{"id":10960,"date":"2021-03-10T09:34:08","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T14:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homegardenjoy.com\/site\/?page_id=10960"},"modified":"2026-01-20T11:55:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T16:55:19","slug":"about-home-garden-joy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/homegardenjoy.com\/site\/about-home-garden-joy","title":{"rendered":"About Home Garden Joy & Jeanne Grunert"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Contact Jeanne at: jeanne@homegardenjoy.com <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Home Garden Joy is part of Grunert Family Holdings, Inc., located in central Virginia. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hi! My name is Jeanne Grunert. Home Garden Joy is my passion project, where I live by the motto “grow what nourishes you.” I have learned that life lived among the plants is the healthiest way I know to live, grow, and flourish, and I want you to do so as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2007, I did what family and friends said was crazy. I quit my fast-track career in New York City and moved to a former tree farm in central Virginia. I grew up gardening within sight and sound of Kennedy Airport and Belmont Race Track, learning about greenhouses and raised beds in my family’s tiny backyard garden. My passion for organic gardening and herbalism took root in these early days, leading to a career working in a nursery and garden center, becoming a certified Virginia master gardener, and serving as the Ask the Expert columnist for Virginia Gardener magazine<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

My husband, John, claims that my book “Plan and Build a Raised Bed Garden” should be called “Ask Your Husband to Plan and Build a Raised Bed Garden” because guess who does all the construction around here? You guessed it. He does. We love our four-footed family of a German shepherd dog and several rescued cats, and our extended family of nieces, nephews, neighborhood children, and godchildren. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am the owner and operator of Seven Oaks Consulting,<\/a> an SEO and content marketing business. When I’m not working on marketing plans and content for my clients or gardening, you can find me reading – and writing – mystery novels and heading out to the nearest yard sale for adventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Core Beliefs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Grow what nourishes you, body and soul. Embrace the good, true, and beautiful. Health is found in nature, among the plants. Plants are food, medicine, and solace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gardens Can Be Functional and Beautiful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Flowers or vegetables? Why not both? Gardens can be both functional and beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live in Harmony with Nature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My dad’s gardening motto was “better living through chemistry,” and he poured every blessed herbicide and insecticide he could find on his plants. He gardened in the age of ‘miracle products’ and thought nothing of using commercial herbicides and insecticides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, we know better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My gardening motto is “live in harmony with nature,” and I avoid insecticides, herbicides, and commercial fertilizers for my edible plants. I’ll fence in the garden, but I won’t hunt the deer. I’ll plant extra so the slugs get some and I get some. I find ways to outwit bugs and even bears in our garden and orchard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Awards and Mentions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My garden has been featured in Virginia Gardener<\/em> magazine. I’ve appeared as an expert guest on the American Horticultural Society’s “Plant Chat” and on Hometalk<\/a> and Porch<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Home Garden Joy was featured by the American Horticultural Society on “Plant Chat”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Consistently cited among top 50 best gardening blogs and Virginia blogs. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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My gardening articles, photography, and expert interviews have appeared in the following publications:<\/p>\n\n\n\n