Thursday, April 22, 2021

Meet Our Community: Amy Fedele, online garden designer and allium fan

 


Let's get to know each other!


Since we're not able to meet up in person this year, let's meet online. Every week or so we're introducing a member of our Fling community* here and on Instagram, in their own words. We're excited to see what everyone's talking about and sharing with their followers!

(*Any garden blogger, vlogger, podcaster, or Instagrammer who follows our Instagram or is a member of our Facebook group. If you'd like to be considered or recommend someone for a Meet Our Community profile, email us.)


Amy Fedele



My garden
I’m an animal lover, lifelong painter, and professional graphic designer, and I love to garden and design landscapes. When I first started designing my own garden, I struggled a lot. I found it difficult to work in a 3D space. Plants were constantly growing and changing, flowers were going in and out of bloom, and everything had to look good from a million different angles. And I couldn't find many online resources applicable to smaller home landscapes.

Over time I realized that all the tricks I use in my graphic design work could also be used in my garden! So I created a garden design framework that combines gardening with color theory and design techniques in a way that's easy for homeowners to understand and apply. I teach my framework in an online course on my website, Pretty Purple Door, that's tailored towards homeowners looking to design a unique and manageable landscape with 4-season interest. The course makes gardening so much more fun than just plopping random plants in the ground and hoping for the best.

Alliums
I live and garden in northeastern Pennsylvania. My blog began as documentation of my journey into homeownership. The first year was filled with lots of DIY projects and fixing up the house. But soon my interest shifted towards landscaping, and I started writing about what I was learning while designing my garden beds.

My favorite flowers are alliums for the structure and presence they create in a garden. Their whimsical shape reminds me of Dr. Seuss books I loved as a child. My favorite garden to visit is Chanticleer for its design, plant diversity, and ever-changing presence. I want to visit all of the gardens in the Philadelphia area. Currently there are 36 gardens on my list!

The best part of sharing my own gardening experience online is the feedback from my students and readers. I get really excited when I hear that I've played even a small part in helping someone carry out their creative vision and make their dream garden. I want others to become just as addicted to gardening as I am. I don't think this world can ever have enough gardeners!

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Thanks for sharing your work and gardening passions with us, Amy! Visit Amy at Pretty Purple Door, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.

Photographs courtesy of Amy Fedele.