Behind the Scenes: Bringing the Gardens to Life

As part of our celebration of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, we’re highlighting the women of Pineland Farms whose work helps shape the experiences visitors enjoy every season. From the first greenhouse seedlings of spring to the colorful displays that brighten the campus all summer long, the gardens at Pineland Farms are the result of months of planning, care, and dedication.

Behind much of that work is Lori Staples, Head Gardener at Pineland Farms. With 17 years at Pineland Farms and a lifelong love of gardening and horticulture, Lori plays a central role in growing annuals, designing garden beds, and helping create the welcoming atmosphere guests experience throughout the growing season.

A Lifelong Journey with Plants

Lori’s journey with plants began in her early twenties on a flower and vegetable farm run by a young husband-and-wife team. She spent 17 years there learning every aspect of the business, from growing flowers and vegetables to making Christmas wreaths that were shipped to Atlanta after the growing season ended.

Over the years, her experience expanded into floristry, greenhouse management, and even running her own gardening business on the side. While she loved the work, many of those positions were seasonal and required finding additional winter employment.

“I needed something more stable,” she explained. “Someone told me Pineland was looking for someone to work with plants, so I applied and have been here ever since.”

Growing Alongside Pineland Farms

Originally hired as a seasonal employee, she was brought on full time within just a few months. Over the last 17 years, her role has steadily evolved from hands-on grounds maintenance to overseeing much of the greenhouse production and annual garden design seen across the campus today.

When she first began at Pineland Farms, much of her work focused on edging, weeding, mulching, and pruning. Today, she manages the growing and greenhouse operations, designs planting beds, and serves as one of the public faces of the gardens.

Life Inside the Greenhouse

The growing season begins long before visitors see flowers blooming across the campus. Planning for the following year actually starts in the fall, when seeds, plugs, containers, and growing materials are ordered in preparation for spring.

By March, greenhouse work is already underway. Seeds are germinated, plugs are transplanted into larger pots, and hanging baskets and containers begin taking shape. Throughout the season, the greenhouse team grows more than 13,000 annuals that eventually fill the grounds and Market displays.

A typical spring day starts early and can include everything from planning flower combinations and pruning plants to monitoring for pests, checking plant health, and watering throughout the greenhouse.

One of her favorite flowers to grow is the dahlia.

“They come in all colors, forms, and sizes, so they’re great for many different situations,” she said.

Of course, caring for thousands of plants also comes with challenges, especially when it comes to maintaining proper watering conditions and navigating unpredictable weather once plants are in the ground.

Bringing the Gardens to Life

Each summer, Pineland Farms is filled with colorful annual displays that are carefully planned months in advance. Creating those displays involves selecting plants that will thrive in specific conditions while also balancing color, texture, and scale throughout the gardens.

During planting season, collaboration with the grounds crew becomes especially important. She arrives early to lay out the plants according to the design plan before the grounds team follows behind to complete the planting.

After months of preparation inside the greenhouse, seeing the campus finally come together is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

“It’s very satisfying once everything is in the ground and filling in,” she said. “Then I can slow down and enjoy the public’s reaction to it.”

Women in Agriculture

When reflecting on her experience as a woman working in agriculture and horticulture, she says she has always focused more on the work itself than on being defined by gender. One challenge she does note, however, is finding durable work clothes designed to last in the field.

Throughout her career, she has worked alongside many talented people in the agricultural field — both men and women — who helped shape her knowledge and experience.

“I think if you work hard and respect others, people will give you the respect you deserve,” she shared.

Her advice for young people interested in gardening, horticulture, or agriculture is simple:

“Work hard, don’t be afraid to fail, always be willing to learn from others, and don’t be afraid of getting dirty.”

Connecting with Visitors

Beyond greenhouse work and planting, one of her favorite parts of the job is interacting with visitors.

“Things I enjoy most about working with the public is the joy they seem to get out of seeing the gardens and displays,” she said. “I also enjoy meeting people from all over the country and from many different walks of life.”

She hopes guests leave Pineland Farms feeling inspired.

“I hope when people leave the garden after we talk that they have more insight on gardening and can take that and let it inspire them in their own gardens.”

She also believes gardening offers something increasingly valuable in today’s busy world.

“As a society we are too busy to enjoy the little things,” she said. “Gardening and growing your own plants slows you down and grounds you. It gets you back to your roots.”

Looking Ahead to the Growing Season

This season, visitors can once again expect colorful garden displays throughout the campus, along with a variety of plants and containers available at the Market.

“At the Market we will have lots of hanging baskets, herb bowls, succulent bowls, ornamental containers, and more.” she shared. Plus, we offer an Outdoor Planter Workshop for folks to learn tips from Lori on how to design their own.

She encourages visitors to experience the gardens throughout the season as they continuously evolve. Lori is the host of our Annual Garden Tours which happen once per month during the growing season. Visitors can register in advance here for any tour June-September.

“People should come to Pineland and see the gardens and displays and how they are always changing throughout the season,” she said. “It’s a relaxing atmosphere that helps people get back to the natural order of things.”

A Lasting Impact

While the flowers and displays are a visible reflection of her work, one of her most meaningful memories at Pineland Farms came through the impact she had on others.

“At separate times, two different young women that I worked with contacted me years after they had moved on,” she shared. “They told me that because of the work ethic I had taught them and by treating them with kindness and respect, it had made an impact on their lives and made them better people.”

“To me, this is the highest form of praise anyone could get,” she said. “Always treat people with kindness and respect because you never know — it might just affect their lives for the better.”

Even after decades working with plants, her passion for the job remains strong.

“One of the reasons I stay passionate about my job is that it’s always changing from season to season and never boring,” she said. “If you do something you love, it’s never really a job.”