Natural Affinity is an emerging plant nursery and gardening service in Asheville, NC. We focus on growing perennial food crops, including fruit and nut trees and shrubs, perennial vegetables, and perennial herbs. We specialize in creating edible landscapes and native pollinator gardens. Our mission is to become a resource for the community in the transition to local, sustainable food production and ecologically-friendly gardening practices.

Our Team

Anders Christiano began his plant journey while studying life sciences at Clemson University, where he had the opportunity to learn about the plant diversity and ecology of the Blue Ridge escarpment.  After college, he fell in love with gardening as a way of appreciating nature and connecting to the natural world.  He experimented with plant propagation on his own for several years and then enrolled in the horticulture program at Blue Ridge Community College, where he took classes in vegetable production, permaculture, and landscape design.  From there he began working at the North Carolina Arboretum, where he gained valuable experience and earned a Certified Plant Professional certification.  Through the Blue Ridge EcoGardener program, he has learned more about gardening with native plants and creating pollinator habitats.  He continues to be enthusiastic about sustainable, ecologically-friendly gardening as a way to connect with nature and improve the world around us.