Marcia Carmichael enjoys all aspects of heirloom plants, from propagation to harvest, and from folklore to fact. As the historical gardener at Old World Wisconsin, a 576 acre living history museum, she exercises her passion for historical accuracy and enjoys the research as much as the design, creation, and nurturing of the museum’s heritage gardens. Marcia supervises and works alongside an incredibly dedicated group of historical garden volunteers to create period appropriate gardens. She also organizes and instructs volunteers in the creation of historical floral decorations for the museum.
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin—Madison and of the Henry Simmons School of Floral Design in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Marcia maintains membership in numerous horticultural and professional organizations, including the American Botanical Council, The Herb Society of America, the Royal Horticultural Society, the Historic Gardens Foundation, and the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums and has been the recipient of awards from the Wisconsin Garden Club Federation, The Herb Society of America, the International Herb Association, Waukesha County Technical Institute, and Milwaukee Magazine.
Before joining the Old World Wisconsin staff, Marcia owned and operated her own greenhouses and herb business for 25 years. She also has experience as a floral designer and flower shop manager.
Marcia delights in sharing the joys of plants and gardening with everyone she meets.