From Carolina Roots to Memphis Magic: How I (Lovingly) Said Goodbye to My Lawn

We pulled into our new East Memphis home with a U-Haul bursting at the seams — shovels, seeds, six years of gardening tools, and a very pregnant dreamer ready to make magic. Eight-and-a-half months along, I waddled straight to the backyard with a tape measure and a vision bigger

than my belly.

Grass? Sweet, well-meaning grass… it was time to let you go. This 40×50-ish patch is about to become a lush, regenerative food-and-flower jungle that feeds my family and fills my Porch & Petal boxes with beauty.

I’m no stranger to this kind of transformation. For the last six years I’ve been turning forgotten, tired land into thriving gardens — most recently rehabbing an entire neglected farm in North Carolina (chickens, shed, the works) and growing my business The Wild Bloom Garden & Farm Cafe right out of my own urban backyard. Dirt is my love language, and this yard just whispered, “Let’s dance.”

What we’re working with:

- Rich, workable soil (thank you, Tennessee!)

- Gorgeous mature trees giving that perfect dappled Southern shade (free air-conditioning for plants and people!)

- A few slopes, some fencing, and a wide-open gate — perfect for wheelbarrows and dreams

**The Cordova Jungle Plan (next 6–9 months):**

Turn this standard suburban backyard into a bountiful, beautiful, regenerative paradise — all before (and after) baby arrives.

**This week’s to-do list (because nesting + gardening is a real mood):**

- Measure and map neat rows of 2.5–3 ft × 12 ft raised beds with 18-inch paths (maximizing every inch)

- Build a cozy 6×4 ft greenhouse tucked along the fence

- Set up the worm bin compost palace (hello, wiggly workforce!)

- Install a rainwater collection tank right off the greenhouse — free water for the win

**Dreaming bigger (future pretties):**

- A harvest table under twinkling string lights for family dinners and memory-making

- A living pollinator hedge around the perimeter exploding with sunflowers, zinnias, and native perennials (happy bees, happy neighbors)

- Memphis-smart tweaks: shade-cloth teepees for the hottest days, extra-deep beds for monster sweet potatoes, and leaning hard into these glorious trees for natural cooling

Everything will be low-cost, realistic, and doable — even if you’re starting from scratch. I’ve collected tools and seeds over years, but the methods are simple: hand tools, grow bags for potatoes, direct sowing, and a whole lot of love. If I can do it pregnant, with 5 more children to love in the home and everything else that I’ve even blessed with, you can do it too.

So follow along! Watch a very determined mama turn a blank lawn into a food-and-flower wonderland — one shovel, one seed, and my growing family along with me.

The grass is gone. The garden is just getting started. 🌱✨

Who’s ready to grow with me?

Until Next time,

Serena, The Wild Bloom Garden and Farm Cafe’