Meet our Staff!
We’re unmasking our retail staff just long enough to show their smiles and share their contributions at Harlequin’s Gardens! (Stay-tuned for another edition featuring our Wholesale and behind-the-scenes staff!)
ALEXANDER
Alexander grew up with a strong love of nature and gardening. He has worked on farms and now his passion for plants, sustainable agriculture, and PermaCulture has brought him to Harlequin’s Gardens, where he is thrilled to be among people who share his values. Alexander loves to help others and feels that gardening is a great way to see and understand the need for a partnership of mutual nurturing with nature.
AMY
After 2 years on our staff, Amy has started her own landscaping/mini-farming service but still helps out at Harlequin’s on Saturdays. Her special expertise is in Permaculture design and practices. Fun fact – Amy is fluent in Swahili!
CHAS
Like Eve, Chas grew up in NYC but connected with the natural world at an early age. That connection has taken him on a fascinating life journey to his current role as Office Manager for Harlequin’s. He has experience and deep knowledge of Biodynamics, PermaCulture and sustainable food systems.
ELAINE
You may not see her at the nursery, but Elaine, a landscape architect with an emphasis in ecological practices and a longtime Harlequin staffer, is absolutely indispensable in creating and writing our informative and beautiful weekly e-newsletters, and maintaining our ever-growing customer database!
ENGRID
With a degree in Urban Horticulture and decades of gardening experience, Engrid has been on our staff for many years. Engrid launched our beekeeping supply business and is also one of our custom-propagators, providing us with lots of organic vegetable and annual flower starts from her home greenhouse.
EVE
With her husband Mikl, Eve co-owns Harlequin’s Gardens. She is the plant nerd in the family and has always had a passion for studying, growing, and drawing plants. Prior to joining Mikl, she pursued careers in landscape architecture, botanical illustration, and custom picture framing. She is very involved in developing the vision of the nursery, plant propagation planning, seed and plant ordering, seed collection, writing for our e-newsletters, marketing, curating our Holiday Gift Markets, and much, much more!
GRADY
Growing up in the Portland area, Grady was always involved in the outdoors, even becoming an Eagle Scout. He worked at nurseries and in PermaCulture projects on family plots in the Northwest. Following a year in Hawaii (working on a dragon fruit farm!) Grady has now been in Boulder for nearly a year. We’re excited he’s with us!
JEFF
Jeff has spent much of his professional life directing the cleanup of toxic waste sites, like the Rocky Mt. Arsenal. He is an avid gardener and has special expertise in growing wine grapes and artichokes. Jeff loves to get away from the computer and help fellow gardeners. Jeff joined Harlequin’s staff several years ago.
KRISTINA
An expert on native bees for over 21 years, and the current President of the Boulder Cnty. Beekeepers Assoc., Kristina is the Queen Bee of our Bee Barn! As a trained entomologist with a wealth of knowledge and wisdom about insects and the natural world in general, she helps our customers with questions about gardening and beekeeping.
LESLIE
Leslie is a woman of many talents – she’s a playwright, communication coach, violinist, certified herbalist and, last but certainly not least, she’s a brilliant gardener. Leslie is here on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays helping to answer gardeners’ questions.
MIKL
Mikl Brawner, founder and co-owner of Harlequin’s Gardens, got his initial training along the creeks and woods of eastern Iowa. He studied biology at the University of Iowa, then went to India with the Peace Corps. Back in America, he managed a small organic apple orchard, and started a tree care business. Studying plants, researching alternatives to pesticides, and developing a xeriscape garden led him from the tree tops to a plant nursery. Now the evolving Harlequin’s Gardens is his life-work, helping the gardening community to bring nature into their personal lives and homes using sustainable plants, materials and methods. His current passions are soil health and designing fossil fuel-free greenhouses. He was honored with the 2009 PaceSetter Award for the Environment.
MIMI
Mimi’s informative and popular class on “Getting Started in Veggie Gardening” stems from her hands-on experience growing and selling veggies and flowers at the Boulder County Farmers Market and for a CSA.
ML
New to Harlequin’s this year, ML loves to learn and to teach, is interested in all things about gardening, food and community and has a background in fine art. Most of the week, ML works in Denver with the non-profit Earthlinks gardening program for people experiencing homelessness.
NIKKI
Another new face at Harlequin’s, Nikki is smart, helpful, cheerful, and energetic, and is learning about plants and gardening at a rapid clip. Her degree from CU is in Environmental Studies and her background is in communications and leadership in the non-profit sector.
NOLAN
Nolan is an energetic new member of our team who grew up gardening, then landscaping. His passions for gardening and sustainability brought him to Harlequin’s, where he is a great asset, operating our equipment to transport soil products and make our special mixes, assembling on-line orders, and lending a helpful hand wherever it’s needed.
REBECCA
If you’ve noticed beautiful, descriptive plant signs of late, it’s thanks to Rebecca! Having earned a degree in Landscape Architecture and practicing for 12 years at Dancing Oaks nursery in Oregon, she came to Colorado’s Front Range and to Harlequin’s, where she’s been upgrading our plant signage. Rebecca often works from home, so you will know her mostly by the fruits of her expertise.
ROSS
As a Loveland, Colorado native, Ross is recently back from living in the Pacific Northwest. He graduated with his PermaCulture certificate 2 years ago and loves finding creative solutions to home and garden issues in the dry West, including water catchment and truly dryland permaculture solutions. Along with Susan, Ross has been working cheerfully and efficiently to fulfill on-line plant orders and is great addition to our staff! Welcome Home Ross!
SUSAN
A board-certified holistic nutritionist, owner of MBS Functional Nutrition,and with a strong background in herbs, Susan is a knowledgeable and energetic addition to Harlequin’s. When not here, she also helps out at WeeBee Farms, Dharma’s Garden, and Earth’s Table. Susan’s teaching degree and background in the airlines (remember TWA?!) have taken her to many places around the world.