My growing experience has been evolving for the past 10+ years. It began with a hyacinth. Then, a basil sprout. And finally, a rogue pumpkin vine out of my compost coaxed me to grow my own vegetables. Seven years later, I’ve re-rooted in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where I have planted five gardens over the past five years. 

Growing food and flowers, I planted an urban garden at a coworking office and developed four areas at a community garden where I paired companions such as potatoes and alyssum in a container garden alongside the shed of the Center for Clay and Fire. In the ground, I established several plots: 

1) a raised bed of dahlias, sage and mint at times companioned with brassica

2) adjacent to that bed, The Three Sisters of Indian corn, squash, and string beans set apart from cantaloupe, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and nasturtium 

3) also adjacent, sunflowers and zinnias landscaped with stones from the ceramics kiln

4) nearby, a pollinator patch of Queen Anne’s lace, yarrow, rudbeckia, echinacea, salvia, and chamomile to attract the bees from the hive on site

Yearly, I start seedlings under a grow light and harden them off in the courtyard of my Southside apartment building. TrueLeaf Market has invited me to join their affiliate program and share my experience using their products in my window garden on social media (@thesovereigngardener). 

In 2023, I’m creating tea gardens of Holy/Tulsi basil, chamomile, cornflower, lavender, sage, chrysanthemum, yarrow, calendula, rose hips, morning glory, strawberry leaves, blueberry leaves, and raspberry leaves with lemon mint and peppermint – pairing the teas with ceramic mugs made by my father Walter Heath and my mother Bahereh Khodadoost at their home. I will plant fruits and vegetables as well, while I’ll continue to tend to the cowork garden, grow with friends in the Lehigh Valley, and begin volunteering at a local farm.