#AllCoopedUp with Michael O’Brien of Hommes & Gardens
The minute Michael and I met, we instantly bonded over shared passions, and I knew we were destined to collaborate! Good design and all things horticulture are always top of mind for both of us! When he and his partner hired us to sell their amazing house on Mansfield Ave, Michael had a serious, full time job in addition to a thriving side business of building veggie gardens that was screaming for more attention. Landscape design and organic gardening are in his DNA, so we are thrilled to hear that he has said goodbye to the desk job and is now out in the wild, every day, making his clients' gardens grow.
Now that we are vaccinated and safely starting to gather again, I've convinced him to come to +COOP to share some of his landscaping know-how and to launch his special line of planters. Join us on Thursday, June 3 for a special evening with cocktails from Domaine LA and plenty of garden goods. For more info and to RSVP, visit this page.
What’s your profession, and what does your day-to-day work experience look like now -vs- 1 year ago?
I am a landscape artist and an urban farmer. I have a roster full of clients where I offer services related to vegetable gardening, including planning, construction, maintenance, and coaching. This includes daily visits to the gardens for check-ins, adding new veggies and herbs, and teaching gardening classes. I also have a passion for designing outdoor spaces, which I have had the pleasure of sharing with people over the past year. The pandemic was my opportunity to pivot to something that I was passionate about from a career that spanned 10 years in corporate finance. I have always been a business-minded person, so it has been amazing to see how much I have been able to accomplish doing something I love over the past year.
Every day I meet new people, discover new neighborhoods, and learn about new plants. The growth of my business was possible because of the pandemic and it gave me a new way to connect with my community and discover parts of myself that had gone missing.
Through the pandemic, are there objects or spaces in your house that you are newly appreciating?
I couldn’t have made it through quarantine without my back garden. It is where we spend most of our time with friends. It is also amazing for doing a little fire in the morning with the sun rising and coffee in hand.
What’s the last thing you purchased online? Regret or obsessed?
Baby Foot - I’m totally obsessed!
Now that the world is starting to open up, are there any quarantine activities or rituals you will come to miss?
I will miss driving downtown to the flower market with no traffic early in the mornings. Through the pandemic I would go a couple days a week. It’s great exercise and you literally get to stop and smell the roses.
What is your creative outlet?
Gardening !
What was your biggest quarantine indulgence?
Going around to local shops and finding antique vessels. I can’t stop buying vintage terra cotta pots.
What’s been the biggest challenge for you throughout the pandemic?
Staying in touch with and seeing loved ones. My family is from the east coast and my husband is from France.
In what ways has COVID changed your business?
COVID gave my business the opportunity to come together.
What’s one thing you had more time for?
I wish I had time to journal. It was a big part of when I first started in quarantine, and as time has gone on, I haven’t taken the time to do so. There are only so many hours of daylight for gardening, so I start my days early.
Best or worst time to plant a big kitchen garden?
Best time to plant is in early spring (right around now) and the worst time is in October.
What are two simple tips to help people get started with gardening?
Forget anything you thought you knew before and google your specific plants to find out the conditions they need. If you can’t meet those conditions, your garden will not be successful no matter what you feed it!
What tools can’t you live without?
A good hose. It is the first thing I bring to a jobsite when I begin an install. It is very important to be able to adjust the flow depending on what you are watering. House plants or flowers?
BOTH!
What’s your favorite plant?
My favorite plant is a kumquat. Not only do they produce edible fruit, they look beautiful in patio containers. In my new house I am planning on having them right by my entrance. It adds a pop of color with it’s deep-green glossy leaves.
What are you most looking forward to post-pandemic?
When this is over I can’t wait to visit my grandfather in New Jersey and my husband’s grandmother in France. They are both in their mid-nineties and going strong!
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