From the humble garden gnome to elaborate walls handmade from collected stones, the features we add to our yards make them oases not just for plants but for us as well. At least this is the theory of the Austin-based landscape designer and author Jill Nokes, who’s an expert in both aesthetics and sustainability: She says her specialty is “designs that incorporate local materials and plants to re-create authentic settings with regional flavor.” She’ll speak about her book Yard Art and Handmade Places: Extraordinary Expressions of Home during today’s AIA Houston: Authors in Architecture presentation. Part design tome, part spiritual quest, the book collects the personal stories of 20 Texas homeowners and their bountiful yards – with a special emphasis on local traditions, plants and tools. A reception will follow Nokes’s talk, so you can ask her for advice about your own little soulful plot. 6 p.m. Central Library, 500 McKinney. For information, call 713-520-0155 or visit www.houstonlibrary.org. Free.
Thu., June 17, 6 p.m., 2010
This article appears in Jun 17-23, 2010.