SHANNON CURREY BIO
Shannon Currey is a horticultural educator with Izel Native Plants. After starting a career in social science research and education, she transitioned to horticulture in 2003, training in horticultural science and landscape design at North Carolina State University. She worked short stints at a local landscape design firm and at Niche Gardens, a pioneering native plant nursery in North Carolina. In 2007 Shannon joined Hoffman Nursery, a wholesale grower specializing in grasses, sedges, and other graminoids where over the next 15 years she developed a deep understanding of these specialized plants.
In 2022, Shannon joined Izel Native Plants, an online retailer for native plants, to expand their education and outreach efforts. Since joining Izel, her ongoing interest in native perennials has blossomed, as she researches, writes, and talks about their role in managed landscapes. A sought-after speaker, Shannon has shared her knowledge in nationally published articles and traveled throughout the country speaking to professional organizations, community groups, and at public gardens.
Shannon enjoys being involved with plants at a broader level and served on the Boards of the Perennial Plant Association and the Perennial Plant Foundation. She currently serves on the North Carolina Plant Conservation Program Scientific Committee, the Advisory Committee for the University of Georgia’s Landscape Architecture Short Course, and the Legislative Committee of the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association (NCNLA). She was recognized by NCNLA in 2021 with the Libby Wilder Award for her contributions to the North Carolina plant industry.
Shannon lives in Durham, North Carolina and finds inspiration exploring the native flora in natural areas and cultivated gardens wherever her travels take her. You can learn more about Shannon on the Izel Plants blog, on Instagram @sscurrey, and LinkedIn.
SHOW NOTES
Shannon’s early connection to nature through playing outdoors as a child in Alabama
How her interest in plants was sparked during adulthood while working at UNC Chapel Hill
The transformative impact of taking a horticulture class with Bryce Lane
Leaving a career in social psychology to pursue horticulture full-time
How her background in social psychology informs her current work in horticulture, particularly in research, teaching, and changing attitudes about landscapes
The critical role plants play in improving human health and well-being
Challenges in connecting people with plants and changing perceptions about the natural world
The evolution of perennials in horticulture over the past 15-20 years, from decorative use to recognition of their ecological functions
Shannon’s experiences at Niche Gardens and Hoffman Nursery
How grasses and perennials became more popular for their functional roles in landscapes, including stormwater management and habitat creation
The concept of green infrastructure and its growing influence on public and private landscapes
Helping gardeners at Izel Plants by focusing on education and providing tools to improve plant selection and garden success
The value of understanding plant behavior, including survival strategies and adaptability
Wetland indicator status as a useful tool for understanding a plant’s water needs and adaptability (US Plants Database and Izel Plants)
How facultative plants thrive in both wet and dry conditions, making them ideal for rain gardens and bioswales
Using The Flora of the Southeastern United States to better understand their growing conditions and heliophily for determining light levels
The importance of lists as starting points for plant selection but encouraging deeper understanding beyond them
Recognizing that gardening is dynamic, and plant failure is a source of valuable information
The role of experimentation and observation in becoming a better gardener
How personal experience and talking with other gardeners enhance plant knowledge
The coefficient of conservatism and its use in gardens
Obligate versus facultative species and their use in the garden
Knowing more how the habitat of native species determines growth in the garden
Understanding perennial longevity and how different plants serve specific roles in plantings
Short-lived perennials like Penstemon digitalis (foxglove beardtongue) and Chrysopsis mariana (Maryland aster) as valuable fillers in plant communities
The importance of honesty in communicating plant adaptability and challenges to gardeners
Why the matrix layer hasn’t quite caught on yet
How plugs and smaller plant sizes are gaining popularity for economical and practical landscape planting
Increasing interest in ground cover plants and native sedges for sustainable, low-maintenance landscapes
Trends toward matrix planting and layered plantings using ground covers like Carex (sedge) species, Packera aurea (golden groundsel), and Chrysogonum virginianum var. australe (green and gold)
Observing plants throughout the year and keeping a photo record as part of her gardening practice
Visiting local gardens like Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Coker Arboretum to observe plant behavior and longevity
Sketching plants as a method for better understanding their structure and behavior
Continually learning by identifying and researching plants in natural areas
Recommended horticulture books: Wildflowers and Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont by Timothy Spira and Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast by Laura Cotterman, Damon Waitt, and Alan Weakley
How to propagate more plant passion by using public spaces to foster a love for plants and attract more people to horticulture and valuing expertise in the horticultural industry and improving systemic support for horticulturists
Learn more about Shannon on the Izel Plants blog, on Instagram @sscurrey, and LinkedIn