When I was growing up in Colorado, I wanted to be an astronaut. I learned to fly shortly after I learned to drive. I got a degree in Applied Physics, and after college, I landed a dream job with Hughes Aircraft. I helped build F-18 flight simulators and launched satellites around the globe. I never made it to space, but I touched things that did. Literally, my fingerprints are in space - forensic aliens could probably track me down.
But after a while software and tech became soul crushing. That’s what happens when you trade passion for promotion and start overseeing people who actually think “network management” projects are interesting.
I’m like most people in this industry... I didn’t take a linear path to get here.
Rochelle
to myself...
I thought
greayer
“If I’m not going
to be an astronaut in the making, what am I going be?”
...Well, if you happen to be living in London, and it's May, you might distract yourself from your
troubles by going to the Chelsea Flower show.
At least, that’s what I did, and it changed my life.
While there, an actual sunbeam (yes, for reals it actually happened, in London) parted the grey skies and shone down on me. And in that moment of Chelsea enlightenment, I polished off my Pimm's cup and signed up for garden design school. Studying design at The English Gardening School in London, England gave me the skills and confidence to start my own design studio in 2001.
So, the Garden Design Boot Camp series was born!
I started A blog, wrote a book, started a magazine and a newspaper.
but then I figured it out...
Now, I cultivate a hilltop outside of Boston, MA. Sometimes I grow food, sometimes flowers, sometimes other weird things - I am always experimenting. My New England garden is my science and design lab as much as it is my haven.
If you’ve read this far, thank you. I hope this is just the beginning of our relationship. And, I’d love to learn more about you. The best way to share that and stay connected is to make sure you become one of our PV Insiders.
my garden
check out
xo, rochelle
Since then I've designed for countless hospitality properties and private gardens around the world.
I wanted to teach.
FAVORITES
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I’ve worked on gardens in 32 states and 9 countries and counting. Aiming to create the United Nations of garden makers.
soil well-tilled
three
That the nice way of saying that I really don’t care for chocolate - especially the milky American stuff. Don’t @me - it is a reasoned position.
I don't do chocolate
two
fun
facts
I once did Mach 1.2 in an F-14 and it was an epic rush.
"I feel the Need, the need for speed"
one
I love to wander and get lost. I filled four years in England with visits to unbelievable gardens, foreign cities and new landscapes in nearby countries. Teasing out the Genus Loci - the unique spirit of a place - is always my challenge.
adventure
six
I’ve got a long history of guerilla maneuvers to save trees. My first rescue turned out to be a beauteous Babylonian weeping willow.
Tree Hugger
five
