About
Mary is a horticulturist with more than a decade of experience at Holden Forests & Gardens, one of the largest public gardens in the country, along with a full-landscape ownership role at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Her work spans plant health and maintenance, curatorial garden design, staff and volunteer supervision, and public teaching — currently leading horticultural care across 10 acres of named collection gardens.
Featured Projects
Logsdon Pond East — Edge Planting Design
Designed the pond-edge planting scheme for Logsdon Pond East, combining native and non-native species selected for habitat value, seasonal interest, and fit with the surrounding rhododendron collection.
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Logsdon Pond West — Edge Planting Design
Followed up the East Pond project with a companion design for the west edge, extending a cohesive planting plan across the full pond system.
View project →Garden Leadership
Horticulturist — Rhododendron Discovery Garden
Full horticultural responsibility for the Rhododendron Discovery Garden, with additional gardener-level oversight of Lakeside Terrace, Holden Grove, and the Paine Tree Allee. Supervises two full-time gardeners, seasonal and intern staff, and a weekly volunteer crew.
Horticulturist — East Layer Garden
Promoted to Horticulturist with full care and planning responsibility for the East Layer Garden. Co-authored the garden's Landscape Operating Manual and maintains its Annual Operating Plan.
Gardener — Helen S. Layer Rhododendron Garden
Assisted the garden's horticulturist across the full 17-acre rhododendron collection, including the original Logsdon Pond East design work.
Garden Manager
Held full ownership of the Smith Courtyard and Perkins II Woods Garden — design, maintenance, and seasonal planning for both spaces.
Teaching & Public Engagement
- Co-taught a Regional Invasive Plant course for area homeowners
- Designed and taught an original craft class using materials foraged from the Holden Forests & Gardens campus
- Participates in hiring for seasonal and full-time gardener roles, including candidate interviews
- Horticulture Department representative to the Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership since 2020
Professional Development & Certifications
Coursework
- Disease Identification and Management — New York Botanical Garden (99%, 2026)
- Introduction to Plant Science — New York Botanical Garden (95%, 2025)
Equipment & Safety Certifications
- OSHA-compliant training: ATV/UTV, front-end loader, mini excavator
- Practical chainsaw training (2026)
- Adult First Aid / CPR / AED, current
Education
- B.S., Education — Ohio University
- B.A., English — Ohio University
Professional Affiliations
- American Horticultural Society, member since 2024
- American Public Gardens Association, member since 2022