Susan Betz

Meet Susan Betz, a Region 3 GardenComm member from southern Michigan. She specializes in regenerative gardening, and her latest/favorite garden-focused content involves using phenology and citizen science to connect people-place & plants.

She is also a fan of Asknature.org, a site that “presents profiles of intriguing and inspiring strategies developed by various species to meet challenges of all kinds.” It also contains a searchable library of living things and the functions that their strategies are performing.

A member since 2001, she’s an author; photographer; speaker; writer; and garden presenter. Her primary focus is gardening with herbs and native plants from an herbal perspective. Susan’s website, freshstartherbs.org, provides excellent insight into her accomplishments:

“Susan Betz has been actively involved in growing and using herbs to educate the public about gardening and the natural world for over 35 years. She is an Honorary Master Gardener, a member of the International Herb Association, Garden Communicators, the Ecological Landscape Alliance, and the National Garden Bureau.

Susan is a life member of the Herb Society of America and received The Society’s Helen D. Conway Little Medal of Honor in 2018. She is a charter member of HSA’s Native Herb Conservation committee, the Society’s sustainable garden initiative.

Susan currently serves on HSA’s Notable Native Herb program and is a contributing author to HSA’s native herb fact sheets published annually. She is the author of Magical Moons & Seasonal Circles, Stepping into the Circle of the Seasons, Neighboring with Nature/Native Herbs for Pleasure and Purpose, and Herbal Houseplants, Grow beautiful herbs -Indoors.”

When asked, “why do you GardenComm"? Susan answered, “It's my tribe.” She also enjoys the meetings and the power circles.

You can visit Susan at freshstartherbs.org and on Instagram @susanbetzherbs