Meet Head Gardener Emily Edwards

My name is Emily Edwards and I am one of the Head Gardeners here at Atzinger Gardens. I began my work as a professional gardener last July and have been having a blast ever since! I’m having a wonderful time planning out new gardens, teaching coworkers, and sharing my plant knowledge.

I have a Biology degree from Eastern Michigan University with a focus on Ecology, Organismal Diversity, and Evolution and a minor in Plant Biology. I have been very interested in studying plants and gardening for the majority of my life because of my family. When I was a kid, my parents taught me about tending a garden and homesteading. I spent a lot of my childhood standing in my grandma’s veggie garden waiting for her to hand me vegetables. She showed me how she cans things and I learned how important it was for them on the farm to have canned vegetables for the winter season. My family members have always had green thumbs, and they have heavily influenced my love for gardening and my passion to pursue biology and botany at EMU. I also have gained botany experience through my jobs at the EMU greenhouse, Lucas Nursery, and a botany internship at the Huron-Manistee National Forest. These jobs have given me a better understanding of Michigan native and invasive species as well as skills in plant identification and identifying pests.

My favorite plants to see blooming are Anemone, Lavender, Yarrow, Dahlias; or anything with a wonderful scent. The inviting sights and smells have given me a passion for the outdoors, and I can’t imagine working anywhere else.

Essential Iris Care for Better Blooms

September is the month for iris care. Atzinger Gardens crews will typically lift, clean, divide, and transplant irises for garden care clients every other year. Your plants will be relieved of pesky iris borers and overcrowding by our work. Click to expand the article below, featured in Michigan Gardener magazine.

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Iris Care

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Ann Arbor's Official Unofficial Flower

Atzinger Gardens uses their expertise to help the Michigan gardeners across the state. We have been asked by the editor of Michigan Gardener magazine to contribute instructional articles on garden care topics ranging from plant care to pest management twice each year.

Last May, I used our experience to explain the careful, year-long attention that peony flowers require. We discussed fungus prevention, the importance of soil and drainage, and how to divide and transplant peonies.

I want to share this article with you now in the dead of winter to get you excited to see the fresh succulent peony canes emerge from the thawing soil. This will also help you to plan for peony care tasks that need to take place in early Spring. Fungicide applications ,where necessary, should be done in spring. Also transplanting can be done in early spring or fall.

I invite you to pick up each Michigan Gardener magazine for free at garden centers this upcoming year and look for our articles.

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Peony Care

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