Newtown Organic Horticulturist Tells Clients To ‘Go Native’

By John Voket

If you own a Honda automobile, maybe you are wondering why Starlet Braden looks familiar. This Newtowner, who in 2007 launched Roots to Shoots, an organic landscaping and environmental design firm, managed service departments at several regional Honda dealerships for nearly two decades before she decided to turn her passion for gardening into a new career.

Amassing a degree in horticulture, certification as a Connecticut master gardener, and poised to complete the licensing exam to become an arborist, Ms Braden will soon be fully credentialed to tackle any residential or commercial project that may come her way.

“I’m also a member of NOFA [Connecticut’s chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association], the ISA [international arboriculture association], the American Conifer Society, and the Ecological Landscaping Association,” she told The Newtown Bee recently while walking the property of one of her local clients.

To help encourage other gardeners, landscape professionals and those with similar passions for native and organic horticulture, Ms Braden volunteers here time serving on the a boards of the Ecological Landscaping Association and the National Wildlife Society.

Naturally, Ms Braden did not just happen upon this newfound growth opportunity — she honed her skill with land, plants, and trees over a lifetime of lovingly developing natural landscape projects on her own properties, for friends and family members. But it was not until she settled permanently in Newtown ten years ago that she started ramping up her pursuits and merging her passion with a new professional aspiration.

In short order she managed to turn her local property into a certified wildlife habitat, and today, she is applying that experience bringing a similar project to fruition for one of her clients in neighboring Woodbury.

Water Conservation Critical

But no matter how large or small the job, Ms Braden has two basic conditions for taking on clients — they must agree to applying water conservation measures as part of the project, and they must “go native” whenever possible, integrating water saving practices with indigenous plants, shrubs, trees, and grasses.

“I try to promote rain gardens, which help conserve water while helping filter harmful toxins and chemicals from storm water through the soil before the water gets into streams and the groundwater,” she said. “Rain gardens tend to take and filter the storm water runoff better than normal soil, which protects everything from our drinking supply to our streams, and even Long Island Sound where it eventually ends up.”

She also strongly encourages clients create on-site composting for fertilizer. So far, virtually every client she has agrees wholeheartedly to the common sense practices Ms Braden espouses.

“Basically, I design gardens with mostly native plantings and conifers,” she explained while pointing out examples at a local project site. “I try to educate my clients as I go with how to use organics, and teach them about healthy soil, which is where it all starts.”

Whether it is installing rock gardens, rain gardens, mixed gardens, or helping clients start their own organic vegetable gardens, Ms Braden says each relationship with the humans, and the multitude of plants and animals inhabiting their properties, begins the same way.

“We take plant inventories, soil testing, and then decide after speaking with the client what would work best for them, depending on what they are looking to create,” she explained. “Next season, I hope to get into edible landscapes, along with riparian buffers.”

By the spring of 2010, she is planning to expand, offering a complete organic program for lawns, gardens, and tree care.

“Right now I work with an arborist, but next season I will be a licensed arborist myself,” Ms Braden said. “I am also looking into doing free seminars with some of the local garden associations. I volunteer my time or products to help programs, including the master gardener program at UConn.”

Garden Fair Appearance

She is also donating plants and plans to be on hand to chat with visitors at the 7th Annual Garden Fair at the Fairfield County Extension Center in Bethel August 15, where master gardeners and other plant and environmental professionals open the doors to all visitors, hosting various free workshops, hands-on training, and a popular perennial walk through the facility’s own grounds.

Right now most of her clients are in Woodbury, Sherman, and Avon.

“But I am hoping to build my business here in Newtown where I live,” she added.

Whether it is a turn-key project, installation or conversion, or ongoing maintenance, Ms Braden stands ready with a crew of hand-picked and personally trained assistants when needed to get the job done

“But the majority of clients are regularly maintained by me personally,” she said. “Once or twice a month I’ll come in, walk the property, pull weeds — there’s continuous exploration of the property, looking for things that are dying off, or other ideas about where, for instance, we can replace invasives or nonnative plantings with native species.”

She said she can devise an attractive alternative for the person who is tired of grass, or mowing.

“I love to design with conifer and hardwood trees, and native shrubs,” she said. “I pride myself in working with each person on what ever level of work they need or am willing of course to work within their budget.”

In today’s economy Ms Braden believes everybody can use a little help, and she would rather promote chemical-free projects or maintenance, and plants or trees that keeps the balance of nature alive than to promote expansive, costly transformations with inappropriate types of installations that will ultimately harm or negatively impact one’s yard or property.

“I only use organic products, and I use products that also build soil activity,” she said. “I’m against using any chemicals, but my clients prefer that alternative because most of them have pets, children, or both.”

Until the company launches its new website sometime this fall, interested individuals can contact Ms Braden and her Roots to Shoots firm by calling 203-417-5156.