Lessons from People and Plants
by Zhu Parker, PPRV's Nursery Manager, April - December 2024
When I first interviewed for PPRV's first-ever Nursery Manager position, one of the questions that was asked of me was “what are your future goals and how can PPRV help you reach these goals”. My first thought was that I was going to gain management experience, learn about native plants, and be part of a fun program that I didn’t have much knowledge about. A lot of my ambition was focused on how this job could help me towards my professional goals.
I worked for almost nine months at PPRV and boy did I gain more than that. From plant sales, talking with plant experts, and working with a weekly group of volunteers, the lessons I gained from the people and the plants were more than I could ever hope for.
One of my first responsibilities as Nursery Manager was prepping for the twice-yearly Plant Sales. I didn’t think too much of it. Take care of plants, learn about plants, and sell lots of plants.
Zhu in an early version of the PPRV nursery
Zhu admiring the long roots of a tiny native plant
At my first plant sale, the excitement from the community was infectious. Shoppers informed me where they were going to plant their new plant, others talked about creating bee friendly habitats, and most really wanted something pretty to look at. Either way, their joy helped me realize how important this work was.
A happy shopper with Zhu at the Spring Plant Sale for the Pollinators!
Since I was only working part time, I first approached the job with the mindset that I needed to get as much done as possible. I worked on organizing the nursery, watering, increasing our inventory, (attempting to) install irrigation, organizing and handling sales, tracking the seed inventory, and working with volunteers. But that quickly proved to be unsustainable as I realized I was not creating good boundaries in my two jobs and my personal life. What finally encouraged me to slow down was observing how stressed the plants looked. Their health almost felt like a reflection of mine. This helped me realize that I needed to make some changes.
Now, when I got to work, I made the intention to do a couple laps around the nursery and really take the time to observe the plants. I began to notice areas of the nursery where the plants were thriving vs struggling. Which preferred sun vs shade. Certain times of the days when flowers would bloom. While this routine took extra time out of my day, I saw the difference it made in my understanding of the needs of this job. To this day, I continue to practice this lesson of slowing down and establishing my boundaries in the workplace and my personal life.
One of the biggest educational lessons I gained from this job was talking with experts in this field. I had the pleasure of attending a seed cleaning workshop with Kathryn Prive, Co-director of Tthe Understory Initiative. Kathryn talked about the importance of preserving native seeds, increasing plant biodiversity, and the need for ecological restoration. While cleaning Wyethia augustifolia (Narrowleaf Mule Ears), she talked about how even though they may take more time to clean and the success rate is low, this plant is so important for Oregon’s biodiversity and loved by many pollinators. I think this is a great lesson in how we treat people - even though some people might take more time to care for, it doesn’t mean they aren’t just as valuable and deserving in this world.
Seed cleaning class at PPRV with Kathryn Prive (black and white dress)
From the board members to the volunteers, the best part of this job was getting to know all the people responsible for the success of PPRV. As I reflect back on my time here, I hope to be the type of leader Kristina was - empathetic, providing the resources I needed to succeed, and open minded to hearing new ideas and challenging old ones. Arti was always willing to take the time to share her botanical knowledge and approached work in a light and fun way. The group of volunteers were awesome - Randy, Nicole, Vicky and so many others who always showed up with a friendly face, eager to get their hands dirty while dedicating their free time to support PPRV’s mission.
Zhu with Maya, Pat, Karen, Tanner, Nicole, and Randy seeding in trays for 2025
Zhu with Myra and Sharon moving up seedlings
Prior to this job, my understanding of native plants was pretty minimal. While there is so much more to learn, I will forever remember my experience at PPRV through the showy milkweed I see on my bike rides, the coyote mint in the hills, the lupine growing on the side of Mt. Ashland Ski Road, and the many other native plants I learned about through working at PPRV.
Coyote Mint with Lumi
While I had hoped to have stayed longer with PPRV, at the end of 2024, I was offered a job that better suited my professional goals, but I look forward to volunteering with PPRV when I can. In fact, I will see you all at the Spring Plant Sale for the Pollinators on April 27!
Want to learn more about native plants for the pollinators? Visit PPRV's Resources page here.
Swallowtail on Milkweed
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