Alexa Patti

Little Prince of Oregon

Head grower

What three professional accomplishments are you most proud of? 

• The professional accomplishments that I’m proud of are being promoted to head grower, working at Little Prince and breeding the Winter Jewels hellebore series. 

What led you to work in the horticulture industry? 

• I had what I refer to as my 30-year-life-crisis when my Dad passed away and decided that life was too short to not be doing something I love.
• I spent all of my free time in the garden and learning about plants, so I made the decision to leave my career of 13 years and go back to school for horticulture. 

What’s the best thing about your job? 

• I get to do what I love, every day. 

Describe to a 6-year-old what you do in life? 

• I have the best team in the world! We get to grow cool plants that are then sent all over North America to make other people’s gardens and houses beautiful. 

What are your favorite hobbies? 

• Gardening
• All things plant related (shopping for them, visiting gardens, researching)
• Reading
• Puzzles
• Antiquing

When you’re not working, what are three things we could find you doing? 

• Gardening or visiting a garden
• Hanging out with my family or friends
• Reading

Do you have any unusual talents, or can you tell us something interesting about yourself that other people may be surprised to find out? 

• I can smell specific diseases and bacteria when I enter greenhouses and use my nose to find them. 

One thing you can’t live without? 

• Celsius

What are you (un)secretly good at? 

• Puzzles and board games

What are your top three bucket list items? 

• Go to Komodo Island with my kids
• See the northern lights in Iceland
• Explore and see plants on every continent

What’s your favorite plant variety and why? 

• Trick question! I could never pick one. 

You’re buying a vacation package to anywhere in the world without a budget, where are you going? 

• An all around the world adventure to explore gardens and see new plants!