Farewell Maddalena

Maddalena Blondell began volunteering at Herring Run Nursery three summers ago when she was just 16. A budding plant enthusiast, Maddalena had an interest in learning more about the connection between plants and people. She volunteered repotting plants, staking sapling trees, working with other volunteers while learning as much as she could about native plants. Becoming a staff member, she continued to grow her knowledge of native plants and nursery sales.

Cultivating Botanical Interests

Maddalena’s perennial presence became a permanent one as she chose to stay on after high school, cultivating her botanical interests while pondering her future and considering college. She has become an essential member of Herring Run Nursery, helping to plant, grow, and care for thousands of native plants, working with NCCC team members to deer proof the nursery by installing an amazing new perimeter fence and recently, becoming the coordinator of nursery volunteers, making lists, supervising and helping to orient nursery volunteers.

Quiet and hard working, Maddalena has had a big impact on Herring Run Nursery, its many plants, insects, volunteers, customers, visitors, and other staff who interacted with her while at the nursery. This fall Maddalena will be flying off to the Colorado Mountain School in Leadville Colorado to devote some time to learning more about plants, the earth, people, ecology and how they all fit together in this world.

We wish Maddalena all the luck in her endeavor and remain hopeful that in the future, she will return to the nursery to visit, or perhaps, to take root again and continue to grow with Herring Run Nursery! Whatever Maddalena chooses in the future, those working with her will surely benefit from her reliability, hard work, and community spirit! Good Luck, don’t forget us, we’ll miss you!