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| Splash photo by Craig Howard |
Joice Cary began as Liberty Lake city horticulturist in April 2013. Her duties include maintaining the city’s inventory of ornamental plant material at sites like Pavillion Park, the Harvard Road roundabout and the Liberty Lake Arboretum (pictured).
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A Cup of Joe: Plant manager
9/29/2014 12:42:43 PM
By Craig Howard
Splash Contributor
One day, Joice Cary decided to trade in her calculator for a pair of garden gloves.
Things have never quite been the same for Cary ever since, as a career in banking and financial planning was replaced by a vocation that involved a different kind of green. The transition has been successful on a variety of fronts, according to the Sacramento, Calif., native, whose stress level has dissipated like a field of stubborn weeds after a thorough hoeing.
In April 2013, Cary was brought on as Liberty Lake city horticulturist, tasked with overseeing the vast array of plants, flowers and trees that have made Spokane County's easternmost jurisdiction a regional flora gem. For Cary, the move represented the latest rung on a professional ladder that includes stops at Gaiser Conservatory in Manito Park, a Cheney nursery and as the horticulturist at Riverview Retirement Community. She has also owned and managed her own gardening business.
In Liberty Lake, Cary is responsible for the inventory of ornamental plant material that gives the city its distinctive, well-manicured look. Her arena of maintenance includes landmarks like Pavillion Park, Trailhead at Liberty Lake golf course, Rocky Hill Park, the Liberty Lake Arboretum, the Municipal Library, Harvard Road roundabout, or, in Cary's words, "any area that has pretty plants."
Cary's plant pedigree includes an associate of science degree from North Idaho College, an associate of arts degree from Spokane Community College and degrees in horticulture and greenhouse management from SCC. She has also earned volunteer status at the prestigious U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., where she will wrap up her designated 100 hours of service later this year.
Cary's job typically spans from the end of March to the early part of November, or when the frost settles in. As part of her role in maintaining Liberty Lake's designation as an official Tree City with the National Arbor Day Foundation, Cary defers to Parks and Open Space Superintendent Jennifer Camp concerning the care of trees along streets and in parks. This year, she and Camp pruned the lower branches on less-ancient trees like those along Country Vista Drive to the east of City Hall.
Each weekday during the growing season, Cary makes her rounds in a signature white municipal truck, "meeting the nicest people and their dogs." Whether she's planting 850 geraniums in the spring, checking in on the Monarch Butterfly Garden at Pavillion Park or nurturing the 50 plants that occupy the grounds around City Hall, Cary is ready with a smile and a helpful word of advice about local greenery.
Cary and her husband, Chris, live in north Spokane and have two kids and two grandkids. The Splash caught up with the city's frontrunner in foliage recently to inquire about the state of vegetation in Liberty Lake.
Q: When you were first hired as the city horticulturist in Liberty Lake last year, what were some of your initial impressions of the inventory of plants and greenery here?
A: My first impression was lots and lots of green with many beautiful and established trees. Liberty Lake is truly a Tree City.
Q: What were some of your first undertakings as city horticulturist?
A: I needed to become familiar with the scope of my responsibility so I did a plant inventory and assessment. Liberty Lake has many nice, established plants that were in need of pruning and trimming. I spent most of my first season here pruning, trimming and cleaning. Some shrubs and trees needed to be brought back to a more proportionate size in relation to the beds they occupied. Some trees also needed lower limbs removed to raise the canopy. The process of rehabilitating a large shrub or tree takes several years, so this is ongoing, but I feel that the heavy lifting is now done.
Q: Along those same lines, how much autonomy do you have in your role? If you like rhododendrons, can you plants hundreds around City Hall?
A: Wow, wouldn't that be amazing. But, no, I can't plant hundreds of rhodies around City Hall; that would be very expensive and would lack balance. Mayor (Steve) Peterson, (City Administrator) Katy Allen and Jennifer (Camp) know the big picture concerning city green space development and projects. I take care of these projects after they are installed, such as the Library Reading Garden, the Harvard Road roundabout and the future Town Square. I do make decisions concerning flower and plant material when adding or changing smaller landscaped areas, and I work within a budget. Some of these areas are the Trailhead sign and golf course beds, Rocky Hill shelter beds, Pavillion Park sign and around the flag poles. My goal is to create a feeling of visual harmony throughout the city, to reflect the community aesthetic and to add color using sustainable methods and perennial plants. Last fall, I planted 1,100 bulbs at Founder's Corner and will add another 1,800 in Pavillion Park this year.
Q: Tell us about your efforts with the Liberty Lake Arboretum. This was a project that was in the works for a number of years. Do you think it's met up to the hopes that supporters had for it?
A: The supporters should be very proud of creating such a legacy. A city arboretum is a project for visionaries - not an instant gratification moment like a pot of geraniums. Finch Arboretum in Spokane is decades old and is still experiencing growth and change. I love the arboretum and pay special attention to the specimen trees growing there. Did you know that there is a beautiful thriving redwood growing at the north side of the community garden (in the arboretum)? Redwoods are not native to our area and are difficult to establish, which makes this tree is a joy to behold. This fall we will be adding more aspen to the grove. Also Garth Davis, forester for Spokane County Conservation District, has given the city a ginkgo and a catalpa tree. Garth has participated in our Arbor Day celebrations and tree plantings. He is a great resource and toured the arboretum this spring answering my questions and concerns. The SCCD also maintains a tree nursery that the city has access to for future plantings. The arboretu
m is a jewel in the Liberty Lake landscape and will become more beautiful as it ages.
Q: You made an interesting career transition from the world of banking and finance to horticulture. Tell us about that move, why you made it and how things have turned out.
A: Things have turned out well. I gave up an office and the stress of watching markets rise and fall for open spaces, boots and the satisfaction of watching plants grow. Although managing money can be exciting and challenging, I just didn't love going to work every day. My super supportive husband, Chris, convinced me that it is OK to do work that I love. So with his financial support and the blessings of my family, I started off in a new direction. I went back to school and starting working summers as a private gardener, a nursery worker and spent one year at the Gaiser Conservatory in Manito Park. This doesn't mean that my current work isn't stressful. The work that all of the city employees do is on display every day, and we take pride in that. I also have a responsibility to the taxpayers to make careful decisions about how their money is spent. Plants are expensive and will die if not cared for properly, that is a waste of resources. But now I look forward to coming to work in the morning.
Q: Tell us about your involvement with the campaign to restore the Marian J. Schneidmiller Memorial Rose Garden at Pavillion Park.
A: This wasn't really a campaign, mostly a conversation with the right people. When I first came on in 2013, I noticed the lack of roses in the Rose Garden. Jennifer (Camp) said that she would like to have the area re-established. I contacted Ross Schneidmiller and was able to get interesting background about his family and the area. Ross and his brother donated 15 of the 24 roses planted in the garden. Three original roses remained for a total of 27 plants. This spring the bed was cleared of spiraea and the plum trees. The plum trees were struggling and broken, so it was appropriate to remove them. I amended the soil with nutrients and compost and planted the roses in June of this year. There is a range of types, colors and fragrances. All the roses are labeled for easy identification.
Q: The city recently took over landscaping maintenance at the Harvard Road roundabout from the Washington State Department of Transportation. What are some of the challenges in overseeing this site?
A: The medians are more difficult to maintain because of the traffic. I can't park my work truck directly next to the work area so I have to haul tools and plant debris back and forth across road. Not a huge challenge, just inconvenient. Also, the area is large and wasn't maintained on a regular schedule after installation last year. I have some catch-up work to do to get this area looking as pretty as the designer intended. The plants will continue to grow and fill in next year, and it will become a lovely welcome to the city.
Q: From your time in Liberty Lake, what are some of the plants that grow best here? How about those that struggle?
A: That is a tough question because there are several "depends" - depends on the location, amount of water, amount of sun, amount of nutrients, etc. This is true for plants that struggle and plants that thrive. Two rules of thumb would be to use plants that are hardy to your zone, our area is normally Zone 5, and be aware of the soil, which is usually alkaline in our area.
Q: Finally, there are some who feel people either have green thumbs or plants literally wither in their presence. For those of us who have never had any aptitude for gardening or taking care of anything with leaves, is there hope?
A: Absolutely. I can't cook but haven't given up the challenge. Gardening is an experience; you can make it what you want. Plant a pot of pansy or an acre of potatoes and enjoy. Plants can be forgiving and there are tons of resources available to get answers. I will put in a good word for the WSU Master Gardeners, and not just because I am one. Call, email or drop by the free, open clinic at 222 N. Havana for expert advice. Gardening is a healthy activity. It involves sunshine, fresh air, movement and mind peace.
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