Tracy Williams only wanted to grow a tomato. Relegated to a tiny outdoor space at her quaint townhome, she asked her mother to use her backyard to try out the little experiment. Mom said, have at it. And by the time that first set of plump, crimson-colored tomatoes sprouted on the vine she was officially smitten. A garden enthusiast was born.
“I just lost my mind; I couldn’t believe that I grew that,” she remembered.
That moment of completion in her mother’s Denver backyard set off what would become both a personal passion and a growing business rooted in food, family and community.
Williams, an Aurora resident and founder of The Late Bloomer Edible Gardens, now helps others build and sustain their own gardens across the Denver metro area. Her company, launched in May 2025 after she completed a garden consultant certification, specializes in garden design, installation and maintenance.
“We specialize in installing and coaching people and helping people maintain raised-bed, edible gardens,” she said. “The concept celebrates the art of cultivating food at any stage of life.”
Williams’ connection to gardening is deeply tied to place. Born in Texas but raised primarily in Denver’s Montbello neighborhood, the University of Colorado Boulder alum soon found herself returning frequently to her mother’s home with her young twin sons in tow, as her idea of seriously focusing on growing food took root.
“Then I added squash and I was like, ‘well, now I need to throw in some greens,’” she recalled.
Her gardens expanded quickly. When she finally moved into a house of her own in Aurora with a backyard, she installed four raised beds. By the end of that first summer, she had doubled it.
“I was always trying to figure out what to plant next,” she said. “It became my favorite pastime.”
That pastime soon evolved into a profession. After noticing friends and followers asking for advice on social media, Williams enrolled in a six-week certification course focused on both gardening and business fundamentals.
“I was like, ‘what, I can do that for a living?’” she pondered. “Then I jumped right in!”
Today, her business offers a range of services depending on client needs. Some hire her for a single consultation, either in person or virtual, to diagnose issues and recommend solutions. Others engage her for full-scale projects that include design, installation and ongoing maintenance.
“In a nutshell, as a garden consultant, that could have been all that I did,” she said of one client. “But because she hired me to also plant her garden, I ended up doing the heavy lifting, laying out the vegetables, providing a maintenance plan and tending her garden.”
Clients say that hands-on approach has transformed not just their yards, but their confidence.
“I cannot say enough wonderful things about my experience with Tracy Williams,” said Barbara Bonner of Denver’s Whittier neighborhood. “Tracy helped me turn my backyard into a beautiful garden space by building two gorgeous beds for my vegetables and flowers. She took all the stress out of the planning with her helpful design visuals and she even picked out the perfect pots for my herb garden.”
Bonner said the experience shifted her mindset.
“Gardening doesn’t feel overwhelming anymore; it feels inspiring,” she said.
For first-time gardeners, that guidance can be critical. Yesima Sherrod of Denver’s Skyland neighborhood said she initially felt intimidated by the process.
“Working with Tracy was one of the best decisions I made as a first-time gardener,” Sherrod said. “She took what felt like an overwhelming project and turned it into something approachable, organized and genuinely enjoyable.”
Sherrod credited Williams’ structured approach for her success.
“Her easy-to-follow system and detailed garden map made it simple to know exactly what was planted and where, giving me the confidence to start gardening,” she said. “Thanks to her guidance, and honestly, the very kind hand holding, I successfully grew my very first vegetable garden.”
Williams said she often provides detailed diagrams, seasonal guidance and even harvest support.
“I consulted, designed, installed, coached and maintained,” she said of one of her early clients. “I also helped her harvest her garden and told her what to do to put her garden to bed for the year.”
In the year since her official transition from gardening as a hobby to gardening as a business, her work has expanded through word of mouth, community events and workshops. She regularly hosts beginner-friendly gardening sessions at local venues, as well as providing a specialized curriculum for older adults or those figuring out how to work with limited space.
“I not only make friends, but we sit and talk and talk about gardening,” she said. “Everyone was so eager to share their stories or start their gardening journey.”
Beyond the business, gardening has become a family affair. Williams’ now teen sons help out with the business in different ways when they can.
“They’ve gone from helping me plant and harvest to now they’re out there with cell phones videotaping what I’m doing,” she said.
And her passion extends beyond productivity. She describes her garden as both an escape and a creative outlet.
“My garden is my sanctuary; it is my happy place,” she said. “It makes me slow down.”
She said it also has been a space for both grief and deep reflection.
“It’s been a place where I have gone to grieve some losses in my life, but it’s also been a place where I go to celebrate,” she said.
Williams also sees gardening as a tool for empowerment, particularly within the Black community.
“Black people ought to have a way to grow at least some of their own food,” she said. “Every time I can go into my backyard and get something I know I need, and I don’t have to go through someone else to get it, it is so empowering.”
For beginners, her advice is simple.
“I say just start, and start small,” she said. “All I wanted to do was grow a couple of tomatoes.”
Editor’s note: Williams’ next gardening workshop is scheduled for Saturday, August 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pauline Robinson Branch Library, 5575 E. 33rd Avenue in Denver. For more information and to register, visit www.thelatebloomer.net
