In her constant, undying pursuit of all things garden-related, Tovah gets her hands dirty both outside and indoors. She is a perennial, heirloom, vegetable and cottage gardener of fanatical proportions, and has recently earned her accreditation from NOFA as an Organic Land Care professional. Beyond the garden outdoors, Tovah’s areas of specialty also include decades of experience with tropicals (especially begonias) in windowsills, greenhouses, and otherwise. Her passion for all things growing and encased in glass has led to her most recent book, The New Terrarium (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2009). Check out a running listing of her lecture schedule on the “Where I’m At” post on this blog for a talk, demonstration or workshop near you. The terrarium book is the newest publication of more than a dozen titles that Tovah has authored including Tasha Tudor’s Garden (Houghton Mifflin, 1994). Please contact Tovah through www.tovahmartin.com for lecture inquiries.
You can also catch the gardening contagion and read about Tovah’s successes, foibles, and travels through her articles in Country Gardens, Garden Design, at Home magazine, Hobby Farm, Urban Farm, La Vie Claire, Connecticut magazine, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens, Flower magazine, Horticulture, Connecticut Gardener, Coastal Living, Coastal Home, Old House Interiors, Early Homes, Westchester Home & Garden, Country Living, and The Litchfield County Times as well as many other publications. In other media, Tovah has ventured into web content writing. And, in addition to www.plantswise.com, she is a contributing blogger on the team at www.gardeninggonewild.com where her daring blog discusses all things having to do with bulbs. Speaking of bulbs, in www.seasonalwalk.com she followed the progress of a design project by international gardening superstars Piet Oudolf and Jacqueline van der Kloet. Meanwhile, she also continues to blog on terrariums for www.hpotter.blog.net.
Watch Tovah in action on television – she appeared most recently on the January 16, 2011: CBS Sunday Early Show. She has also appeared on the weekly edition of the CBS Early Show, the Victory Garden, the Way to Grow Show, B. Smith with Style as well as many other broadcasts including the PBS television gardening series “Cultivating Life,” where she served as editorial producer.
Tovah is proud to be awarded an Honorary Membership in The Garden Club of America as well as the Litchfield Garden Club. The GCA also awarded Tovah their Sarah Chapman Francis Medal for “outstanding literary achievement.” She was named one of the 50 Most Influential People and one of the top 10 garden educators by People, Places, Plants magazine. In addition, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society honored her with their Gold Medal.
More often than not, you can find Tovah outside working on her 7 acre organic New England property where she tends Saanen goats as well as perennial, berry, vegetable, and herb gardens in addition to umpteen houseplants. You’ll find her wearing a 1950s shirtwaist dress (generally ripped) and Muck boots (or Chuck Taylors when she’s expecting company). As part of her new Lawn Liberation Movement, she has stuffed her ever-expanding, beat-back-the-lawn landscape with plants of every stripe. Read more about that initiative in her blogs…
Hi Tovah,
I recently saw a piece of CBS Sunday morning featuring you with terrariums. I am dabbling in terrarium plantings and have a question. One of my plants has these “hair-like” things growing up the stem of the plant. Would you know what they are? Possibly roots because of the humidity in the terrarium? I see that you’re coming to Rochester in September. Might you be speaking on terrariums? I am very excited to meet you and hear more about your book.
Quick question = what plant are the hair-like things growing on? Hard to say without seeing them whether they’re a fungus or root hairs, but it might help if I know which plant it is. Yep, I’m coming Rochester on September 10 to lecture to the Master Gardeners. I’m giving two lectures but the topics they chose are the Lawn Liberation Movement and the Brave New Perennial garden. Would love to meet you and talk terrariums…
hi Tovah – have just read a good piece by you about the influence Sissinghurst has had in the States & how it is currently de rigeur to be a bit sniffy about it if you are english !
I worked there as a gardener through the 90s & we were always surprised by lazy english journalists – so easy to have a go at somewhere like Siss. We always thought they should go to their local park & offer some constructive criticism &/or some practical help…Anyway rant over & keep up the good work Andy
You know,,if I were to have a dream garden/lunch date, it would be with you, Tasha and P. Allen…I know Tasha is no longer with us..perhaps with her sea captain..? I grow heirloom pumpkins for pie,,the best? Australian Butter and Winter Luxury pie…oh..also Amy Goldman..I am locked in Minesota winter,,but spring always comes,,,,Marta
Are you kidding, Marta? I think my dream lunch date would be an heirloom pumpkin pie chef, for sure. And Amy Goldman is also a superdeluxe cook. I’ve had her tomato recipes at her home — including tomato ice cream. P. Allen is the guy you’d always want to sit next to at a dinner party = he’s got so much depth. And Tasha = well, there will never be anyone like Tasha again. I’d love to sit her down next to P. Allen. As for the sea captain, her parrot is still doing his imitations.
Hi Tovah Please send your new e mail tried to contact by old one . Need to ask you a few things on promotion
Hey Tovah! Love your blog, I just produced a piece on building a terrarium and I thought you or your readers might just enjoy it! It was so fun to make and I learned so much about plants and mosses. So fascinating!
Anyway, here is the video! Let me know what you think: http://youtu.be/_H-q6KgVmj8
Way Cool!
Hi Tovah
I have a question about terrariums. I have made a few that are going fine, but all of a sudden the last couple are not doing so well. I have your book on terrariums and I couldn’t find what I needed.
There is mold growing inside the terrarium and killing the plants. What have I done wrong? I thought I did everything the same as before.
thanks
Amy