Hallie Schmidt received her BS in Public Horticulture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Her interest in plants began in Santa Cruz where she worked for a local Narcissus grower/hybridizer, hiked and mushroom hunted in the redwood forests, and interned at the university’s organic farm. After completing several internships focused on California native plants, public gardening, and plant conservation, she plans to work as a free-lance writer while visiting gardens and landscapes around the world.