1. Your name: Larkin Broden
2. Who introduced you to Carroll Garden Club? (kudos to them!) Denise Meads
3. In which area of Carroll County do you currently live? Gamber
4. About how much yard space, if any, do you Garden in? Any lot peculiarities or challenges you have to contend with? Rocks, bad soil? Noxious weeds? Not enough space? Perfection?
We have just over an acre of land on a triangular shaped lot. We have two flower gardens in the front of our home. We have to work with very rocky and clay filled soil. We grow bulbs in the spring and fill them with annuals in the summer. We don’t add much to the soil except mulch on the top, and we do our best to weed every couple of weeks. In the past, we’ve laid down weed cloth to help with the weed issues.
5. Do you have an vegetable or herb garden? Grow roses? Azaleas? Have a greenhouse?
We have four raised vegetable gardens, we grow our herbs in window boxes. We don’t grow roses or azaleas or have a greenhouse.
6. Rows, plots, beds or pots? Ordered, scattered, cottage style, formal?
In addition to the potted herbs, we pot our pepper plants, marigolds, and make container arrangements with annuals. We move the marigolds around the gardens to discourage small animals from tasting our plants. The other pots are scattered around our property.
7. Do you do much flower arranging or engage in garden crafts?
The only arranging I do is in the spring when I work on my planters which I fill with annuals.
8. Do you have any favorite plants that you specialize in or must have (memories, pass-alongs, always plant one no matter what…)
I always loved pussy willows. We planted a very small tree when we first moved to our home. It’s now taller than the garage, and we’ve grown and planted several cuttings all around our property. I cut branches every year and use them to make an Easter egg tree.
9. Enjoy container gardening or indoor plants? Do you remember your first indoor plant?
See above for container gardening (#7). My first indoor plant was a spider plant. I’ve always been fond of both varieties. When I was a child, I had several plants I kept in my room. In the summer, I would move them outside like I do in our home in Westminster.
10. Are you a native of Maryland? Tell us a little something about your journey here.
I’m originally from Buffalo and East Aurora, New York. After graduating from college, I couldn’t find a job near home. My sister was a first year resident at Johns Hopkins where she also attended medical school. She said she would help me find a job if I would come take care of her and her home. I had a temporary job my first full day in Baltimore, and I’ve been here since June 21, 1987.
11. Tell us anything about yourself-hobbies, family, pets, work, education—that you care to share!
I have a wonderful husband I met while working at Crown Central Petroleum Corporation. We have been married over 23 years and live with our two kitties, Sonja and Remington. I enjoy skiing; swimming; working out with Jillian Michaels and Billy Blanks; learning how to play golf; crocheting; needlepoint; picking fruits and vegetables that we grow; making apple sauce and other recipies from our gardens and fruit trees; playing strategic war games; watching movies; grilling; making wine; relaxing in our hammock and looking for meteors when we’re having a good meteor shower.
Thank you, Larkin! We are so glad you joined Carroll Garden Club!
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