Here's how it goes.

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This guy Dug moves to L.A. to make his mark in music. He puts together a band, grand concept, huge scheme, it's beautiful, it's perfect, it's starting to sound like a band, and - oops - it's all the wrong people, and it disintegrates into a smoldering mess.

 

Dug is burned out and frustrated, and his friend Molly is constantly pestering him to play some music, and he thinks, "What a concept, play some music for fun," and they get together and jam with Dug's roommate Jeremy, and from there blossoms the band that will become Garden Variety.

 

Dug's other roommate Finn starts to sit in on a song here and there, playing mandolin, but it gets embarrassing for him to keep getting on and off the stage, so they figure he should just learn all the songs, which he does. From there they go through numerous bass players until they find Matt, and for a while they have friend Phillip Greenlief playing saxophone and flute, but he isn't always available, which prompts Dug to search the papers and find a violin player looking for a jazz group. They entice him to come over - "Yeah, we have one jazz song ... or at least it's got some minor chords in it" - and his name is James.

 

Molly has a couple of babies, which interrupts the progression slightly, but bodes well for Garden Variety: The Next Generation. Molly's sister Linda (they're identical twins) a talented musician, moves to L.A. and of course they won't let her do that unless she agrees to join the band, bringing their three part vocal harmonies to a new level.

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Before the release of their 2nd album the band changed their name to Garden. Unfortunately nothing ever stays and the adornments of the band James and Finn both moved away. The band continued as a four piece through much of the 90’s. In the early 2000’s Dug and Linda moved away with their two children to Colorado. The band has gotten together several times through the years, keeping the dream/love/music alive when they can.