I was sitting in my office on a rather cool and rainy day when in pops Tovah Martin. She was in town speaking at a Garden Club conference in a nearby county and found time in her schedule to come by. I was hoping to see her, and I was so grateful she had time for a visit.
Tovah is no stranger to Hoffman Media. In addition to being a horticulturist, author, photo stylist, and lecturer, she writes for several of our magazines and shares her wonderful knowledge with our readers. It was fun to quiz her on her love of plants and gardening, and I found out it goes all the way back to her childhood.
Lilacs are her favorite flower as the color and scent touch all of your senses. They also bring her sweet memories of Mother’s Day. In thinking of her mom she recounts that she was the child with garden seeds in her sweater drawer. Her mother would always find them! When Tovah was a Brownie Scout her project was a seed saver project. Her love for flowers was in her soul from the beginning. She was always the tiny one lost in a garden. She is still tiny but stands tall among the gardening experts of our generation. 
She loves telling other gardeners’ stories too because of their devotion and pride in their work. Helping people to see “What’s behind the garden wall?” is her mission as she travels and visits gardeners who are making our country beautiful. Tovah has also begun writing web content, and you can read more of her delightful works at plantswise.com.
My rainy day turned beautiful as I spent time with Tovah Martin. She is a joy to know and a gifted gardener.
What are your favorite flowers? I’d love to know!
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Comments 18
We love David Austin Roses, especially “Lincoln Darby” they grow abundantly up here in the Pacific Northwest and our wild Rhodedendrums simular to Azelias!
Lilacs for grandmother, iris for mother and sterling silver roses for me.
i have a deep love for tulips. Have you ever magnified the inside of a tulip as there is another world of beauty inside each tulip. This by far is my favorite season of the year with the rebirth of all flowers and trees waking up to give us such beauty.
My favorite flowers are yellow roses. They were my mother’s favorites, so I adopted them. I also love daisies and geraniums, which were my grandmother’s favorites. Sigh. Since they are both deceased, just thinking about their beloved blooms brings them closer to me.
Peonies!
CJ, all of California is constantly in our prayers. We have had a few dry summers here in the Midwest,but nothing compared to what you have been going through! There is nothing more heart breaking than watching you garden or fields die from lack af rain. Keep the faith and continue to wait. Best wishes, Leslie
We were just sharing our favorite flowers at one of my favorite club meetings yesterday. I love, love, love hydrangeas but in the Spring in the Midwest daffodils take the prize. They are so early and cheerful it gets the juices flowing.
Was so happy to be reconnected with Tovah Martin as I am a great Tasha Tudor fan and was even privileged to meet her a few times and Tovah’s articles about Tasha were always my favorites. What a wonderful visit the two of you must have had. I’m so happy for you both.
I loved Tovah and Tasha! Thank you for sharing!
Here in Auckland, New Zealand, I love my tropical flowers – bright hibiscus, fragrant pink and white frangipani, and orange and blue bird of paradise. Flowers from cooler climates have their place in my garden too – the first fragrant violets and roses are favourites – but best of all are my hydrangeas. Big green and white bushes mixed with bushes of palest peachy pink and pale and dark blue. Most special is the one grown from cuttings of my grandmother’s bushes from 70 years ago – it’s flowers open pale blue and cream then age to an old-fashioned, washed-out mixture of pink, blue and lavender
Lilacs, always lilacs. There was a big, tall lilac bush outside my bedroom window when I was a child, and I still remember the wonderfully sweet smell of its purple flowers.
Sweet peas, violas, geraniums and roses, but it is like being asked to share a favorite color; I love them all! One of the many reasons I love Victoria magazine is for the color combinations and focus on the beautiful things in our daily lives. Thank you for bringing the magazine back to life!
Lilacs are a favourite of mine. I remember there was a huge bush on the small plot of land where my dad had a poultry smallholding. Must be the first flower I ever new the scent of. They bring back many fond memories.
My favorite flowers are peonies, iris, roses, lily, petunias, I could go on forever. Just thinking of these reminds me of my grandmother watering her flowers, bucket and dipper in hand, and enjoying their beauty so much, she would be singing. What a memory!
I love reading about favorite flowers! My husband and I…. Now retired…. Try to spend a little time each day working outside.
We live in California and there is a terrible drought here. We save water as much as we can for our plants and trees!
Right now we have 11 fruit trees and 24 Sarah vines for our own wine. The flowers we have are mainly “bird of paradise” and lavender. So you can see we are busy outside.
I do love hearing about the lovely flowers your readers grow. Please, when you pray…. Add our draught ridden California to your list.
Fondly,
CJ
My favorite flowers are foxgloves. I love the tall stalks filled with the bell shaped flowers adorned with “freckles”. I can never have too many foxgloves in my garden.
I have always been a big fan of Tovah…she truly inspires and motivates the gardener in all f us. My favourite flowers are lily of the valley, daisies, hollyhocks, and lilacs!!
mine is Lilacs also + Tovah is such a wonderful person. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
What wonderful visit, Tovah Martin has been one of my favorites since we saw her special photos and articles of Tasha Tudor and Victoria Magazine. I have long aspired to capture such magical views of our garden flowers. As for me my favorite flower is Lily of the Valley, their delicate scent and charming blooms reminds me of special days spent with my maternal Grandfather over 60 years ago.