Meet Chris Carrington, City Garden Guru

Chris is passionate about gardening

I have a deep passion for the gifts that gardens and gardening provide and want to share this joy with others. I also care deeply about sustainable agriculture, food justice and community outreach.

Five years ago, I was lucky enough to be able to redirect my life and career, via transitioning from my long-term career in marketing, after getting a Wharton MBA, to my love- which is horticulture. After many years of edible, native and ornamental gardening for myself and others, becoming a Master Gardener and a Graduate of the three year Barnes Foundation Horticultural Program and taking many classes from Longwood and Chanticleer, I was lucky enough to be asked to join Awbury Arboretum Landscapes as their Executive Director. 

This gave me the opportunity to work, over a period of three years, with many residential and commercial clients designing and installing native, edible and ornamental four-season gardens for them. With this experience, knowledge and increased confidence it was time to launch City Garden Guru, so that I could do the same for other Center City residents and gardeners. 

City Garden Guru is actively involved with the South Street Community Garden, PHS City Harvest Project, Philadelphia Orchard Project (POP), Sustainability Business Network, Penn State Master Gardeners and the PHS Tree Tenders.  We donate volunteer time to South Street Whole Foods, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, The Barnes Foundation and Awbury Arboretum.

Please call or email to set up a site visit to discuss how to make your garden even more special.

Chris' philosophy: gardening with a purpose

Gardens were created to provide gifts to the many diverse needs of people and wildlife, including beauty, pleasure, healing, community, peace, order, sustainability, fun, balance, fragrance, motion, sustenance and outdoor living spaces. Through the many diverse and unique garden approaches and plant palettes, I want to help people enjoy the beauty and pleasures of gardens in their lives.

My passions and interests center around sustaining humans and wildlife through edible and native gardens and around supplying beauty and pleasure throughout the year via ornamental four-season gardens.  And, what is so rewarding is that all of these gardens can be combined and enjoyed in various ways in many different garden spaces.