DESIGNER DIALOGUES - BAILEY VAN TASSEL OF THE KITCHEN GARDEN SOCIETY

Last week, in honor of our third anniversary, I shared a reflection on how the relationships we’ve formed within the walls of our shop have been the true highlight of our journey.

Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to one of the people who has walked through our doors and whom I’m now honored to call a friend, the wonderful garden designer, Bailey Van Tassel.

Bailey first visited our shop last year after she and her family moved to our quaint village from their home in California. We quickly bonded over a shared love of gardening, intentional living, community, and, of course, sheep. Each time she stopped by to pick up a loaf of bread or simply peruse the shelves, we’d share what we had been learning as we grew alongside our gardens. Before long, she became one of our favorite visitors.

Her warm, welcoming presence is felt not only by those lucky enough to know her in person but also by her loyal online community, where she shares thoughtful gardening tips and insights. Each post reflects her deep reverence for nature and the joy she finds with her hands in the soil. In addition to sharing on Instagram, Bailey also helps others design the potagers of their dreams, guiding them through everything from layout to plant selection.

I’m honored that she has taken the time to share some of her story and her wisdom with us today.

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WHAT FIRST DREW YOU TO GARDENING, AND HOW DID THAT PASSION GROW INTO A LIFESTYLE AND CAREER?

One of my role models growing up, my Godmother Pam, was an avid vegetable gardener, and I wanted to be just like her. Once I got married and had my first child, it felt like the time to reconnect with nature and my farm upbringing. I deeply wanted my kids to experience the beauty of the natural world, and gardening felt like the closest thing I could do while being locked in suburbia at the time. It was an immediate passion that awakened this sense of play and confidence in me, while also allowing me to be totally present - I was able to escape time whenever I was in the garden. It reoriented my life and became an utter fascination.

 A couple of years later, after my next child was born, I was considering getting back into the workforce with my “real job”. My husband asked me how I wanted to spend my time, and my response was, “in the garden”. So, we decided that I would find a way to monetize my love of gardening. I started actually as an influencer, sharing gardening how-tos and working with companies to promote organic and natural gardening, but now my full-time work is in garden design and working with clients to bring beautiful and functional kitchen gardens and estates to life with edible landscaping. It’s been the most insane arc and uses skills I’ve been cultivating since I was a child. I feel so grateful to get to do this work. 

YOU’VE INSPIRED SO MANY PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN AND RECONNECT WITH NATURE. WHAT DOES INTENTIONAL LIVING MEAN TO YOU?

Ah, I love this. I think “slow living” is a hard-to-grasp trend that is somewhat impossible to do in modern times, and with a gaggle of children (I have three). But intentional living is about engaging our senses, allowing the season to dictate what we eat and our pace of life, choosing what we consume and how we spend our time, instead of following the masses. Intentional living really requires you to pay attention and feed that which gives you joy, contentment, and fulfillment. Gardening is an example, as is cooking from scratch, doing anything tactile with your hands, and really allowing a deeply authentic life to take shape.

Intentional living really brings us back into the fact that we choose our life, and our response to it.  For many of us, that will mean looking in the mirror and facing all sides of who we are, shedding anything that doesn’t bring us into a more full level of authenticity and honesty. 

CAN YOU SHARE THE HEART BEHIND YOUR BOOK, KITCHEN GARDEN LIVING, AND WHAT YOU HOPE READERS TAKE AWAY FROM IT?

Kitchen Garden Living is both a love letter to anyone who wants to grow their own vegetables and a guide on how to design and care for a productive space.  It’s for anyone who wants to live more connected to nature and the seasons, regardless of their stage in life. I hope readers feel wildly empowered to grow their own food and replace the grocery store, but also to indulge in some of the beauty and lessons that nature has to teach us. 

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SECTION OR STORY FROM THE BOOK? IS THERE ON THE FEELS ESPECIALLY PERSONAL OR MEANINGFUL?

I really love sharing about my method of gardening planning, which I have named “Poker Planting,” as I think it’s wildly useful. I also snuck a few recipes in, though my publisher really wanted zero cooking - I just couldn’t leave out some ways to preserve the harvest, as it all goes hand in hand. I am self-taught when it comes to growing, so I'm proud of the actual how-to-grow element of the book, as it’s entirely what I do to get the results that I do. 

FOR SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT, WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE TIPS FOR CREATING A THRIVING HOME GARDEN?

1. Invest in amazing soil/compost. This matters. Also, add kelp meal and worm castings just to be safe.

2. Plant something that excites you to keep you going out there, something useful to make you proud, and something pretty to bring you joy. 

3. Don’t water too much, but do go out there daily as you’re getting to know your space and your plants. A gardener’s shadow is the best fertilizer. 

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PLANT, HERB, OR VEGETABLE TO GROW AND WHY?

Nasturtium is my favorite plant to grow. Every part of the plant is edible, it’s uniquely shaped, and it adds color to everything. It’s also a hard-working trap plant and overall is so versatile from a culinary perspective. Nasturtium is the triple threat to the garden that a singing and dancing actress is to the silver screen. 

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO FEELS LIKE THEY “DON’T HAVE A GREEN THUMB”?

There’s no such thing - you just quit too soon. 

WHAT IS ONE LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED IN THE GARDEN THAT YOU’VE TAKEN INTO YOUR DAILY LIFE?

Weeds will show you where you need to grow. In the garden, a weed is just an unwanted plant taking up valuable space where something you do want could be growing - it’s showing you an opportunity for more good stuff if you pull the weed and replace it with something you want. In life, we have weeds in the form of negative thoughts, bad habits, self-doubt, anxiety, toxic relationships, etc., and they’re simply taking up space that could be filled with optimism, joy, inspiration, creativity, love, thoughtfulness, generosity, and so on. When you pull a weed, you create space for what matters. 

SINCE YOU LIVE HERE IN LEIPER’S FORK, WHAT DO YOU MOST LOVE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY?

The kindness and care. This community is small, but so loving and so inspired. We often go to the library, for example, and it’s always decorated so intentionally with people there who really love to put programming together. The shops are run by their owners, who love what they do and remember your name. The small events and gatherings are so lovingly curated. Everyone seems to love being here and sharing their gifts - it’s beautiful. 

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY FOR PEOPLE TO STAY CONNECTED WITH YOU AND FOLLOW ALONG WITH YOUR DESIGN WORK? 

I’m most active on Instagram as @BaileyVanTassel, and you can find me at www.baileyvantassel.com or over on Substack via In The Garden with Bailey Van Tassel.

Thank you again to Bailey for sharing with us all! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or you think you have a brown thumb, I hope her reflections inspire you to get growing and live a life filled with what brings you joy. 

xx,

Brooke