About

As a field editor for Better Homes & Gardens magazines, Shirley is constantly on the lookout for great gardens to be featured in their flagship issue as well as many of their other gardening magazines, plus Midwest Living, Do It Yourself and Traditional Home.

When she finds one that fits their needs, Shirley works with the homeowner and the editors at the magazine on the getting the best pictures, telling  the homeowners’ story and presenting the garden at its absolute best for the reader.

She has written a gardening column for the Chicago Sun-times, and her work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Cottage Living magazine, Victoria magazine, Organic Gardening magazine, Chicagoland Gardening magazine, Country Sampler magazines, the Seasons newsletter for The Morton Arboretum. and for 10 years she wrote a gardening column for the Kane County Chronicle.

Shirley is a past officer of the national Garden Writers Association and has spearheaded several of its Plant a Row for the Hungry campaigns.

She gives many different programs and craft project demonstrations (see Programs page), leads garden tours, can help you “style” your garden for a special event or just for your own daily enjoyment, and has launched a new business, Garden Coaching (see Coaching page).