A Gardener in our Midst
A springtime walk across campus almost always elicits comments about the College's exquisite gardens. Indeed, the SJC landscape bursts with the beauty of bulbs - crocuses, hyacinths, daffodils, tulips and more - the first signs that the long winter has passed. What is less known, perhaps, is the fact that Saint Joseph College has its very own "Bulb Lady" - a gardener committed to the care of bulbs across America and the United Kingdom.
The Bulb Lady
Debbie Van Bourgondien is the "Bulb Lady, " a name she wears with pride as vice president of retail catalogue sales for K. Van Bourgondien & Sons. A family business now in its seventh generation, K. Van Bourgondien & Sons is one of the nation's largest bulb and perennial import companies with offices in New York, Virginia, Holland and England.
Although it's been nearly 40 years since she left Saint Joseph College, Debbie has maintained contact in a way that reflects her interest - through the donation of more than 6,000 bulbs. Her gift aptly represents the place Saint Joseph College holds in her heart.
Debbie regularly lectures to garden clubs and organizations (including the New York Botanical Garden) and she writes an online column for her company's Website. "I credit my success in public speaking and other forms of communication to my SJC experience," she said. "The College helped me to develop a strong sense of who I am."
Saint Joseph College was also the place where she met her husband, John Van Bourgondien. After John completed his degree at Cornell University, Debbie stayed home to raise their boys. She began designing and planting gardens as a hobby and as a means to stay busy while John was at work. Once her youngest son went to school, Debbie started working with the company; soon, her self-discovered passion for bulbs and her professional career merged.
A passion evolves into a profession
Today, Debbie oversees all catalogue and Internet sales for K. Van Bourgondien & Sons. When not working or traveling for work, Debbie is busy planting her own two-acre homestead. "I plant about 100,000 bulbs a year," she said. Her home garden has been featured in Country Living Gardener and Southern Living magazines. "I find great solace in gardening," Debbie said, "It brings everything back to the basics. I love taking something small and onion-looking like a bulb, planting it in the ground and having it become a beautiful flower. That's a great metaphor for life."
