About
Bio
Hi, I'm Nina Koziol
I'm a horticulturist and garden writer who tends plants on a deer-infested acre about 40 miles from Chicago. I wrote garden articles for the Chicago Tribune for 22 years as well as for Chicagoland Gardening, Old-House Journal, Organic Gardening and The American Gardener. I write for ILCA's The Landscape Contractor, PlantersPlace.com, and for The Chicago Botanic Garden's web site. I've been teaching horticulture, garden design and residential landscape design history at the Chicago Botanic Garden and The Morton Arboretum since 1997.
Why gardening? I was born in Paris, France, to a father who was a life-long, decorated military photographer. (Yes, I was an Army brat.) He met my mother in England during WWII. My grandparents had an incredible garden in Chelmsford, Essex, England, with a lovely greenhouse my grandfather built. I credit my love of all things gardening--plants, birds, insects and clouds--to my mum who encouraged me at age seven to do my science project on the parts of an Impatiens flower. After that, I was hooked.
Veggies
- Our Veg garden is 22' x 55' and we have many raised beds and containers with edibles. A little spot off the driveway for herbs and cool-season edibles.
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Containers
- Anything can be a container as long as it has drainage holes, good potting mix and is large enough so that it doesn't need frequent watering. This is our repurposed construction wheelbarrow painted a deep eggplant (aka aubergine).
Big Picture
- Spring and summer color is important, but winter is a wonderful respite for gardeners.
