I'm Bailey Van Tassel - your Mother of Gardens.
Bailey is a self-taught gardener and writer, creating gardening content for brands and helping the everyday person create veggie gardens of their own. She lives in San Juan Capistrano, California with her husband, Joe, and two kids..
Hi there, I'm Bailey and this is my story.
My garden journey started like many endeavors – as the response to a challenge from my husband, Joe. I grew up on a hobby farm in Sebastopol, California, a small town (at the time) in the state’s wine country. While my parents were cowboys raising chickens and pigs, gardening and going to rodeos, I was doing ballet and art classes. I had no interest in that life and thought I was born a city girl through and through. It wasn’t until I left that I realized just how lucky I was.
Years later and once married with my first child I longed for a return to country life. I dreamed of a huge garden, donkeys, goats, the whole thing. But, living in the suburbs of Southern California doesn’t really allow for such things, and by the way, “would you even like gardening, if you had a big garden?” That was the comment from Joe, and thus started this whole path.
What was once one pot with six plants in it from Home Depot became two raised beds in front of a condo. I had to petition the HOA to let me use communal land, promising to share all my veggies – and I did! I’d bundle up our yield each week and walk door to door with my son, dropping off kale and beets wrapped in paper and tied with a string. It became the brightest part of my days. Now we live on 1/4 acre and I have my very own big beautiful garden, but we still share with the neighbors.
Gardening changed my life – it gave me profound peace and purpose. It gave me a place to be wild and free, yet planned and poised. I could not and still can’t get enough of the garden life. What started as a hobby has become my profession, and I am truly grateful to share my knowledge and passions with you.
Join the garden club and make your growing dreams come true.
After spending tons of time researching and killing a lot of plants – or not knowing what to plant – I realized that gardening is NOT one-sized fits all. Join me in monthly guides to maximize your growing! It’s all zone-specific and designed to keep you informed but not overwhelmed.