Meet our Garden Manager, Kim Neal. She has taken on the responsibility for managing the garden volunteers, planning and executing garden design, and ensuring the gardens are maintained. Read her interview below to learn more about her background and vision for her department!
Tell us about your background.
I grew up in Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin. To this day I am a Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers fan. After moving to California, I attended the University of LaVerne and obtained my degree in Business Management. I am married to my husband, LaBron, and have two sons and their families. I serve on the Executive Committee of the San Clemente Garden Club (SCGC) holding the position of Communications Director. Additionally, I am the Committee Chairman for the SCGC Website and also for the SCGC Educational Workshops. In my spare time, I love to travel. My musical taste encompasses the range from classical to rock and roll. Lastly, I can’t end without mentioning the opera. In the past few years I’ve become a fan of the opera. Something I would never have imagined would ever happen.
Casa Romantica has a unique mission to make arts accessible for all ages in the community. Why do you think that is important?
Awareness of the arts and all that it encompasses should be an experience accessible to all ages throughout their lifetime. Immersion into the arts at a young age will provide educational opportunities not always available without a cultural center like Casa Romantica. From history to art to music and everything in between, visitors will find endless possibilities for learning and participation in the arts. Other forms of art that are accessible to the community here at Casa Romantica are books and gardens. Gardens and landscape design provide engagement and inspiration that our visitors can take with them when working in their own gardens.
Follow up: How have arts impacted your life?
From a young age, I’ve had a love of books. Everything from writing my own stories to spending hours reading. When I was in grade school I started taking violin lessons and learned to read music. Following high school, concerts and museums became a big part of my life. More recently, I have dabbled in creating upcycled garden art. The practice of reusing and recycling objects, found in nature and man made, to create works of art is known as upcycling. When creating upcycled art, you begin by taking something that would otherwise have a different purpose and give it new life by reimagining its use. In our gardens, we frequently have old pots and planters, garden tools and a plethora of other items that are now gathering dust. We are only limited by our own imagination.
What are you most looking forward to in this role? What are your goals?
I am looking forward to expanding the educational opportunities available to all visitors to the gardens. Ensuring that each garden is unique with specimen plants to capture attention and engage visitors is high on my list of priorities. As the construction project on the property nears completion, it is important to have plans developed that will support the restoration of the gardens. It’s an exciting time in the gardens.
What has been a favorite moment at Casa Romantica for you?
Interacting with visitors and the volunteers in the gardens provide me the most satisfaction. I love teaching visitors about plants. Almost every day someone will ask me the name of a specific plant. Without our volunteers, it would not be possible to maintain, plan and implement improvements in our gardens.
This or That Casa Romantica Edition:
Ocean Terrace or Main Salon? Ocean Terrace
Historic Tour or Garden Tour? Garden Tour
Flowers or succulents? Flowers
Casa Cool Summer music series or Casa Vibes music series? Casa Vibes
Casa Cinema under the stars or Casa Cinema cozy in the main salon? Casa Cinema cozy