Hi, I’m Tessa. Welcome!

Gardens lie at the intersection of everything I hold most dear: beauty, nature, community, and divine wonder. I know that might sound like a lot of pressure to put on a little square of what we Americans call “a yard.” (I think this is terrible, by the way. A yard will never be a place of magic without a mindset change!) The shift to garden is every bit as powerful as the shift from “house” to home. A garden is a dynamic, generous place. I ask the same questions about outside spaces that every interior designer asks about the inside ones. “How do you live now? How do you want to live? How do you want to feel? In what ways can we encourage your family and friends to spend more time engaged with each other and their surroundings? How can this place stimulate your mind and feed your soul?”

Before I became a gardener, I studied fine art. I also had another career as the owner of a luxury cake studio for almost a decade, which is where this site began. When I discovered plants and gardens, I felt I’d finally found my place. For me, garden creation combines art, science, history, and a deep appreciation for experiential design. Having traveled in Europe and spent time gardening in England as part of my horticulture studies, I’m thrilled to now to work in a field (sometimes literally!) that brings me and others so much joy. My husband Brian and I live in Greenville, South Carolina, with two precious wee boys. When I’m not chasing them, I offer design and horticultural consulting services, make artwork, experiment in my own garden, and write about the happenings there.