September 3, 2025
I’m writing about one of my favourite Texas Gardens in a new issue of American Gardener (September/October 2025) that just arrived in my mailbox. Titled “A Quiet Prairie Rebellion,” this article features Michael McDowell’s lawnless garden in the outskirts of North Dallas.
Michael is well known online as @planoprairiegarden and has documented the evolution of his mostly native prairie gardens since 2009. The American Gardener article includes photos by Kenny Brown, taken from my new book, Gardens of Texas. It sneaks around what you see in the book – one of the 27 unique and beautiful gardens from across the state.
American Gardeners are not available on newsstands. It is mailed to members of the American Horticultural Association, which is open to everyone. In addition to the beautiful magazine, membership reduces free or reduced admission fees and other benefits across North America, including online and in-person educational opportunities in over 380 gardens. Please join here.
And for more information about the book and what I talk about, see How to Dig Up below. I hope to meet you on one side!
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Do you want any ideas for your garden besides the lawn? Certainly I will! On Saturday, September 13th, he gave a lecture called “Lawn Gone: 8 Great Ideas for Your Yourd” at the Concho Valley Master Gardens Fall Symposium held in San Angelo, Texas. The cost of the all-day symposium with four speakers is $30 per person. Snacks and lunch are included. Please register by September 10th using this link. I want to meet homeowners and gardeners in West Texas!
My new book, Gardens in Texas: A vision of resilience from Lone Star State, is coming on October 14th! You can now pre-order on Amazon and other online book sellers. If you read it or want to give it as a holiday gift, consider pre-ordering. (I’m glad I signed a pre-order copy at my book event!) Early ordering makes a huge difference in helping new books get attention. For more information about Texas Gardens, click here – Thank you for your support.
Tour 5 Austin Garden on Saturday, November 8th, on an open day tour of the Garden Conservancy in Travis County. Tickets must be purchased online in advance. For more information, please click here.
Come and see me on the tour! I will be talking about book events in Texas this fall and next spring, and celebrating the release of Texas Gardens. Join me, learn, inspire, and say hello!
Learn about gardening and design at Garden Sparks! I organize face-to-face talks in Austin several times a year, inspire designers, landscape architects, authors and gardeners to inspire and inspire designers, landscape architects. These are limited attendance events, so join the Garden Spark Meailas list for notifications when tickets are sold. Click this link to ask you to subscribe. Click here to see the lineup for Season 9!
All Materials ©2025 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
