Hello! I’m Jan, the owner, designer, and educator behind The Garden Maven.
As a child, I was mesmerized by the riot of zinnias, marigolds, and irises outside our back door, and for many years, I would hide under a huge lilac bush in my grandmother’s neighbor’s yard every late spring. Perhaps that’s how this all began!
Born in the Midwest, I’ve led an adventurous life that has taken me to all four corners of the U.S. and international points beyond. Wherever I have lived or worked, local trees, flowers, and plants have always been part of my life.
My professional background was in high tech: manufacturing supply chains, data analysis, OEM sales, and global sales education for direct and channel partners. Volunteer service with the Sammamish Citizen Corps board, as a King County CERT instructor, and as a Government Liaison with the American Red Cross deepened my interest in community emergency and disaster preparedness.
Until 2020, I worked with an industry-leading company to help public-and private-sector commercial building owners, managers, and response teams, nationally and locally, improve life safety and reduce risk to tenants and visitors during emergencies and disasters.
Since retiring, I’ve cherished spending lots of time with family (especially my two young grandsons!), friends, and focusing on garden design and landscape transformation. Every client I work with receives skillful, practical attention, professional diligence, fair pricing, and encouraging straight talk. Now, let’s dig in!
A member of: