This week, guest host Abra Lee is chatting with Mae Lin Plummer, Director, IDEA Center for Public Gardens at the Denver Botanic Gardens in Denver, Colorado. Mae Lin’s journey into gardening started in her backyard in Charlotte, NC where she simply wanted "a pretty place to throw parties." That blossomed into a full-on plant obsession and a major career shift—from banking to horticulture.
Now, Mae Lin’s passion is connecting people to the natural world through gardens. Her story is filled with joy, life lessons, and a deep love for how gardens can transform lives.
From Abra: Today, I’m so thrilled to welcome someone who’s not only a trailblazer in the world of public gardens but also a dear friend of mine—Mae Lin Plummer. For those of you who don’t know Mae Lin, you’re in for an absolute joy of a conversation. Her passion for connecting people to plants and the natural world is just contagious.
Mae Lin and I worked together as Longwood Fellows, not long before the world turned upside down with the pandemic, and she quickly became one of those people whose warmth and laughter feel like sunshine on a cloudy day.
Her story is not only inspiring but relatable too! From starting her first garden, to making the leap to leave a long banking career so she could follow her heart into horticulture and be a champion for inclusion and belonging in public gardens, which happens to align with the Cultivating Place philosophy AS WELL!!!
Mae Lin’s work with the IDEA Center and her belief in the healing power of gardens are all reminders of how plants connect us to something greater. 'The IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) Center for Public Gardens™ is an initiative between Denver Botanic Gardens and the American Public Gardens Association, with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, to help public gardens elevate their role and relevance by becoming places for all.'
From IDEA's "About Us" section: "The IDEA Center for Public Gardens™ (the Center) was launched January 2022 as a partnership between Denver Botanic Gardens and the American Public Gardens Association, with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, to empower public gardens to prioritize and champion diversity and inclusion initiatives within our industries and beyond.
Public gardens and cultural institutions have the opportunity to serve our communities in more exciting and meaningful ways than ever before. Together, we can expand the identity of who we are and who we serve, but most importantly, how we connect with each other.
Our core belief is that living and working from the principles of IDEA can be an incredibly enriching and uplifting experience, a journey to be celebrated. We do this by offering programs to build fluency and advance wisdom, alliances and partnerships to create collaborative unity, and opportunities to create connections to share stories and strengthen our community.
We invite you to join us on this journey toward creating a better, more just world that celebrates and values the ecology of human diversity, as much as we celebrate and depend on it in nature.
There is much more to come. Onward together."
Mae Lin’s profound journey from finance to horticulture was one I have been so excited to explore because her love for this mission is so palpable. I can’t wait to share her wisdom and joy with the Cultivating Place community. Cultivating Place family, meet Mae Lin, honestly one of my best friends in the world, a horticulturist extraordinaire, and a truly phenomenal woman.
Follow and support Mae Lin and IDEA Online:
And on Instagram:
All Photos courtesy of Mae Lin Plummer. All rights reserved.
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JOIN US again next week, when Iowa-based plantsman Kelly Norris in back with us, this time in conversation with guest host Ben Futa, exploring how we as gardeners might approach our planting management differently, especially in the context of gardens inspired by the natural world and informed by our context of place. That's right here, next week. Listen in!
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Thinking out loud this week...
Hey, y'all, it's Abra-
Spring’s in the air, and it’s got me thinking about community gardens. There’s just something special about digging in the dirt alongside your neighbors.
It’s not just about planting veggies and flowers—it’s about growing connections, too. Folks coming together, swapping stories, lending a hand—that’s the good stuff.
Gardens have a way of teaching us patience and gratitude. You put in care and time, and life starts to bloom in ways you didn’t expect. Isn’t that the truth about life, too? What you sow—kindness, love, a little effort—always finds its way back to you.
So this spring, why not join your local community garden? Grab a spade, get your hands dirty, and be part of something bigger than yourself. Because it’s not just about what we grow—it’s about the bonds we nurture. And Lord knows, the world could use a little more of that, dont’cha think?
If you want to join me, come out to Oakland Cemetery in downtown
Atlanta, and let's get started together!
You know, sitting here, I can’t stop thinking about Mae Lin and her story. Over coffee, she'd probably laugh about how she just wanted a pretty backyard for parties, and next thing you know, she’s neck-deep in plants and leading one of the most beautiful botanical gardens out there. Ain’t life funny like that?
What I loved most about our chat is how Mae Lin sees gardening as more than just plants—it’s about people, connections, and making a space where everyone feels like they belong. It’s kind of like your back porch on a sunny spring day,
you know? A place that feels warm and inviting, where you can grow in all sorts of unexpected ways.
Her journey really got me thinking about how, no matter where you’re planted, there’s always room to bloom. I’ve had the best time talking and laughing with her, and I hope her story makes you feel as inspired as it’s made me.
WAYS TO SUPPORT CULTIVATING PLACE
Cultivating Place is a co-production of North State Public Radio, a service of Cap Radio, licensed to Chico State Enterprises. Cultivating Place is made possible in part listeners just like you through the support button at the top right-hand corner of every page at Cultivating Place.com.
The CP team includes producer and engineer Matt Fidler, with weekly tech and web support from Angel Huracha, weekly communications support by Sheila Stern and Carley Bruckner, transcripts by Doulos Transcription, and regular guest hosting by Abra Lee and Ben Futa. We’re based on the traditional and present homelands of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of the Chico Rancheria. Original theme music is by Ma Muse, accompanied by Joe Craven and Sam Bevan.
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