USA Today
Where Gardens Grow, So Do Relations: The Story Behind Peninsula-Based Ruskin Gardens
About four decades ago, the late Debby Ruskin began tending gardens across Silicon Valley, not as a career move, but as an act of friendship. Helping a fellow single mom prepare homes for resale, she discovered a gift for bringing landscapes to life. Her quiet dedication evolved into a thriving garden design business that became a beloved fixture on the Peninsula: Ruskin Gardens Co.
Her daughter, Amy Palmer, grew up among those gardens. “I always loved nature,” she reflects, “but I also loved people.” That balance, between cultivating the earth and nurturing relationships, would eventually guide her back to her mother’s world after a successful career in Silicon Valley tech.
Palmer had spent a decade in software development before motherhood shifted her priorities. Wanting more freedom, more time with her children, and more connection with her mom, she joined her mother in the family business. What she discovered was a gap. While design and installation were well covered, maintenance was often neglected. Gardens, no matter how beautifully designed, faltered without long-term care.
Palmer stepped into that space, building out a maintenance arm that would transform the business. “Design is the proposal,” she admits. “But maintenance is the marriage.” It’s an approach that suits her temperament: nurturing, consistent, and deeply personal.
Today, Ruskin Gardens specializes in “maintenance with an eye for design.” The firm no longer creates original garden plans but partners closely with top landscape architects, ensuring that their artistic vision matures gracefully over time. From humble beginnings of small-scale personal gardens, the company has since evolved to managing large-scale estates.
With a woman-led management team, Ruskin Gardens thrives on collaboration, intuition, and trust. Palmer is also quick to acknowledge the men in her team, who play an equally vital role. “My team are rockstars,” Palmer notes, “Many have pivoted out of tech, are extremely intelligent, and are passionate players. Others joined after a long path in permaculture, with deep experience growing food and managing soil and water. All of us embody this passion for horticulture, service, sustainable practices, and are overall just connected to the earth.”
Much of the work is rooted in relationships. Gardeners visit homes weekly, sometimes even daily, tending not just to soil and irrigation but also to the evolving priorities of clients. Discretion, sensitivity, and intuition are part of the service. “It’s very personal,” Palmer explains. “Every garden is different, and every person is different. Our job is to honor both.”
Beyond flowers and foliage, Ruskin Gardens emphasizes ecological stewardship. Irrigation management is central to the business, especially in California, where water is both precious and costly. “It may not be sexy,” Palmer admits, “but it’s fundamental.” Equally important is soil microbiology, treating soil as a living organism, rich with fungi, microbes, and nutrients that sustain everything above ground. Compost, mulch, and microbial balance are as much a part of the firm’s services as pruning roses or planting containers.
Farm-to-table gardening is another offering, giving clients the joy of fresh produce from their own backyards. “It’s romantic; it connects people to nature in such a simple, meaningful way,” Palmer shares.
While deeply grounded in the natural world, Palmer brings a systems thinker’s approach to the business. With a physics degree and a background in high tech, she integrates process, organization, and structure into what might otherwise be seen as purely artistic work.
The culture of Ruskin Gardens reflects Palmer’s blend of values: respect for nature, devotion to people, and an insistence on excellence. The management team, including specialists in horticulture, irrigation, fine gardening, and urban farming, is integral to the company’s success.
Now, as Amy raises her own children, she sees the possibility of Ruskin Gardens continuing into another generation, whether through her family or through the families of her employees. “This isn’t a boom-and-bust kind of business,” she says. “It’s rooted here, in the community, with people we trust. We’re building something enduring.” For now, the company continues to grow organically, season by season, just as the gardens it tends.