Cultivating Nature’s Wisdom
Hi, I’m Amy, and I created this space to share the life that calls my garden home. I write about the plants I grow, the ways I preserve and use them, and the photos of the wildlife that dwell in Toad and Sage Garden.
Back in 2010, me and my husband and daughter started a small raised bed garden in our suburban backyard south of Tulsa, Oklahoma. What began with just two raised beds for tomatoes and peppers and a small herb box with some parsley over the years grew into a deep love for all the life unfolding around me, inspiring me to capture it through photography and storytelling.
I remember when we started to see the first lady bugs and the first couple of bees. Then birds starting appearing and raising young. Before adding plants, it was just a sod-covered suburban lot. Over time, I realized that this journey wasn’t just about growing food for us; it also became about supporting the web of life in the ecosystem around me. In fact, that has become my guiding purpose for this garden, and my mantra has become, “if you plant it, they will come.”
The garden has since grown to contain 8 raised beds, a collection of containers, and in ground beds containing herbs, flowers, and native perennials. I now practice what’s called “ecological gardening,” also known as eco-friendly or sustainable gardening. It refers to the practice of cultivating plants in a way that supports biodiversity and promotes the health of the environment.
In my day job, I am the full-time Director of Marketing and Communications for Agrivana™ Media. I have the dream-come-true role of helping produce the top-ranked joe gardener® Show podcast and manage an online gardening community and digital course school.
This Substack is where I will share my experiences with ecological gardening, herb crafting, and the simple joys of living seasonally. I’ll feature photos and stories of the insects, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and other wildlife that call my garden home—or at least stop by for a visit. For me, it’s about coexisting with these creatures, welcoming them as part of the garden’s natural rhythm, rather than imposing control over their presence.
While I also share my work on my blog at toadandsage.com and on Instagram, I wanted a space where I can tell these stories more freely—without the constraints of search engine optimization or the quick-hit, often negative focus of social media.
I’d like to connect with others who find peace and meaning in working with nature and honoring wildlife and the unique beauty of each season.
This will also be a space for creative exploration, as I experiment with ways to express my love of the natural world through other art forms outside of photography.
Named "Toad and Sage" to honor both the plants and the wildlife thriving in harmony, this garden—and this newsletter—are dedicated to celebrating nature's wisdom and connecting with those who feel its call.
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