Pictured: Matt Mattus and his dog Fergus plant early sweet peas for cut flowers in March under cloches.

New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill’s own Matt Mattus was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal in an article about seed starting.

Matt serves on the Board of Trustees for the Worcester County Horticultural Society, which oversees New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill.

Matt is also the man behind the blog Growing With Plants, the founder of the the New England Dahlia Society, and the author of the forthcoming book “Mastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening.”

In the Wall Street Journal Article, titled “Old-School Gardening: The 8 Most Reliable Flowers and Veggies to Grow From Seed,” Matt shares the skinny on two of his favorite flowers to start from seed, sweet peas and Shirley poppies.

According to the WSJ:

Today, top gardeners are turning to the seed packet, dismayed by the predictable plant selections in mass-market nurseries or big-box stores. Varieties available in seed form are “more interesting,” said Worcester, Mass., horticulturist Matt Mattus, singling out Scabiosa and poppies as beautiful and cooperative flowers to sow directly.

Here at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, we’re grateful for Matt’s support and guidance over the years. And we can’t wait to read his new book!