Biography: Stephanie Turner

Stephanie Turner has been Park Seed Company’s Director of Horticulture for Seed Product since 2005, and she has been a part of the Park Seed family since 2001. Stephanie is responsible for selecting the 1,100+ varieties of flower, fruit, and vegetable seeds offered by Park Seed. She is equally comfortable in the laboratory or out in the garden, although as an All-American Selections judge, she is more likely to be found in the garden these days. Her work on the National Garden Bureau Board of Directors keeps her in touch with trends in the business side of horticulture. Possessing deep botanical knowledge, a genuine zest for gardening, and a warm sense of humor, Stephanie is an excellent interview subject for print, radio, or television journalists.

Key Facts

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Biology from Cedar Crest College in Allentown, PA

• Masters in Botany in progress at Clemson University in Clemson, SC

Career Milestones

• Research Associate;Park Seed Company in Greenwood, SC
  Participated in germination testing, plant development for annual garden trials, and trial garden management.
  
  
• Graduate Teaching Assistant;Clemson University in Clemson, SC
  Taught numerous Botany laboratory courses while maintaining a 4.0 GPA in graduate-level coursework.
  
  
• Production Lab Technician; Carter and Holmes Orchids in Newberry, SC
  Worked in sterile conditions in the orchid tissue culture laboratory.
  

Personal Story

One of Stephanie Turner’s earliest memories is of her grandfather giving her an “onion” to plant in her Mom’s flower garden. Two years later, where Stephanie had planted that little “onion,” a magnificent Iris appeared, and Stephanie was hooked on the miracle of gardening! Given that her family has been growing things for generations, no one was surprised by her interest. According to Stephanie, “Both of my great-grandparents were chestnut farmers in Italy. And after they moved to the United States, my great-grandfather was the personal gardener for a wealthy Connecticut family. I really loved playing in his garden!”

Stephanie’s love of plants led her to choose Botany as her college major. “I was planning to become a college professor or educator of some type,” said Turner, “But that changed when I unexpectedly found an opportunity working in research and quality assurance at Park Seed Company. I learned so much, working with Dr. Jim Alston, and found that corporate life could be really stimulating.” Because of her outstanding work, Stephanie was tapped to become Director of Seed Product, a challenge she enjoys very much.

Seed Seer

When asked what her vision is for future seed offerings from Park, Stephanie focuses on balance. “I love the new plants that are cutting-edge—all those fabulous, weird varieties! But I also love the ‘tried and true’ favorites that have been garden mainstays for years. We need to provide our garden friends with a range of options,” states Turner. “Everybody’s tastes are different.”

Stephanie challenges herself to avoid becoming jaded, and to continue seeing new varieties and product ideas through the eyes of the novice gardener. She says, “I think about the importance of making all of our customers successful, whether they are first-timers or Master Gardeners. Some of the unusual new products can be tricky to grow, and are a good challenge for the experienced folks. But I always want to have plenty of seeds that are fool-proof, that thrive readily and build the confidence of gardening newcomers.”

Stephanie’s seed selections also have to follow the latest fashion trends. “Right now, I’m starting to see a shift back to blossoms, after several years of focusing of foliage,” notes Turner. “Black plants are very popular, as are plants in fiesta colors—bright yellow, orange, and red. I’ve also noticed that plants are moving back inside to become part of home interior design, much as it was in the ‘70s. And this doesn’t just mean growing indoor plants in containers. Another way to bring the garden inside is by using cut flowers. I expect to see a spurt of interest in cut-flower gardens.”

Seed Seeker

Given that the science and the fashion of gardening from seed are always changing, Stephanie works hard at staying at the top of her game. “I invest a lot of effort in watching what the breeders and growers are doing,” says Stephanie. “I view trial gardens, grower sites, and exhibitions around the country as an AAS judge, as an avid gardener, and as an advocate for my customers. I see lots of ideas that are interesting, but not necessarily practical for the folks I serve.”

To keep her skills sharp, Turner is constantly studying—breeder offerings, competitors’ catalogs, botanical research, and so on. She also spends time in the Park Seed research greenhouse and trial gardens, directly observing how potential new products perform, from germination to seedling to mature specimen. “I love our 9-acre trial garden here at Park Seed!” states Turner, with obvious enthusiasm. “It’s a wonderful tool for comparing and exploring plant behavior. And I love to harvest sample fruits and vegetables for taste-testing with other Park Seed employees. We have a blast, and we learn a lot about which products are going to be popular.”

Seed Supporter

Stephanie’s interest in gardening is far from just academic. She’s a big believer in the special joys of starting from seed. And despite spending all day working in horticulture, she still finds time at home to have a small garden of her very own. Stephanie smiles and says, “Yes, despite minimal time in my day and minimal space in my yard, I do manage to have a large raised bed to enjoy. I try to maximize what I have by using vertical space and also by choosing compact ‘patio’ vegetables that produce their fruits near the stem. My favorite garden specimens right now are Wisteria and Dichondra Silver Falls. And as a vegetarian, I really love growing and eating my own squash, zucchini, and pumpkin.”

When Stephanie isn’t actually out gardening, you may find her writing about gardening. “I was a fact-checker on Karen Park Jennings’ completely updated edition of Park’s Success with Seed,” stated Turner, “And I’m putting together my own daily devotional book, incorporating inspirational insights from my experiences as a gardener.”

When asked what advice she would offer to brand-new gardeners, Stephanie is quick to say, “Enjoy it! Don’t take it too seriously, and be prepared for disappointment now and then. After all, we’re dealing with Mother Nature! Savor the beauty, learn from the mistakes, and keep trying.” Sounds like good advice for dealing with seeds—and with life!

Contact Information

To request an interview or information from Stephanie Turner, call the Park Seed Public Relations office at 800.662-1012 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .