Angela S. Judd

The Growing in the Garden blog, YouTube Channel and Instagram is where I share garden inspiration and helpful tips to help others be successful in their own garden, with an emphasis on how to garden in the low desert of Arizona and other hot climates. When I first began gardening, it was difficult to find specific information about gardening in my climate. I started my garden with a 4 foot by 4 foot raised bed. I started small, and created my garden by adding one raised bed or container at a time. As I began to have success, I started sharing pictures of my garden (along with what I was learning) on Instagram, joining the supportive gardening community there. My writing journey began when I started writing articles for the Master Gardener newsletter that is sent out monthly to local Master Gardeners (I still write a monthly article for them). Writing didn’t come easily to me, but I kept at it. I decided to start a blog to reach a broader audience. Blogging has pushed me to continually learn new things, practice them in my own garden, and then share what I’ve learned on my website, on YouTube, and other social channels. My writing muscle was stretched even further by writing a book this year, “How to Grow Your Own Food: A Beginner’s Illustrated Guide to Container Gardening.” The book comes out in May 2021. My favorite place is not behind the computer writing about gardening, but with hands in the dirt out in the garden. From only one small raised bed 12 years ago, I’m now up to 18 raised beds, plus several in-ground beds and containers. Vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruit trees – I love growing them all. As the mother of five children, I especially enjoy growing and preparing food from the garden for my family.