Lorie and Michael Kinler of Kinler Landscape Architecture in Fort Worth brought their ideas for reimagining what a front yard can be to Austin for my Garden Spark series last Thursday, kicking off Season 6. They shared a number of design tips that I’ll be keeping in mind for future projects. My favorite suggestion, richly illustrated by their photos (check out their portfolio), is to flip the usual layout of the front yard. Instead of foundation hedges and a lawn, keep the foundation and entry area open by paving it with crushed gravel (perfect for a patio and/or extra parking) and pushing plants into the middle of the yard for privacy and enclosure.

Thanks to everyone who came out for the talk — it’s wonderful to gather with you all! — and to Barton Springs Nursery for sponsoring the talks via their beautiful outdoor classroom and their staff’s warm hospitality.

And a big thank-you to Lorie and Michael for coming to speak and sharing their knowledge, experience, and lighthearted he-said/she-said banter with us!

Get tix for the next talk today!

The next Garden Spark talk is coming up in just a few weeks, on October 20th, and tickets are on sale now. Author Teresa Speight will inspire us with stories of barrier-busting Black creatives in flower farming and floristry, and she’ll share images from her gorgeous new book, Black Flora. Check out my book review for more info.

I’ve known Teri since we hit it off at the Capital Region Fling in 2017. She’s passionate about gardening and connecting with gardeners from all parts of the country. I have no doubt she’ll bring her humor and storytelling talent to her Garden Spark talk, and she’ll also be selling and signing copies of her book. If you’re in the Austin area, get your ticket today and come join us under the tree lights on October 20th.

Black Flora: Seeds of Our Ancestors

Teresa Speight, author of Black Flora, a new book about African Americans in the world of floriculture, tells the stories of farmers, florists, and other floral creatives who answered the call of the flowers, tapped into their passion, and listened to their hearts. There is a rich, beautiful, complex, and diverse narrative being told by African Americans and other persons of color in the floral marketplace. It is long past time to recognize their excellence and contributions to cut-flower farming and floristry, as they sow the seeds for the next generation.

Speaker Bio

Author, podcaster, and garden writer Teresa J. Speight is a proud native of Washington, DC, as well as a mother, grandmother, garden writer, and history lover. With ancestral sharecropping roots originating in North and South Carolina, she feels deeply connected with the earth. She’s honored those roots through her work as head gardener for the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia; as a founding farmer of an organic CSA farm; as founder and president of Jabali Amani Garden Collective, an online African American garden club focusing on “beautifying urban areas in our communities”; and as an estate gardener. Teresa also works to reconnect people with the soil through one-on-one garden coaching and by offering curated garden experiences for small groups.

Teresa is the author of Black Flora: Profiles of Inspiring Black Flower Farmers + Florists and co-author of The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City. On her podcast Cottage in the Court (available on Anchor or Apple Podcasts), Teresa introduces interesting people, discovers unique places, and adds a little poetry to remind everyone to embrace the garden, as it is here for us.

Register today and be part of this fun event!

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Digging Deeper

Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Stay tuned for more info!

All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.