Hi, my name is Emily. I will be graduating from Kalamazoo Valley Community College with an associate’s degree in Sustainable Horticulture in April 2025.  I currently teach community classes on native plant ecology and work as a farm technician at the KVCC Food Innovation Center. I am training to become a certified Michigan Natural Shoreline Specialist in March 2025.

Using my skills developed in the Sustainable Horticulture program, working on the farm, and my previous career as a licensed master social worker, I began Meadows Edge Landscaping in 2024. It has been an exciting adventure to turn a life-long hobby into a career.

Meadows Edge Landscaping specializes in the design, installation, and maintenance of specialty landscapes: shade gardens, rain and lakeside gardens, rock gardens, and prairie plantings. All of these project types require skills and knowledge not widely found in the landscaping trade. I use plants to help solve problems. My nature-inspired designs create beautiful and vibrant outdoor spaces for people while providing habitat for wildlife such as birds and pollinators.

In my free time I enjoy growing (and eating!) pawpaws, hiking, kayaking, and spending time at home with my many furry friends.