Hello there!
Let me introduce myself. My name is Jennifer Hoglin. I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with my two active boys and a very supportive husband. I have been getting my hands dirty in the garden since before I could walk, but it was a bit of a winding road to get to the point of a gardening website and blog.
I actually started off as a professional cook in my early years. I later completely switched it up and earned a science degree with a specialization in environmental biology. And switched it up again with a diploma in architectural technology. Along the way, I also stumbled into permaculture. It sounds a bit all over the place, doesn't it? Well, the result of all that experience is a passion for food gardening and garden design all encompassed in Gooseberry Gardens.
I must tell you, all that previously unrelated studying does come in handy in the gardening world. Cooking is an obvious help when the harvest comes in. All those courses in university on plant biology, insects, soil science and ecology are huge assets in understanding what is really happening out there in the yard. And CAD is good for both building design and garden design.
Over the last 12 years I have really dug deep into gardening in Calgary. I have taken numerous horticulture courses and have recently completed my permaculture design certificate (we will definitely have some chats about permaculture). I work at a greenhouse where every day I help people like you plan and grow the gardens they dream of.
And I teach. I must say that I love to teach! I regularly give seminars on everything from starting seeds, to growing perennials in the shade to building food forests.
And that brings me to Gooseberry Gardens. I began this website and blog as a depository for all the gardening knowledge I have accumulated over a lifetime of growing in a cold climate. Not only as a way to put that information into an organized and searchable form, but also as a way to pass that knowledge on to someone. To you, specifically.
It is meant to be educational and inspiring, and hopefully just a smidge funny as well.
Welcome to Gooseberry Gardens! I can’t wait to garden with you.
