My name is Peter Spaulding. I am a gardener with over 40 years of experience here in the Washington, D.C. area. From 2008 to 2026, I was a gardener at the Washington National Cathedral. In that time, I came to learn of the importance of planting with native species because how they support the environment and our well being.

Native plantings bring more joy and life throughout the year than the gardens that have evolved from 18th century England and France. The horticulture community has learned so much in the last 45 years about the importance of plantings that provide habitat for pollinators that it is time to put that knowledge into practice. That is why I call my practice: “21st Century Gardens”.