By Teresa Woodard

Our fellow blogger Debra Knapke recently invited Michael and me for a tour of her lovely 2/3 acre in northwest Columbus where she’s gardened for 31 years. As a horticulture teacher, author and lecturer, this “Garden Sage” uses her garden in so many ways. She trials new plants, teaches plant ID to horticulture students, experiments with various gardening techniques, explores nature with her grandchildren and finds much peace tending her treasure trove of plants.

Can you tell we loved the garden??? Let us count the ways:

#10 Twenty-five hostas ranging from miniature ‘Popo’ to 3-foot ‘Sagae’

#9 Multiple pots of succulents — haworthia, aloe, agave, gasteria, Senecio rowleyanus (string of pearls), opuntia (variegated prickly pear cactus)

#8 A kaleidoscope of heucheras and heucherellas from a new hybrid ‘Berry Timeless’ to an old-time favorite ‘Frosted Violet’

#7 A bounty of Japanese maples and conifers like firs, larch, weeping blue spruce and false cypress

#6 A gallery of sculpture — even an iron sun that she welded with husband Tony

#5 A bounty of edible treats from alpine strawberries and blueberries to peas, tomatoes and an assortment of greens

#4 Collections of herbs, including sage (for the Garden Sage), lavender (her horticulture thesis plant), 15 thymes, parsley, rosemary and multiple mints

#3 Dozens of natives and wildlife favorites — spring ephemerals, bottlebrush buckeye, cup plant, monarda, pawpaws, little bluestem and more

#2 Lilies for granddaughter Lily

#1 One-of-a-kind treasures

Thanks, Debra, for sharing your wonderful plant collections with us!!!