Gardener Spotlight: Brianna Johnson (Plot 47)

For first-year gardener Brianna, growing a garden has become a family affair.

A Chicago native, proud girl mom, lifelong learner, and self-described plant lover, Brianna came to Maxwell Street Community Garden ready to turn years of curiosity into hands-on experience. What started with research, gardening books, and a carefully planned 4×8 plot has grown into something even more meaningful: a place where she and her daughters can learn together, connect with their community, and experience the satisfaction of watching something grow from a tiny seed.

Brianna and her daughters enjoying some refreshing pool time when not in the garden.

From cantaloupes and watermelons to overcoming the nerves of that very first planting, Brianna is embracing the trial and error that comes with being a new gardener—and discovering that sometimes the best way to learn is simply to grow.

We caught up with Brianna to learn more about her first season at Maxwell Street Community Garden and why she's already so proud of how far her little plot—and her family of gardeners—has come.

Tell us a little about yourself outside the garden.

I’m a Chicago native (West Side) and a proud girl mom. Outside of the garden, I love to cook, read, care for my houseplants, and spend time with my family. I’m a hairstylist and braider, and I’m currently transitioning into a new career in IT. I also enjoy creating content when I have extra time. Most recently, I’ve started teaching myself how to crochet, so I’m always finding something new to learn and explore.

What’s your gardening story? How did you get into gardening? Did anyone inspire you?

I’ve always been interested in gardening and growing things, and I’ve always loved being outdoors. There’s something about nurturing and caring for plants and the food we eat—and watching them grow from seed to maturity—that brings me a lot of joy and satisfaction. Whether indoors or outdoors, caring for plants is very therapeutic for me. If I could, I would probably spend all day doing it!

I’m mostly figuring out gardening on my own. I’ve always loved cooking and experimenting with different flavors and recipes since I was a little girl, so naturally, I became interested in eventually being able to grow some of my own fresh ingredients. I do a lot of research and read gardening books. Once I decide on a specific plant I want to grow, I want to learn everything about it—from soil and watering requirements to fertilizer, sunlight, companion planting, and potential pests.

As a mom, I also want to expose my daughters to new experiences and inspire them to learn and try new things. I love that gardening gives them an opportunity to see the process of growing something firsthand.

Tell us about your garden this season. What are you growing? What has gone well? What challenges are you working through? What have you learned?

This is my first official season of gardening and my first time growing anything from seed, so getting started was definitely exciting, nerve-racking, and overwhelming all at the same time! Once I created a garden outline and plan, I became more determined and confident in making everything work.

I’m growing cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, beans, green onions, and several other plants. I’m especially proud of my cantaloupe, but honestly, I’m most proud of my entire 4×8 plot and how far it has come since I started.

My biggest challenge was simply getting started and figuring everything out. Once I got going, things became much smoother. I’m still working toward my first full harvest, so I don’t want to speak too soon!

One of my biggest lessons this season has been that everyone has their own way and style of growing. It’s great to learn from other gardeners and hear about different techniques, but what works for one person may not work for someone else. For me, trial and error has been one of the best teachers.

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How did you find Maxwell Street Community Garden, and how long have you been a member?

I found Maxwell Street Community Garden while walking through the neighborhood. I had been wanting to become more involved in my community and dedicate some time and energy to a new hobby I had always wanted to try.

I had an opportunity to help out at another garden and speak with some of the gardeners there, and they ended up directing me to Maxwell Street Community Garden. That’s where I met Marsha, who was very welcoming and explained how I could get a plot if I wanted one.

This is my first season as a member, so I’m still fairly new to the garden community.

What does being part of a community garden mean to you?

To me, being part of a community garden means having a positive, safe, and peaceful space within the community. It’s an opportunity to connect with like-minded people from different backgrounds and walks of life while sharing something we all enjoy.

I also love that the garden is a space where other people in the neighborhood can see what we’re doing and feel inspired to get involved, ask questions, or even try growing something themselves. I especially love that there are children in the community who are outside playing, watching, and becoming curious about what’s growing.

My daughters love helping me plant seeds and water the garden. They get excited when they see the plants they helped plant growing, and they enjoy meeting new people and exploring the other plots. They were initially afraid of the bees, but they’ve gotten used to them now!

Overall, the garden has given me a new hobby that I genuinely love, a peaceful place to spend time, and an opportunity to learn and grow alongside my daughters and my community. Looking at my garden now compared with when I first started brings me pure satisfaction. Words really can’t describe how proud I am of it.