10-26-2023 Howard - Flipbook - Page 17
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Hallowed Ground is in this former church in Oella. PHOTO BY
BARBARA HADDOCK TAYLOR
engineer.
Amy loved gardening, but when
she was younger she didn’t think
of it as a career. She earned an
American Studies degree from the
University of Maryland, Baltimore
County, and worked in museums
and arts-focused nonprofits,
including serving from 2001 to
2006 as deputy director of the
Howard County Arts Council and
teaching art and design classes at
Community College of Baltimore
County.
Meanwhile, she kept learning,
earning a master’s degree in the
history of decorative arts from
Smithsonian Associates/Corcoran
College of Arts+Design (a program that doesn’t exist anymore),
and taking classes in sustainable
horticulture at CCBC.
“I was blown away by her talent. She’s an excellent designer,”
said Carol Allen, a horticultural
educator who got to know Poff
while teaching her at CCBC. “I’m
very excited about her new store.
She’s got the touch. I love her
selection of products. She hits all
the right notes.”
In 2017, Poff launched a garden
design consulting business, called
Hallowed Ground Gardens,
helping mostly residential clients
choose flowers and plants while
taking into account factors like
sunlight and drainage.
“It’s really about [the] right
plant, right place,” Poff said. “You
need to understand your property
and choose plants based on that.”
Poff said there’s more interest
lately in using native plants and
creating more sustainable landscapes. Clients often ask her how
to use their landscaping to attract
pollinators or to reduce flood risk.
And one question that nearly
everyone asks is how to keep deer
away — an impossible request.
“It’s about understanding how to
work with deer in your environment,” she said. “The only thing
they’re not going to eat is plastic
plants.”
Poff’s new store is in a former
church that was built in 1904 and
for years housed the offices of the
Oella Company, which protected
and preserved much of the historic district.
In this cozy and historic space,
Poff is bringing together her
interests in arts, plants,sustainability, design,community, and
teaching. “It cobbles together a lot
of my loves in one place,” she said.
“It’s wonderful.”
Hallowed Ground
803 Oella Ave., Ellicott City.
410-804-9703. instagram.com/
hallowedgroundgarden
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howardmagazine.com | Fall 2023 |
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