This month, we had a chance to talk with one of our favorite folks, Charlie! Charlie has been with CWN for two years now — completely, she tells us, by accident! — and will be heading off to college this year.
How did you get started working for the nursery, Charlie?
“My mom, who’s into plants, said to me, ‘I know this nursery that has golf carts.’ I thought, Golf carts? That’s crazy! It’s nice that it was the summer of COVID, because I’d just graduated high school and we weren’t supposed to be around other people.”
Charlie tells us that when she started, she weeded plants for 8 hours and had, shall we say, a resistance to the work – “I wanted to quit a month in and go to college. But then I said to myself, meh, maybe I’ll just work 2 days a week - then 2 days became 3 days, and 3 became 4; and a month became 2 months, and a year became 2 years – and now I’m going to miss it!”
What is your favorite part about working for the nursery?
“When I started here, I would do the same thing for hours and had no social interactions. Then I got moved over here [to the office] and got to meet people, and then I started making friends! And now I like it!”
What do you do when you’re not here?
“I play lots of video games, and I read a lot. And I paint my nails. I like to hang out with my sisters and parents whenever I can!”
So what are you studying in college, Charlie?
“College? I’m a history major! which is hilarious because every time someone asks, Are you in horticulture? I say no, I’m in the most useless major ever – and I love it! Fun fact about me: My eldest sister also studied history, so I studied psych for a quarter because I didn’t want to take the same as my sister! That’s another reason I didn’t go to Berkeley. So I stuck with history and I really enjoy it. The college classes are so much fun. They’re so focused.”
Do you have a favorite plant?
“One favorite plant? No – I’m a Libra, I can’t make choices. Although Coprosmas, the mirror plants! — they were one of the first I really liked. When I started this job, I didn’t know a Buxus from a Lonicera. I can’t pick a favorite anymore because being here for a while, you kind of just see things that come in, some are beautiful always, some never look beautiful, some look beautiful some times but not others. I’m too indecisive!”
What are you gonna miss the most about working here?
“My coworkers. And people asking me funny questions! One story is during January, a lady came in and said I’ve been looking everywhere for this pear tree and you have it, but it has no leaves! I said, yeah, it’s January. And she said, I want this one, but I want it to have leaves! Can you get it from Southern California? I said yeah, but it’s January there, too! When trees don’t have leaves!”
How has the nursery changed you as a person?
“I have a really bad habit when I walk near any garden or landscape – I’m like, ‘I know what that [plant] is!’ And it annoys my friends because I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s a Coleonema ‘Golden Sunset’!’ The only person who’s ok with it is my mom because she works with plants. I went on a hike with my sisters and kept calling Calla lily by its scientific name and my sisters got mad!”
Do you have any advice for people buying plants?
“If you buy milkweed, buy narrow leaf milkweed! If you buy tropical milkweed, it makes the butterflies come earlier, which messes with the migration patterns. Also don’t buy ornamental grass for your yard, because I don’t like it and you’ll make me sad if you do!”
What makes us sad is that Charlie will be going off to school in just two weeks. More so, though, we’re super excited for her next steps in life – we know that with her amazing, dry sense of humor, encyclopedic intelligence and people skills, Charlie will go far! Thank you for everything Charlie. We will miss you!