Garden Dialogues 2026: Austin, TX
The exact address is only shared with ticket purchasers for reasons of privacy. Please reach out to aileen@tclf.org if you have any questions.
Join TCLF and Word + Carr Design Group to explore two residential projects that were specially designed for resiliency in Texas’ increasingly changing climate. Learn about creating enduring landscapes that are both visually appealing and functional.
Mt. Bonnell Residence marked Word + Carr’s second collaboration with both this client and the accompanying architectural team. The client, originally from Jamaica, wanted a landscape that would evoke the lush, tropical feel of her homeland while being resilient enough to withstand Central Texas' punishing climate extremes, from scorching summers over 100 degrees to occasional hard freezes in winter. This required careful plant selection that could bridge the gap between tropical aesthetics and native adaptability.
The project presented several significant challenges from the outset. The front yard sloped dramatically toward the house, creating potential drainage concerns, while the overall steep grade of the land made both design and installation particularly complex. Once a vast Bermuda grass hill, it was transformed into a thriving, native-planted landscape that honors both the client's cultural identity and the region's ecological realities.
By selecting native and well-adapted plants with tropical characteristics—bold foliage, varied textures, and lush growth habits, Word + Carr created a design that feels both tropically exotic and entirely at home in its Texas Hill Country environment.
Next, at Old West Austin Residence, a lush, cedar elm canopy announces visitor’s arrival and its filtered light and native understory set the tone for everything that follows. These trees became Word + Carr’s design anchor, informing both the material language and ecological identity of the site.
The front yard honors the client’s desire to push the design beyond a conventional lawn, capturing their vision of a wooded landscape with shaded paths, window screening, and seasonal variation. Existing palms—survivors of freeze and drought—remain as a nod to the site's history.
The entry walkway has a deeper garden design intervention. Word + Carr salvaged existing flagstone and repurposed its pieces into the planting beds, repaving the path with clean, geometric-shaped concrete landings. Their simple design provides a balanced contrast to the loosely planted surroundings.
Managing the backyard’s drainage required careful consideration. Word + Carr straightened a preexisting retaining wall and sited a luxurious new pool into the hillside, which improved the site’s hydrology while maintaining a lush, open lawn. Rather than treat this space as a small backyard, it was conceived as a courtyard, defined by bamboo screening and a trellis, perfect for entertaining.
1.5 LA CES™ professional development hours will be available to attendees, pending approval.
Refund Policy - No refunds will be made for Garden Dialogues
