Gardening is a wellness present

The May 7 Woman of Wellness event, sponsored by the Fallbrook Healthcare District, featured a talk on gardening and how it can contribute to wellness. The guest speaker, Pam Meisner, also goes by the name Ms. Smarty Plants. To start with, anyone who goes by that name has to have a sense of humor, which is helpful in maintaining good health.

Meisner, education director for the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon, assumes the Smarty Plants persona for her programs for both children and adults. Wearing overalls and a big straw hat, both decorated with flowers and butterflies, she brings excitem...