October 02, 2025
On Friday we packed a picnic dinner, navigated parking near a metal concert, and walked the trail along Lady Bird Lake. At a dock overlooking downtown Austin’s distinctive Jenga Building and Sail Tower, we parked ourselves to eat and wait for dark. Other folks soon joined us at the water’s edge.
As the sun set, the glass buildings took on a pastel glow. We kept looking toward the old Seaholm Intake Facility (at far left) — an Art Deco pump house for a power plant decommissioned in 1996. Today, Seaholm is being reimagined as a community gathering space, with fundraising underway by The Trail Conservancy.
Until that day, WaterWork, an annual immersive-art experience, gives Austinites a reason to appreciate Seaholm’s architecture and lakeside location. As a “large-scale projection celebrating the dynamic between the urban environment, the natural landscape, and the many talents of Austin’s creative community,” WaterWork, co-created by The Trail Conservancy and Design Austin, turns Seaholm’s facade into a supersized video screen.
Plenty of chill Austinites turned out for the free event. We gathered on docks, bridges, and boats, kayaks, and paddleboards to watch it.
As sunset’s last pink glow washed across Seaholm, the lights of downtown came on, turning the water gold.
At full dark, WaterWork’s projection began.
Fifteen different artists created short clips, which lit up the building with storytelling connecting humans and nature. My favorite clips featured scurrying opossums…
…and moseying turtles…
…and this surreal sequence with a tree-lady, elephant, and floating eyes. Thanks, WaterWork creators, for the art and storytelling on a beautiful Austin evening!
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Join me for Jill Nooney’s Garden Spark talk on October 9th
Austin-area readers, I invite you to my next Garden Spark event on October 9th. Artist, gardener, and author Jill Nooney of Bedrock Gardens will speak about her acclaimed New Hampshire garden, and I can’t wait to see her photos and get inspired by her gardening magic. You may wonder what a New England garden has to teach us here in Texas, and I’ll tell you. Like any garden created with passion and creativity, it teaches us to TRY and experiment and risk failure, and to delight in the beauty, humor, and life stories that result. Come join us!
Tickets available here
Garden Spark is open to the public. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
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Digging Deeper
My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, comes out October 14! It’s available for pre-order now on Amazon and other online book sellers. If you’d like to read it or give it as a holiday gift, please consider pre-ordering. (I’m happy to sign pre-ordered copies at my book events!) Early orders make a big difference in helping new books get noticed. More info about Gardens of Texas here — and thank you for your support!
Come see me on tour! I’m speaking in cities across Texas to celebrate the release of Gardens of Texas. Talks in October include: Planta Nativa in McAllen on 10/16; The Natural Gardener in Austin on 10/18; SFA State University’s Fall Plant Fair in Nacogdoches on 10/23; Houston Botanic Garden on 10/25; and The Arbor Gate in Tomball on 10/26. Join me to learn, be inspired, and get a signed copy of the book!
Tour 5 Austin gardens on Saturday, November 8, on the Garden Conservancy’s Open Day tour for Travis County. Tickets must be purchased online in advance, and some gardens limit attendance, so reserve your spot early. Find full details here.
Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events, so join the Garden Spark email list for notification when tickets go on sale: click this link and ask to SUBSCRIBE. Read all about the Season 9 lineup here!
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