owner/designer/horticulturist

Syretha Brooks

Syretha is a life-long lover of plants and the outdoor world. Born in Harpswell, Maine, she grew up playing in her mother’s gardens and started her own garden career at the age of 16 working for Sharon Whitney, an iris breeder and the owner of Eartheart Gardens, located in Harpswell Neck. Sharon and the Eartheart crew taught Syretha the basics of gardening and instilled a love for working in the outdoors. Syretha went on to Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts where she got a B.A. in fine arts with a concentration in printmaking. However she did not give up on plants, taking all the horticulture classes offered by Smith at the time as well as doing dual work study jobs as a printmaking assistant and arborist’s assistant, as well as working in the greenhouses at every opportunity (no stack of dirty terra cotta pots to wash was too much for her!) After a college summer spent printmaking in New York City (rather than working in gardens in Maine) it became clear plants were truly her passion. After graduation from Smith she continued in the field of horticulture, first completing an internship at The Harvard Arnold Arboretum, in Boston, then going on to first a position of staff horticulturist at Wave Hill Gardens in the Bronx, NYC, where she stewarded the Wild Garden for two years, and after as a staff horticulturist at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. In 2018 she made the decision to return to private gardening and worked as landscape manager, designer, and horticulturist for Pretty Flowers, based in Brunswick, Maine, and owned by the wonderful Amy Maloney. Syretha is excited to continue her horticulture journey with Bee Balm Design Company, where she continues to design, manage the staff, and work in the field on a daily basis.

Joe Monthey

office manager/horticulturist/edible plant expert

Since Joe was young, he always wanted to have a career that allowed him to be outside producing, sharing, and eating great food. After college, he dove headfirst into this goal and started to work my way through the food system – from farm, to processing, to culinary school, to kitchens, and bakeries, and most recently to the wine industry, and homesteading gardens. Along the way, he sought out every opportunity to take friends and family to lesser-known regions of the world to share that passion. He looks at his role in gardens and food as a storyteller for farmers, bringing to life the experiences and flavors for customers.  He loves making food an experiential event for those around me and I’m passionate about bringing sustainable, small scale food agriculture to the community. He’s excited to be able to help the Bee Balm Design team wherever it’s needed.

Taylor Langston

horticulturist

Taylor was born and raised in Harpswell, and currently resides in Brunswick with her two cats, Daphne and Kitten. She has spent the past 10 years working in Early Childhood as an educator and nanny for many families. With a focus on natural materials and outdoor play, her interest & fondness of nature grew as she saw it all through the eyes of children. After a summer working on a local farm, Taylor’s passion for plants, working outside, and getting her hands in the dirt was cemented. She is looking forward to building upon her knowledge and skills alongside the Bee Balm Design team this summer!

Theo & Lily

mascots/quality control

Theo and Lily serve as general moral boosters, chief rodent control officers, as well as approving all designs. While they are unable to make site visits, Lily will happily greet/sit on the lap of anyone who visits our home base, and Theo will assess from a distance