I Dig Your Story

idigyourstory
  • 4.9 (9)
  • Personal Journals

Unearthing the personal stories behind the plants, people, gardens, and green spaces that shape our lives.

  1. 4d ago

    Rayne Gibson: From Family Nursery to “The Resource I Wish I Had”

    Rayne Gibson grew up in family-owned wholesale nursery in Louisiana, learning the business from the ground up. By the time he graduated from LSU with a horticulture degree, he had a very specific vision: build up the operation into a multi-state container nursery business and become one of the best nurserymen in the industry. Then everything changed. In this episode of I Dig Your Story, Rayne talks about leaving the family business after realizing the future he had been promised wasn’t going to happen—and how that difficult decision ultimately led him to opportunities he never expected. He shares the story of turning around a struggling wholesale nursery in Fort Worth, rebuilding its team and operations, and discovering what good leadership really looks like. Today, through Taproots Horticulture Consulting, Rayne helps horticulture businesses that struggle with production planning, operational efficiency, sales coaching, team building and leadership, helping them become the best nurseries and people they can be. The conversation also touches on: Family business dynamics Consultant or counselor? Building a healthy workplace culture His philosophy of becoming the leader he wished he had Resources: Taproots Horticulture Consulting – www.taprootsconsulting.com Rayne Gibson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayne-gibson-6056381aa

    Rayne Gibson: From Family Nursery to “The Resource I Wish I Had”

  2. Sep 1

    Laura Kunkle: How Flowers Transform Communities

    Laura Kunkle’s career has taken some unexpected turns—from wanting to be a professional piano player at the Olympics, to sports broadcasting, accounting at Highlights for Children, and eventually a decades-long career in the green industry. Today, she’s the executive director of America in Bloom, an organization helping communities across the country become better places to live, work, visit, and invest in. In this episode, Laura and I talk about how America in Bloom uses trees, flowers, environmental stewardship, heritage preservation, and—most importantly—volunteerism to help communities see themselves differently. Laura shares the remarkable transformation of Castle Rock, Washington, and explains why communities need to “be in it for the long haul” to create lasting change. We also get into why plants are more than pretty, how beautiful communities can make us feel good (and encourage us to spend time and money there), and why community involvement is at the heart of lasting change. And because this is I Dig Your Story, we go beyond the professional story. Laura reveals her hidden talents—juggling! spinning a ball on her finger!—and explains why pickleball became an unexpected way for this self-described shy person to build community. In this episode: Laura’s winding path from sports broadcasting to the green industry The 25-year story of America in Bloom Why volunteerism is the program’s most powerful ingredient How flowers helped transform Castle Rock, Washington Why plants are more than pretty Connect with Laura: America in Bloom – www.americainbloom.org Gardens Across America – www.americainbloom.org/programs/gardens-across-america

    Laura Kunkle: How Flowers Transform Communities

  3. Aug 25

    Ashley Vernon: How Curiosity Led to Community Orchards

    Ashley Vernon’s relationship with plants began with childhood curiosity—tasting honeysuckle, exploring her grandmother’s grapevines, and growing her first strawberry patch—but the path to her career in community orchards was anything but predictable. Adopted as a baby, Ashley grew up curious about her background and where she came from. That curiosity became a kind of wanderlust, leading her from nursing to political science, international studies, and journalism, then to Belize, the Peace Corps in Mauritania and Rwanda, and eventually to social work. Along the way, she developed a fascination with understanding people, places, and how interconnected our stories are. That curiosity led to Ashley becoming Co-Executive Director of The Giving Grove, a national organization helping communities establish and sustain community orchards. In this episode: How adoption shaped Ashley’s curiosity and career trajectory Her unexpected journey from nursing and journalism to community orchards How The Giving Grove puts communities—not organizations—in the driver’s seat The remarkable scale: 17 cities, 850+ community orchards, nearly 2,000 trained orchard stewards, almost 14,000 trees, and access to nearly a million people Why community engagement is just as important as pruning, pest management, and harvesting Plus, Ashley shares the story of the first apple tree she grafted—and why she calls one particularly wicked-looking tree in her yard “Maleficent.” Find Ashley: The Giving Grove: givinggrove.org Free fruit-tree education: Visit Giving Grove for resources (www.givinggrove.org/resources) on tree selection, pest and disease management, and fruit-tree care.

    Ashley Vernon: How Curiosity Led to Community Orchards

  4. Aug 18

    Leslie Halleck: Refusing to Stay in One Lane

    What happens when a lifelong love of plants meets an insatiable curiosity about, well, just about everything? For horticulturist, author, educator and entrepreneur Leslie Halleck, it has made for one fascinating career. Leslie and I go way back, so this conversation was a chance to talk not just about what she does, but how she got there. From growing up as an Army brat and gardening with an adopted German “Oma” to studying botany, working at a garden center, conducting research trials and eventually building her own horticultural consulting business, Leslie has never been a one-lane kind of person. We talk about her career in public gardens and retail, how writing became such an important part of her work, and the three-legged stool that is Halleck Horticultural: supporting the horticulture industry, teaching the next generation of horticulturists, and providing scientifically accurate gardening information to consumers. Leslie also shares why she thinks gardeners need to be especially careful about the information they find online, what she teaches her horticulture students about evaluating sources, and why she believes learning new things—and even picking up new hobbies—is an important part of who she is. In this episode, we talk about: Leslie's unconventional path into horticulture The role writing and teaching have played in her career How to separate good horticultural information from gardening misinformation Reinvention, curiosity and embracing your many interests Listen to Leslie's story on I Dig Your Story—and find out what happens when a horticulturist refuses to stay in just one lane. Find Leslie: Halleck Horticultural: www.halleckhorticultural.com – sign up for her newsletters here! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliehalleck// LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliehalleck/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HalleckHorticultural

    Leslie Halleck: Refusing to Stay in One Lane

  5. Aug 11

    Angelique Robb: Connecting the Branches of the Landscape Industry

    Angelique Robb didn’t grow up dreaming of a career in horticulture. She studied engineering, worked in the oil industry, and moved to Scotland before gradually finding her way into landscape design and build. Along the way, she discovered that the problem-solving, project management, and visualization skills she developed as an engineer were remarkably useful in the landscape industry. Today, Angelique is the owner of SYNKD, a media and events platform created to connect the many disciplines that make up the landscape industry. In this episode, we talk about her unconventional career path, the lessons she learned running a landscape design/build business, and why she believes collaboration—not working in silos—is one of the keys to moving the industry forward. In This Episode How designing and building her own gardens on two different continents sparked Angelique’s interest in plants. What engineering and the oil industry taught her about landscape design, construction, and project management. Why a frustrating experience with a landscape contractor inspired her to start her own design/build business in Scotland. How a move back to Louisiana led to the creation of SYNKD—and why Angelique wanted to bring the landscape industry’s many disciplines together. Why communication, collaboration, and sharing what works are essential to solving the industry’s biggest challenges. Connect with Angelique Robb and SYNKD Visit SYNKD at synkd.io for the publication, events, podcasts, videos, and more. Angelique welcomes feedback and ideas from landscape professionals about what the industry needs. Contact her at Angelique@synkd.io

    Angelique Robb: Connecting the Branches of the Landscape Industry

  6. Aug 4

    Roshan Patel: Growing Community Through Urban Agriculture

    After a corporate layoff unexpectedly changed his career path, Roshan Patel traded digital marketing for community gardening—and found a new sense of purpose in the process. In this episode, Roshan shares how volunteering at Mack Park Farm in Salem, Massachusetts, grew into a passion for urban agriculture, food security, and community engagement. He also talks about using social media to make gardening more approachable and why getting your hands dirty can change much more than what's growing in the garden. In This Episode Roshan's journey into urban agriculture How Mack Park Farm serves the Salem community Gardening, food security, and building connections Making gardening accessible through social media Why everyone should spend more time outdoors It is indeed possible to learn to love kale Links & Resources Drizzle Ranch on Instagram: instagram.com/drizzleranch Mack Park Farm: https://mack-park-farm-salemma.hub.arcgis.com/   Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to I Dig Your Story, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who loves plants, gardens, and the people behind them. Keep digging!

    Roshan Patel: Growing Community Through Urban Agriculture

  7. Jul 28

    Matt Lebon: What if Your Landscape Could Feed You?

    In this episode of I Dig Your Story, host Ellen Wells talks with Matt Lebon, a.k.a. The Foodscaper, about the idea of foodscaping—creating landscapes that combine beauty, food production, ecological diversity, and water management. Matt shares the winding path that took him from business school and the Peace Corps to organic farming, permaculture, and eventually designing food-producing landscapes for homeowners. He and Ellen talk about food forests, edible front yards, rain gardens, resilient plants, and how you can rethink the landscape you already have. Whether you're interested in growing more of your own food or simply want to make your landscape more useful, this conversation will give you plenty to think about. In this episode: What foodscaping is—and what it can look like at home Why your front yard might be the perfect place to grow food Food forests and multilayered landscapes How rain gardens can help manage water Choosing resilient, low-maintenance plants Find Matt: The Foodscaper: thefoodscaper.com Instagram: Matt The Foodscaper - https://www.instagram.com/matt.the.foodscaper/ Resources mentioned: Free Plant Guide: https://www.thefoodscaper.com/ YouTube Resources: The Foodscaper - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8X1D7AD9xc2i4tZye61FNQ

    Matt Lebon: What if Your Landscape Could Feed You?

  8. Jul 21

    Jennifer Rust: From the Corporate World to Biophilic Design Entrepreneur

    Jennifer Rust spent years building a successful corporate career in sales and management consulting. But after stepping away from corporate life—and into what she jokingly calls her "post-corporate therapy" of pulling weeds in her own yard—she discovered that the business she was searching for had been growing alongside her passion for plants all along. Today, Jennifer is the founder of Jennifer Rust Botanicals and Studio JRB, where she creates everything from seasonal container gardens to biophilic designs for luxury hotels and commercial spaces. In this conversation, she shares how corporate experience became an unexpected advantage, why community was essential to launching her business, and how evidence-based biophilic design improves both human well-being and business performance. Along the way, Jennifer offers practical container gardening advice and encourages anyone with a dream that it's never too late to build a thriving business around what you truly love. Whether you're a gardener, entrepreneur, designer, or someone considering your own second act (or even third!), Jennifer's story is a reminder that sometimes the path forward begins by listening to the passion that's been there all along. In This Episode Growing up in a military family where gardening always meant home How working at Crabtree & Evelyn foreshadowed a future in plants Leaving a successful corporate career and finding "post-corporate therapy" in the garden Why container gardens became the foundation of Jennifer Rust Botanicals The value of finding community through Digging In What biophilic design really means—and the research behind it How Studio JRB helps hotels and commercial spaces improve guest experience through plants Jennifer's favorite container garden design principles The overlooked garden center section where "the good stuff" lives Why it's never too late to build a business around your passion Connect with Jennifer Jennifer Rust Botanicals: https://jenniferrustbotanicals.com/ Studio JRB: https://studiojrb.com/ Follow Jennifer on Instagram: @jenniferrustbotanicals - https://www.instagram.com/jenniferrustbotanicals/ @studiojrb - https://www.instagram.com/studio_jrb/   More: The Psychology Today article on biophilia mentioned in Shovel Ready - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/biophilia   Keep listening—because everyone has a story worth digging into.

    Jennifer Rust: From the Corporate World to Biophilic Design Entrepreneur
See All (38)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Unearthing the personal stories behind the plants, people, gardens, and green spaces that shape our lives.

Information

  • Creator
    idigyourstory
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    I Dig Your Story

You Might Also Like