My name is Andrew Keys. I am here to talk plants.

Who am I? I’m a writer, designer, and lifelong gardener, Garden Confidential podcaster and columnist at Fine Gardening (formerly RadioGarden at Horticulture Magazine), and author of the book Why Grow That When You Can Grow This?: 255 Extraordinary Alternatives to Everyday Problem Plants, due out from Timber Press in November 2012.

Descended from Mississippi cotton farmers, I was raised with a reverence for the land passed down generations, and first fell in love with plants among thickets of devil’s walking stick in the woods of my childhood home. I’m also a contributor for Houzz, a leading destination site for home design enthusiasts. At my “Clark Kent” job, I work as the web manager for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. I’ve written for Fine Gardening, Leaf Magazine, and Coastal Home as well, I’m a member of the Garden Designers Roundtable, and I’ve lectured for the New England Wild Flower Society. My company, Oakleaf Green, is centered on the philosophy that the crux of every 21st century design problem is our role as stewards of the Earth, and I’m also a Northeast Organic Farming Association-accredited organic landcare professional.

Praise for Andrew Keys

“It’s smart, thoughtful, lively, and wonderful… Give Andrew a little love. Really, he’s amazing.” -Amy Stewart, bestselling author of Wicked Plants, Wicked Bugs, and The Drunken Botanist, on the podcast.

“He’s a savant.” -Susan Cohan, co-founder/editor of Leaf Magazine.

“… you are in for a treat – and a surprise. It’s really good and in a really new way. A big fan of Ira Glass and ‘This American Life’, [Andrew's] aim is to tell stories about the intersection of plants and people. Not how-to’s or tips, but stories.” -Susan Harris, writer and blogger at Garden Rant, on the podcast.

“Andrew Keys is The Shit.” -Amanda Thomsen, blogger and author of Kiss My Aster!, in print and at Fine Gardening online.

What is Garden Smackdown?

In this context, don’t take “garden smackdown” to mean I’ll be berating gardens, because I won’t. Think of it more in the sense that I’ll be getting to the bottom of things. I intend to smack down our wonderings about the plants featured here and the need for inspiration we crave. As of 2011, I’m also smacking down my musings on design, travel, and lifestyle topics.

I like to think of “smackdown,” too, as a smorgasbord, a mashup, and this here blog will be just that — a place to talk about plants, because yes, I like to talk about plants more than anything — but plants vs. music vs. lifestyle vs. anything else that inspires me. In that sense, this is very much a personal blog, and maybe you’ll see a window into me and what I’m about along the way. Regardless, I hope you’ll be inspired too.

Disclaimer: please take any advice and information you read here as one man’s perspective, not the final word. I write about what I like (or don’t like) based on my own experience and research, but I’m by no means king of the world, and would never have you believe I was.

My company, Oakleaf Green, is in transition while I focus on writing.

About the Site

I’ve been a web and graphic designer, professionally and in my spare time, for over 10 years now. In building this site and Oakleaf Green’s site, I’ve attempted to push the limits of my imagination, creative and technical capacity. I hope you’ll enjoy them and, of course, recommend them to others.