Hi y'all! My name is Matthew Duffy, and I come by gardening naturally.
Growing up both of my grandfathers had gardens. They both had lived through the Great Depression in the 1930's and knew the value of homegrown food. My maternal grandfather also cared for a long row of neatly kept roses, and my paternal grandmother still to this day tends her orchids, African violets, and other house plants. I was raised helping my dad to prepare, sow, tend, and harvest the garden, as well as maintaining our small home orchard of apples, plums, and cherries. On occasion my mom would have me help with transplanting her peace lilies or trimming her Christmas cactus. As I moved out on my own and moved from place to place I tried to always have a garden plot of some size to tend or at least grow some green onions on a window sill. However, I often had too much competing for my time and my attention shifted away for a while.
I count myself very blessed indeed that my dear wife, knowing who I truly am, helped me find my way back to growing things and putting my desire to teach to good use. While I was studying to become a teacher, I often would say to her “All I want in life is to watch my plants grow, and watch my children grow.” She began our journey to help me find something fulfilling. Now here I am, helping others to find their own way back to their roots as a caretaker of some of the most simple of living things. I firmly believe that having something to care for helps to keep humanity grounded and provides good stress relief from our hectic lives.
And so is born a Garden Coach!