of the flowers and still am in awe of what you can do with a couple of packages of seeds. I started my first garden 25 years ago when we bought our first home. Wanting to learn more, I began reading everything I could get my hands on; joined horticulture clubs; took courses in the evening at local colleges; and became a Master Gardener. And now, I work as a garden designer and do garden consultations for private clients. I also have a blog where I talk about what I’m doing in my own garden, and you can find it at Barbara’s Garden Chronicles. Comments always welcome!

I’m thrilled with the idea that Helen and I will be able to inspire a new garden community — and look forward to hearing about your success in your gardens. And watching Helen master the garden tricks and tips I’ve learned over the years will certainly be fun — after all, there’s nothing better than putting a good friend to work in the garden!