2025 PGSU Garden Story: Wendy & Herb

Nestled on an acre of land in Santa Clara, Wendy and Herb’s garden is the oldest and most mature on our tour. More than 30 years ago, the couple moved from Hawaii to Southern Utah with their six children, eventually settling on this beautiful piece of land where they could grow food, raise a family, and build a life deeply rooted in the soil.

A Garden Grown with Purpose

The garden began as a place for Wendy and Herb to teach their kids the value of work and the joy of growing their own food. Over the years, it has evolved into a lush, productive oasis filled with 72 shade and fruit trees, vines, shrubs, and abundant vegetable and flower gardens. Inspired by the soft, shaded landscapes of their island home, Wendy and Herb planted strategically after studying wind patterns, sunlight, and seasonal changes to create microclimates.

Today, the garden yields food year-round. From winter greens to juicy summer fruits, their goal is simple: harvest something from the garden or orchard every month of the year. For Herb, swiss chard has a special place—it reminds him of the taro leaves from Hawaii, and he uses when he cooks his favorite island dishes.

A Living, Breathing Mini-Farm

Walking into the yard, you’ll find more than just plants. You’ll find a working eco-system. Wendy and Herb built a space where people gather to rest, play, harvest, and cook—often around their large Hawaiian barbecue. Their children and grandchildren learned to work the land here, often roped into ongoing projects that made the property thrive. Improvements and irrigation upgrades over the years have made the space more manageable, but it remains a family effort and a gathering place full of life and memory.

The Trees are Everything...

Thanks to thick windbreaks and mature trees, the temperature in the garden is typically five degrees cooler than surrounding areas. “The trees are everything,” Wendy says. “They reduce evaporation, shade the house, and just make it pleasant to be outside.”

The couple has transitioned from old-school ditch watering to a modern drip irrigation system powered by secondary water. Every tree has its own emitter, and garden beds are timed to get just the right amount of water. Not only does this conserve water, but it also allows Wendy and Herb to travel without worrying about their plants.

Gardening with Wisdom and Love

Wendy keeps a meticulous plant list, always updating it with successes (like Asian pears and persimmons) and lessons learned (goodbye bamboo, hello evergreens). She also served as president of a local garden club for years and taught community gardening classes for a decade. One of her most helpful tools? A planting chart that uses holidays like President’s Day and the 4th of July as easy markers for when to plant or re-plant.

The couple continues to inspire and educate neighbors through classes, tours, and years of accumulated wisdom. They’ve even worked with the city—Herb, during his time on the Santa Clara City Council, helped expand access to secondary water for newer neighborhoods, reducing demand on culinary water.

Garden Wisdom, Passed Down

Here are just a few nuggets of advice they love to share:

• Chickens are great—for both eggs and compost-worthy manure.

• Ivy can thrive in shady spots and needs little water once established.

• Older gardeners in your area are your best teachers. They’ve figured out what works through years of trial and error and are usually happy to share.

• Some crops, like peas, can be planted in the fall. They’ll go dormant and surprise you with a springtime harvest.

Perhaps most importantly, Wendy and Herb’s garden reminds us that gardening is never perfect—it’s lived in, loved, and ever-changing. It teaches patience. It thrives on curiosity. And it grows best when rooted in community.