Introduction丨Behind the Seeds

Hello everyone! My name is Dannie Johnson, and I am the Spring 2021 Horticulture Intern for Brookgreen Gardens. I am excited to share my experience through my Behind the Seeds program located here on the Brookgreen Gardens website. Today’s blog is going to be an introduction to who I am and what the Behind the Seeds program is going to be.

Located 30 minutes from Brookgreen Gardens is Coastal Carolina University (CCU), home of the Chanticleers. I am a senior at CCU in the dual degree program, which I will graduate from this May! I am earning a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a minor in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, with a concentration in Health Communication. In addition to this, I am working on my Master of Arts in Communication on the Advocacy track. Outside of classes, I am involved with three major organizations. The first is Sigma Sigma Sigma, a national sorority with philanthropic ties to pediatric and maternal health. Secondly is the Teal Trailblazers, which are CCU’s campus tour guides. Last, but not least, is HOBY, an international organization focusing on empowering young leaders through leadership development seminars and community service.

As a local, I have spent plenty of time at Brookgreen Gardens exploring with my family and friends. My favorite plants in Brookgreen are the zinnias and roses, as these are two groups of flowers that populated the flower beds around my childhood home. Walking around the property, I enjoy spending time in the Palmetto Garden, Arboretum, and Live Oak Allée. The photo below was taken in Oak Allée during Night of a Thousand Candles.

Now that y’all know a bit about me, here’s what Behind the Seeds is. 

Behind the Seeds brings you behind the scenes of the horticulture department at Brookgreen Gardens through written blogs, videos, and activities. Plant health and human health have a lot of crossovers, so by practicing horticulture, you are practicing self-care. Whether you are a beginner like me, a regular in the garden, or an expert like our staff members, there will be something for you to look forward to. For example, I had no idea that proper pruning could save my life until I began working with the horticulture department. It may sound dramatic, but it is true! Come back next week to learn how it is possible.

As your eyes and ears in the garden, I will be rotating with different horticulturists every few weeks to learn about their specialties. These rotations will include apothecary plants, propagation, and edible plants/farm gardening. During these rotations, you will learn about balancing your PHs: Plant Health, Personal Health, & Practicing Health. Overall, Behind the Seeds will help you learn how to care for plants and care for yourself!

Thank you all so much for joining me for Behind the Seeds. Stay tuned for next week’s first topic, plant pruning, where I will take you out to see the gorgeous crape myrtles in the Poetry Garden!

Let's keep our PHs balanced!