Lecture & Book Signing with Jenks Farmer
Getting a Meadow Is Like Getting a Puppy — Debunking Trendy Myths of Modern Gardening
Jenks' new book pulls no punches.
Over 30 years, he's fallen for the hype, face-planted in his own garden beds, and survived every sexy simplification the gardening world has thrown at us. Now he wants to help new Southerners and aspiring gardeners actually succeed—by understanding how plants, soil, climate, and even fungus really work together.
Armed with these fundamentals, you can tackle any kind of gardening: vegetables, flowers, shrubs, lawns, and yes, even those Instagram-worthy meadows that look effortless but definitely aren't.
This fast-paced presentation features gorgeous slides, hard-won wisdom, and a few spectacular failures Jenks isn't afraid to share—so you can learn from his mistakes instead of making your own.
Join Jenks to explore the reality behind the fantasy and discover what actually works in a Southern garden.
Lecture & Book Signing
Where: Magnolia Workshop
When: Saturday, November 8th, 2:00-4:00 PM
Cost: $35
*Discounted rate for members available
jenks’ book, light refreshments, and other select items from our gift shop will be available for sale at the event!
About Jenks Farmer
Augustus Jenkins Farmer speaks and writes with a soulful, funny, and unflinchingly honest voice. Jenks, as he's known, created two of South Carolina's largest public gardens: Riverbanks Zoo Botanical Garden and Moore Farms Botanical Gardens. He combines academic credentials from Clemson and the University of Washington with hard-earned lessons from the hundreds of gardens and landscapes he's planted, nurtured, and occasionally killed.
Jenks has designed and planted gardens from Charleston to New Orleans, acted as Director of Horticulture for Historic Columbia, and Book Committee Member for the American Horticultural Society.
He runs an organic bulb farm, and teaching center alongside his family on a 1750s farm near Aiken. His fifth book, Secrets of Southern Gardening: Pro Tips for Success, was released in August 2024 and is the only independently published book on the Garden and Gun Big Fall Reading List.
Secrets of Southern Gardening: Pro Tips for Success will be available for sale.