Students at North Carolina A&T University showing

Students at North Carolina A&T University showing off some 1960s hairdos and most important poinsettias grown for the holiday by the schools Department of Horticulture
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#ConquerTheSoil #Poinsettias #VintageChristmas

Let’s goooooooo!

Let’s goooooooo!

Part 1 of 2: If you love to read old letters this

Part 1 of 2: If you love to read old letters this is a great one packed with American landscape history. Written in October of 1931 a letter from the first Black landscape architect David A. Williston to John Hope the first Black president of Morehouse College and Atlanta University.
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In the message Williston is inquiring to contract his services for the grounds layout for the university. He also lists several historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that have previously contracted him for landscape architecture services. For a picture of Williston swipe 👉🏾
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My dear President Hope:
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I note that you are now undertaking the development of university, and I am wondering if you would not at this time consider the employment of one of my profession to assist you in the improvement of your school grounds.
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I have had a large experience in this work, and can assure you of a development that you would be in every respect satisfied.
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I am now working on the grounds of the following institutions: Tuskegee Inst., Talladega College, and the Tenn. Agri & Ind. College.
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Would be pleased to make you a preliminary treatment of your new library grounds with estimate of cost.
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Shall be glad to hear from you along the suggested.
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Yours very truly, D.A. Williston
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Update—the people have questions and I have answers 😏 Michael @tree_curator & @just_sinead wondered whether Williston was eventually hired for the job. It had not occurred to me to share the outcome. Thank you for the great questions y’all! Stay tuned for the answer Part 2 is now coming your way tomorrow…
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#conquerthesoil #landscapearchitecture #letters #HBCU

As we honor those who served in the United States

As we honor those who served in the United States armed Forces today I celebrate two of my favorite plant people and Army veterans!
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The first is a man named Harding Newsome landscape architect, artist, horticulturist, agriculturist, nurseryman, proud Texan, and veteran of the United States Army. I love a great action shot and here Newsome is seen hard at work on some designs in his studio. In World War II, Newsome served in Japan where he observed and was inspired by the beautiful yards and grounds around homes in Tokyo.
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Last but not least my Daddy—Rev. Mr. Hilliard M. Lee, Jr. who was drafted by the United States Army in December 1967 to serve in the Vietnam War and did he ever have some well-articulated statements to say about this (another story for another day.) Lee was a member of the 4th Battalion of the 18th Infantry stationed in Berlin, Germany…
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I really don’t talk about this enough but during his lifetime my Daddy was Director of Parks for the City of Atlanta. He felt it was important to not just enhance the park experience for visitors but to develop his team and implemented many environmental education and leadership classes in the department. He was also a deacon in the Catholic church. To get a look at this very handsome fellow and Atlanta legend swipe 👉🏾
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#ConquerTheSoil #VeteransDay #UnitedStatesArmy

Are y’all ready for another plant themed super v

Are y’all ready for another plant themed super villain?? 🥀🥀🥀 #TheGardener is finally coming…and I cannot wait!
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Shrouded in mystery, her motives a secret—Bella Garten, a.k.a. the Gardener was Poison Ivy’s college girlfriend, an eco-terrorist who controls engineered animal-plant hybrids, and queen of shoulder robing because—why not?! And so it begins November 16th…

Searching for the words to articulate this post I

Searching for the words to articulate this post I pass the mic to Mr. Beyoncé Gisele Knowles Carter (a.k.a. Jay-Z) who once waxed poetic “Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're far too kind—Now, can I get a encore? Do you want more?”…
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So today is an “encore” post to celebrate my first byline in The New York Times. I am re-sharing to deeply thank all of those who left such warm words in my comments and DMs and also ask a REAL FAVOR. Please take that same energy and one mo’ time in my comments below—but this time—I ask you to @ the @nytimes and the editors named below and let them know how much you loved these stories by a collection of fabulous contributors to Black garden culture!
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Led by the fearless editors @charliebcuff and @jharlan12 these women dreamed up and fought the good fight for this type of content to be published. However growth doesn’t come without numbers and more important YOUR VOICE. (Publishing ain’t feel good—the reality is it’s a business y’all.) If you want more work like this shared let the world and The New York Times know. Keep that same energy and let’s go a step beyond “liking” this post. Please tag them in my comments so they know you saw it, loved it, appreciated it and that we want more! Feel free to re-post too. Because bay-bee my horticultural colleagues and I have some delicious stories to tell—this is just the warm up 🎯 Link to articles below and I love y’all for stepping up today! xo-Abra
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https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/26/special-series/black-gardeners-pandemic.html
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Your voice is needed here 👇🏾

Thank you @nytimes for giving me the opportunity t

Thank you @nytimes for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this project with fellow writers and allowing me to pen a love letter to some of my most favorite ‘Invincible Garden Ladies’ — Big thanks and gratitude to my fabulous editors @charliebcuff & @jharlan12 for making a dream of mine come true!! Link in bio for the article and swipe 👉🏾 to see my muses starring:
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The legend my Mama - Vivian Lee🌹
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The pioneer Bessie Weaver 🌹
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The iconic Blanche Hurston 🌹
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The boss Mrs. Annie Mae Vann Reid 🌹
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The extraordinary Teri Speight @cottageincourt 🌹
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The wonderful Dr. Wilfreta Baugh 🌹
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The honorable Lillian Harris Ransom 🌹

As Andre 3000 so eloquently put it at the 1995 Sou

As Andre 3000 so eloquently put it at the 1995 Source Awards "the South got something to say" and in the latest episode of the Gardening with the RHS podcast I have a few things to say. And shoutout to my Mama & Daddy for putting me onto game by taking us down to the country—to the family farm in Barnesville, Georgia—on the weekends while I was growing up. This is how I learned who an “expert” truly was. Turn that sound up for a snippet and let me know what y’all think!
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I discuss the celebrated and controversial figure that is Booker T. Washington, his connection to the former Swanley Horticultural College in the UK, Black women and their legacy in ornamental horticulture, and my thoughts on “experts.” To be clear we must be LOUD about the fact, that in the plant game, a college degree or formal training ain't the only qualifier to make you the most knowledgeable one in the room. I said what I said 💅🏾
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Big thanks to the Royal Horticultural Society @the_rhs and especially @george_mcdonagh for taking the time to chitchat and doing some stellar editing on this piece. You can find the entire episode titled "Growing escapades and more" along with great content from the other contributors on the RHS page which is available on all major podcast platforms…a link you can copy and paste is here 👉🏾 https://rhs.podigee.io/278-growing-escapades
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Or hear the 7 minute clip of my discussion in my IG reels—enjoy!
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#RHS #ConquerTheSoil #Tuskegee

One thing I loveeee about the floriculture legends

One thing I loveeee about the floriculture legends of the past—they really rocked with each other. So here is somebody I want you to rock with—the beautiful Pilar Zuniga (swipe 👉🏾 for her pic!) As Oakland California’s finest floral bosslady Pilar is making flower money moves with her company @gorgeousandgreen and is hostess with the mostess of @floristsofcolor 💪🏿💪🏾💪🏽💪🏼💪🏻 where she is sharing our stories and truly doing it for the people! Support and follow Pilar’s work & socials y’all—united we stand!!!
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Pilar graciously shared her space and allowed me to guest post on her flower platform to discuss this handsome fellow you see here today. And bay-beeee he is a real one!! Check out the incredible story below 👀👇🏾
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The recipe for making lemonade is a classic one. Take something sour, turn it into something sweet. And that is exactly what famed Bahamian-American florist William O. Perry did back in the 1950s when he launched the International Florist Association…
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Back in the day after he and other Black colleagues were denied entry to the FTD (Florists Telegraph Delivery Association—yes that @ftdflowers) Perry did what he had to do—take lemons and make lemonade! Going full James Bond mode, Perry disguised himself as a waiter and attended an FTD convention. His goal—take notes and start his own successful association that did not limit him because of the color of his skin. And this is exactly what he did!
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Perry went on to launch and become chairman of the International Florist Association hosting the first meeting in 1953 in his hometown of Miami. Among the many things the group provided was a way for Black Americans nationally and internationally to fulfill and ship floral orders across the United States during the time of racial segregation known as the Jim Crow era.
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Businessman, organizer, straight up spy for the people, floriculture legend, and Pilar’s “Godfather” in the flower game—the iconic William O. Perry! Don’t ya love how Pilar and Perry both used their career and talents to make space for all—now that is how you play the game!
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#GorgeousAndGreen #FloristsOfColor #WilliamOPerry #ConquerTheSoil #FloralLegend #PilarZuniga #GirlCrush

This post is long overdue and please charge to my

This post is long overdue and please charge to my head not to my heart 🙏🏾 So what better time than the present to acknowledge how SUPER PROUD I am of this horticulture boss, history maker, downright stunna (seriously she is gorgeous y’all) and STAR of Magnolia Network’s “Homegrown” Jamila Norman a.k.a. ‘Farmer J’ (oh and fun fact we graduated high school together 💁🏾‍♀️💁🏾‍♀️ North Atlanta Warriors represent!!)
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Jamila who is the icon behind @patchworkcityfarms appeared on a Today Show segment to promote the @magnolianetwork launch created by the fabulous Joanna & Chip Gaines (which Jamila’s show is a part of.)
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On her IG page Jamila mentioned her segment was sandwiched between Hollywood royalty/television star Tracee Ellis Ross and Supermodel/Business mogul Tyra Banks. According to Jamila it was “a moment of many more to come” Yesssssss chile!! Flex on us all and secure the bag 😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💰😘
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Sound up to listen to Jamila’s divine words of wisdom on how she conquered the garden world. You can now stream new episodes of her show #Homegrown on @discoveryplus and new episodes drop weekly on Friday!!!
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Put your hands together, show some love, and make a joyful noise for thee inspiring Jamila Norman 🥂

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