While enjoying their retirement, Michael and Sonia Dodge began planting willows in Vermont in 2006. The nursery began as a hobby that developed into a passion that snowballed into a wondrous resource for many. After 13 years, they decided that they wanted to retire (again)! And here comes us! We’ll be doing the clipping, snipping and shipping while Michael will be frolicking in the fields as the willows blossom.

We wish Sonia and Michael a very happy second retirement! Contact Michael at michaeldodge@me.com.

Read more about us and Michael below!

We discovered genus Salix quite by accident. In 2019, Lisa, a plant enthusiast, found a particularly interesting bundle of orange spiraling sticks that rooted very easily when placed in water. They vigorously grew on the kitchen countertop in the middle of winter! Our curiosity was piqued. These were a variety of willow and the more we learned, the more we were blown away by the vast array of uses for the plant – from medicine to streambank restoration to bee fodder. Lisa’s investigation inevitably led her to Vermont Willow Nursery, and the notice of Michael and Sonia’s intention to sell the nursery. We were given the opportunity to meet with them in Baltimore, MD in January and they liked us enough to invite us to their home to assist in the spring 2020 harvest! Unfortunately, as we are all aware, COVID was raging by spring. Through much deliberation, we decided to forge ahead with the harvest and isolate the best we could. The result was a few weeks isolated in a tear-drop trailer and a successful harvest! Both of us fell in love with the work and the attributes of the plant. The nursery being located on a quiet idyllic hillside merely sweetened the deal. 

Lisa is a lifelong naturalist and environmentalist. She has a bachelor’s degree in (inhale) Environmental Resource Management with a minor in Watersheds and Water Resources from Penn State University and a master’s degree in Terrestrial Ecology and Biodiversity Management from the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain (exhale). And for the past 16 years she worked as a Physical Scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collecting loads of water-quality data. She is an adventurer and is extremely resourceful. Her creativity is one of her best attributes. She enjoys observing and learning from nature and has many hobbies that involve getting crafty. Lisa is most excited to join a community of like-minded individuals who appreciate eclectic ways of thinking. 

I have spent my adult life in public service at the USGS also in the Water Mission Area monitoring many rivers and streams in New Jersey. During my time at the USGS, I have personally witnessed the devastating effects of over development on waterways, and how, well, gross some waterfronts can be. As with Lisa, I am fascinated by the number of uses for willows and the quirky forms they can take. ‘Golden Curls‘ is one of my favorites, check it out! Even with three successful harvests under my belt, I have a hard time believing this is true. I grew up in a suburb and always fantasized about farming in a small community. As a gamer, virtual farming in Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley have been especially inspiring. In my adulthood, I have thought my own slice of Heaven would be a vale with a creek running through it. Now, I have the best of all these worlds. 

Michael and Sonia are leaving some pretty big shoes for us to fill…we’ll forever be grateful to them for this opportunity and for mentoring us. Our mission is to continue their legacy of interesting products and excellent communication, while expanding on what is offered. We hope that you join us on this very exciting journey. We invite you to grow with us, learn with us, and in a small way change the world. 

-Aric Vanselous

contactus@vermontwillownursery.com

Born in the English Lake District, Michael was trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew as a plantsman and horticulturist. He left England on the Queen Mary I, November 5 1964, after being offered a position by Tom Everett (legendary Director of Horticulture) at the New York Botanical Garden.

In 1967, he was hired by Henry Francis du Pont at that National Treasure, Winterthur Gardens in Delaware to become Assistant to the Director of Gardens. He also bred Viburnum dilatatum ‘Michael Dodge’ while there. Mr. duPont graciously allowed Michael to work toward his BSc in Ornamental Horticulture at the University of Delaware.

In 1971, he was employed by William Bliss Harris at White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut as Propagator, then in turn: Horticulturist, Plantsman, Director of Horticulture, Primary Photographer, Catalogue Director and finally Catalog Designer (by learning how to use Quark Express and Photoshop). Michael also discovered Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’ among a batch of Amsonia tabernaemontana at Sunny Border Nursery in Connecticut. During that time, Michael was very active in the Connecticut NARGS Chapter and Chapter Chairman for 2 years.

In 1997, Michael then became a full time horticultural photographer. With his new wife Sonia, he traveled widely in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand photographing for a company in Europe as well as for horticultural magazines and catalogues. Michael gives horticultural talks (including all about willows) and also advises homeowners on garden design and garden problems.

In 2005, Sonia and Michael moved to Vermont and the following year visited the Montreal Botanic Garden and saw a demonstration of creating living structures using willows. As Michael had spied several native willows growing on the new property (without knowing what they were!), he knew he could grow willows on this land that had been farmed for at least 150 years. The following year they visited three renowned Salix growers in England and was given an education in Salicology by three very special gentlemen. Back in the States Michael ordered his first willows from the now defunct Willow Dream Farms in Kentucky and bought some cuttings at the Vermont Flower Show. Then friends and fellow enthusiasts gave Michael cuttings from their gardens and nurseries. Many noted Salicologist have shared their time and knowledge with Michael; none more so than Brooklyn born and now a Canadian Salix legend: Professor George Argus. The nursery began in 2006 and is now in its 14th year. Michael learned how to put up a website using iWeb and started developing Vermont Willow Nursery. As soon as Michael published the site for the first time in 2012, Apple ended iWeb. Oops! Luckily a Canadian company bought the rights to the iWeb program and issued Everweb in 2013. The following year, Michael switched to that program with the great assistance from the owners and on-line support groups. The first few years the site was very amateurish and Michael had lots of strong suggestions from online developers. The website is now Michael’s pride and joy; it is the product of hundreds of hours of work. Michael used his knowledge of photography to show willows in a way that no one has ever done before. He hopes that the website promotes the use of willows and allows people to learn more about these great plants. In the nursery, Michael has close to 500 different willows, probably the largest collection in North America and maybe the world. Michael is totally addicted to the genus Salix!

In 2017, Sonia and Michael visited Norway, Finland and Iceland, where Michael saw lots of Salix for the first time. In June 2018, Michael visited China for the first time on a trip to the Yunnan Mountains. Sadly, Michael is not allowed to bring back cuttings from this trips as all willows are banned from entry into the US by the very misinformed/misguided people at APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service). Michael is now sharing his knowledge of the genus Salix to help public gardens with the nomenclature of the willows in their collections. He has assisted the Denver Botanical Garden, the Chicago Botanical Garden, the Morton Arboretum, the Holden Arboretum, the Dawes Arboretum, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and the Montreal Botanical Garden. When he isn’t able to help, Michael calls on two Russian salicologists to help out. First is Dr. Irina Belyaeva, recently retired head of the Herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew; secondly Dr. Julia Kuzovkina* of the University of Connecticut. Together the three of us recently worked on a paper regarding the taxonomy of Salix gracilistyla, its cultivars and hybrids—including Salix xleucopithecia (gracilistyla x caprea). This is what the West (including us) erroneously called Salix chaenomeloides, a totally different species. What was incorrectly labelled Salix chaenomeloides, Michael gave the cultivar name ‘Winter Glory‘ as it is so showy all winter.