March 5 Feature Story: Phyllis Stephens

zinnias
Phyllis Stephens

It was a tremendous pleasure for me to interview and write a feature story about Phyllis Stephens. She is Spokane’s famous garden guru! This article ran on the cover of The Spokesman-Review’s “Today” section. Here’s a link to it: Phyllis Stephens has answered Spokane’s gardening questions for decades.

Even though the article was one of the longest I’d ever written, I still had a hard time fitting in everything I wanted to say. Phyllis is an amazing, delightful woman who has had a very impressive career in the world of horticulture. And that career has spanned 3 decades so far! Wow.

I didn’t have room to include all of her accomplishments, so here is a list:

Master Gardener and Spokane County Extension horticulture aide: 1981 to 1989
“Peter’s Garden”, KREM-TV: 1987-1991
Garden column writer, The Spokesman-Review: 1989-2002
KXLY 920’s “Lawn & Garden Show”: 1991 to present
Guest speaker, NW Flower & Garden Show (3 times)
Charter president, Friends of Manito: 1990
President, Friends of Manito: 2004-2006
Interstate Fair Board, 7 years
“Woman of Distinction in Communication” award for MATRIX: 1994
Honorary Grand Marshal for Lilac Parade: 2002
Member, Spokane Symphony Chorale for 15 years
Her garden was featured on Ed Hume’s “Gardening in America” TV program

Here are two little-known facts to share with you:

  1. You probably don’t know this but I began writing the garden column for The Spokesman-Review because of Phyllis! She gave up the columns in 2002 due to having too much on her plate. That’s when they asked me to start writing them. Thank you, Phyllis, for starting me on my path in the world of horticulture!
  2. The above photo of Phyllis was taken in my garden in the early 1990s, when she did a live show there! (notice how new everything looks, LOL)