Meet Kathy Bego
Garden Educator / Garden Tech
Kathy joined H.O.P.E. Gardens in September 2022, excited for the opportunity to work with both children and plants in a flexible, nurturing environment.
Before joining H.O.P.E. Gardens, Kathy worked in area greenhouses and as a seasonal gardener, including a summer at Frederik Meijer Gardens. Earlier in her career, she spent a year in Haiti working on childhood nutrition projects and two years volunteering in Chile. She also dedicated many years to raising her children as a stay-at-home parent.
At H.O.P.E. Gardens, Kathy loves the experience of teaching, learning, and growing plants together—both in the gardens and the classroom—with students and an amazing team. She studied for her Master Gardener certification and is also fluent in Spanish.
Outside of work, she and her husband Jack enjoy visiting their children and grandchild, walking, reading, and gardening. When it comes to gardening advice, she encourages everyone to observe the unique shapes of leaves and flowers as their plants grow—seeing these small yet complex traits can open up a whole new appreciation for nature.
Her favorite plant? Climbing peas—especially in early and late seasons. She admires their resilience in cool weather, the beautiful curling tendrils and flowers, and of course, the sweet pea pods that kids love to open and eat!
