Welcome to Southern Wild where southern charm meets the birds and the bees! I’m Julie, and this  is the landing spot for my thoughts, discoveries, ideas, and services for the garden and home. I am Southern by design…born and raised in Texas and transplanted in South Carolina.

Southern Wild, LLC is my garden design business built on the fundamental belief that we share this earth with all creatures, and everything we do to manipulate the environment should benefit all. That’s why I prefer using native plantings to invite wildlife into our garden spaces. (Be sure to check out Services.)

I am a serial do-it-yourself-er inside the house and in the garden, and thoroughly enjoy working with other people who also want to do their own projects at their own pace but need a little design assistance. Good planning and design will bring about the best results and save you money to boot!

So what should you know about me?  I love tools…good tools that require a large battery or electrical outlet. Nothing pink. I think that good tools are the biggest secret that mankind keeps from womankind.

I love knowing how things work. I have a great admiration for McGyver.

My favorite stores are Home Depot, Pottery Barn, and Ikea. I believe that cool stuff can be found in hardware stores.

I am an educator by training, gardener by choice, and worshiper of the natural world. I appreciate good literature, movies, music, coffee, and food. I have a masters degree in instructional design and a diploma in landscape design. My professional work experience includes teaching children to read, writing and editing educational materials, and owning and operating a butterfly farm and nature center. (Yelp, you read that correctly. I was a butterfly farmer! See this post.)

I am deeply grateful for the life I am experiencing and am excited to build new relationships as we exchange thoughts and ideas through Southern Wild Design. So…welcome aboard and let’s get started!