Pam Penick - author of Gardens of Texas

Interviewed by Chaz on KVLF 10-14-2025About the Author:Pam Penick is a Texas garden writer, speaker, and advocate for climate-resilient design, known for inspiring waterwise, wildlife-friendly landscapes for nearly two decades. She’s the author of Gardens of Texas, Lawn Gone!, and The Water-Saving Garden, and the voice and photographer behind Digging, her influential website about gardening in a hot climate.Her writing has appeared in Better Homes & Gardens, Fine Gardening, American Gardener, and other national publications. For 10 years—including during a historic drought—she ran a landscape design business helping Texas homeowners replace thirsty lawns with waterwise gardens of native and well-adapted plants.Pam gardens under live oaks in northwest Austin, where she keeps an eye out for screech owls and foxes—but could do with fewer deer. She’s also the founder of Garden Spark, an Austin-based speaker series on design and ecology, where she brings fresh ideas and bold voices to the local gardening community.https://www.penick.net/digging/About Gardens of TexasFrom drought and extreme heat to floods and freezes, gardening in the Lone Star State can be a challenge. However, some Texas gardeners choose to turn adversity into opportunity, cultivating spaces that are productive, resilient, and beautiful to boot. To showcase some of these landscapes comes a new title from Timber Press: Gardens of Texas by garden writer and Digging blogger Pam Penick.In this stunning, photo-rich tour of the state, Penick introduces readers to 27 intrepid garden-makers who, through true-grit determination and innovation, have adapted to Texas’ extreme climates and challenging growing conditions. By implementing hardy plant choices, rainwater harvesting, native lawns, and other responsive design strategies, they’ve created dynamic, thriving gardens that celebrate the state’s unique natural beauty. Penick presents these spaces as case studies, offering practical takeaways and plant recommendations for empowerment and inspiration.The lessons from these landscapes aren’t confined to the Lone Star State alone, though. As the rest of the country experiences increasing weather fluctuations, these tips and tricks are valuable for all gardeners navigating a rapidly changing climate. Timely and informative, Gardens of Texas is a must-have title for garden enthusiasts everywhere.