Born and raised in Hawaii, Mara fell in love with the Pacific Northwest and has made her home there for over thirty years. She first studied Botany at the U. of Washington, then went into horticulture. She is the author of “The Lazy Gardener” and “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Flower Gardening” and is currently working on a new book, “Planting Joy – Bringing Your Inner Life Into Your Garden.” A longtime Celtic harpist, she is now performing as a storyteller with harp accompaniment.