There is a hidden gem in the West Jefferson neighborhood of Paducah—Brittny Miller’s backyard garden, humming with life. Birds dart through native grasses, bees sip from heirloom mums, and her daughter Tildie proudly reads aloud the names of insects she has identified from a giant book on her lap. A bright corner is full to bursting with red and white poppies. It’s not a formal garden, but an intentional wildness—where beauty, ecology, and a love for heritage plants and cut flowers grow together.
“I just want to grow it until I don’t have to mow,” Brittny laughs. That spirit—half joke, half mission—is the root of her garden’s transformation. What began as a pandemic project while pregnant with Tildie has blossomed into a full-fledged ecosystem. She has always had her hand in something creative, from the culinary to visual arts. When her downtown bakery business came to an end and she was preparing for the adventure of motherhood amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic, Brittny found herself happiest in the garden. “I thought—okay, it’s time to do all the pretty growing things I’ve always dreamed of.”
In a yard once overrun with mint, Brittny’s collection has gradually expanded over the years into beds of native perennials and heirloom flowers. Columbine, echinacea, yarrow, milkweed, and brown-eyed Susans now anchor her beds, while compost tea made from cinnamon, nettle, and chamomile feeds the soil. “It’s not just about beauty—though I love that—it’s about building an ecosystem,” she explains.
Everything in Brittny’s garden has a purpose. Native plants support pollinators. Seed heads feed the birds. Grasses like little bluestem provide nesting material. Even her prized heirloom mums—non-natives she admits with a smile—play a role. “They attract aphids, which bring in ladybugs. It’s all connected,” she explains.
The mums are her true floral obsession. After discovering how rare heirloom varieties are, she started preordering from specialty growers like King Mums. One year, she received a surprise box of 30 unknown varieties. “They were gorgeous. Now I root cuttings to expand the patch,” she adds.
Her eye for timing and care is sharp. Poppies, for instance, must be harvested just before they open and have their stems seared to maintain their vase life. “You miss it—you miss the magic,” says Brittny.
Growing these distinct and desirable flowers has opened up a unique opportunity for Brittny to sell some of her blooms locally to Sarah Falder at Flower & Furbish, which happens to be right around the corner from her house. “It’s been a lot of fun,” Brittny comments. “Sarah buys my mums and poppies, and I also grow some things that big growers don’t usually stock—like native cultivars with special colors or forms.”
One raised bed of the garden belongs entirely to Tildie. “She picks what goes in it, cuts what she wants, and gives away bouquets to friends,” her mom proudly pronounces. It’s messy and delightful, full of radishes, cherry tomatoes, and whimsy. “She uses all her muscles to dig for garlic,” Brittny says with a smile.
Part of the magic of Brittny’s garden is that neighbors stop by to admire the wildflowers, ask questions, and point out different things to their kids. Sharing her garden wisdom is a place where Brittny really shines—not only with the neighbors, but also among her community of flower-growing friends. Many of them are homeschooling moms with a heart for the outdoors. Helping others bring their garden dreams to life may be the next iteration of Brittny’s creative story, beginning with detailed plans for the backyard of her good friend Sarah Falder. “I have the sketches and seeds, so we are going to do her garden next!”
Brittny’s space is still evolving as she dreams of willow fences, shaded brick paths, and transforming the current detached garage into a greenhouse. That said, she is content in savoring the present season with Tildie by her side. “It’s a lot of work,” she admits, “but little by little it’s becoming something amazing that brings us so much happiness.”
Brittny’s Recipe for Compost Tea
- 1.25 gallons boiling water
- 2 cups dried stinging nettle (or borage or comfrey)
- 1 cup loose chamomile
- 2-3 sticks cinnamon
- ½ -1 cup sheep or bunny manure or finished compost (optional)
Place all dry ingredients in a large pot. Pour boiling water over the mixture and stir well. Cover and steep for 12-24 hours. Strain out solids and store liquid in the fridge to use as needed.
To use, dilute 1-2 ounces of compost tea per one gallon of water and apply to plants.
Ingredient Benefits
Stinging Nettle is high in nitrogen, iron, and potassium. It’s excellent for leafy growth, young plants, and boosting plant immunity.
Comfrey supports strong overall growth, especially in perennials and fruiting plants. It’s great during flowering and fruiting stages.
Borage is rich in nitrogen and nutrients which encourages leafy growth. It’s also useful as a green manure—chop and drop leaves around your garden to feed the soil.
