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.