The Long Way Home

My title was Happiness Manager. I was the most depressed person in the building. This is the story of how I ended up designing gardens in Nashville clay.

garden design philosophy, Nashville Garden DesignClare HorneMarch 8, 2026Nashville garden designer, MFA artist, Nashville landscape design, The Grass Girl

The Only Garden Trend That Matters in 2026

A Nashville garden designer on why the biggest shift in 2026 isn't a feature — it's the return to presence, peace, and the radical act of going outside.

Landscape Design, Nashville Garden DesignClare HorneMarch 6, 2026Nashville Garden & Landscape Design, Nashville Landscaping, Nashville Gardening, Hardscaping, 2026 Landscape Design Trends

The Garden Is the Art: On Composition, Chaos, and the Oldest Installation on Earth

A Nashville garden designer with an MFA on why gardens are the most complete art form on earth — through Monet, Bosch, Goldsworthy, and her own hands in the dirt.

Garden Design, Nashville Garden DesignClare HorneMarch 3, 2026Garden Design, Art

How Does the Garden Design Process Work?

What to expect when you hire a garden designer — from the first conversation to a buildable design. Clare Horne of The Grass Girl explains the process for Nashville and Middle Tennessee homeowners.

Design Process, Garden Planning, Landscape Design, Nashville Garden DesignClare HorneFebruary 16, 2026Design Process, Nashville Garden & Landscape Design, Nashville Outdoor Living Design

New to Nashville Homeowner's Guide to Landscape Design and Gardening in Middle Tennessee

What every Nashville transplant needs to know before spending a dollar on landscaping.

Nashville Garden Design, Zone 7a, Landscape DesignClare HorneFebruary 13, 2026Nashville Landscaping, Nashville Gardening

As Seen in Country Living: Why Outdoor Spaces Are Finally Moving Beyond the Matchy-Matchy Set

2025 Trends, Nashville Garden DesignClare HorneJune 16, 2025Garden Style

How to Replace Your Nashville Lawn with a Wildflower Meadow (And Why You Might Want To)

A designer's guide to meadow gardens in Middle Tennessee — 90 native species, the honest timeline, and everything the seed packet doesn't tell you.

Garden Planning, Nashville Garden DesignClare HorneFebruary 13, 2025Meadow Garden, Pollinator Garden

Choosing the Best Landscape and Garden Designers in Nashville

A Nashville garden designer on what separates real design from a plant list — and what to look for before you hire anyone to touch your landscape.

Landscape Design, Nashville Garden Design, Nashville Landscape, Garden Planning, Garden DesignClare HorneFebruary 10, 2025nashville garden designer, Nashville Landscaping

How Much Does Landscaping Cost in Nashville?

A designer’s honest breakdown of what projects actually cost — and what’s really driving the price.

Nashville Landscape, Nashville Garden Design, Landscape DesignClare HorneApril 8, 2024Nashville Landscape Design, Nashville Landscaping Costs

Presence Is the Luxury

You don't need a bigger patio. You don't need a fancier fire pit. You need a reason to go outside and stay there. That's what a garden gives you — and it's the most valuable thing money can buy.

Landscape Design, Nashville Garden Design, Garden DesignClare HorneFebruary 25, 2024Nashville Garden & Landscape Design

Japanese-Inspired Garden Design in Nashville: The Art of Making a Space Feel Like a Breath

Japanese-inspired gardens aren't about lanterns and raked gravel — they're about stillness, intention, and making a space feel like a breath. Here's what this style takes in Middle Tennessee and why it transforms a property like nothing else.

Garden Design, Nashville Landscape, Nashville Garden Design, Japanese Garden Design, Garden StylesClare HorneFebruary 27, 2023Japanese Garden Design, Contemporary Garden Styles, Nashville Gardening, Nashville Garden Design, Nashville Property Design, Nashville Landscape Design

The Grass Girl Blog

Notes on garden design, planting, and working with land in Middle Tennessee.

A Nashville garden designer on why the biggest shift in 2026 isn't a feature — it's the return to presence, peace, and the radical act of going outside.

What to expect when you hire a garden designer — from the first conversation to a buildable design. Clare Horne of The Grass Girl explains the process for Nashville and Middle Tennessee homeowners.

What every Nashville transplant needs to know before spending a dollar on landscaping.

A designer's guide to meadow gardens in Middle Tennessee — 90 native species, the honest timeline, and everything the seed packet doesn't tell you.

A Nashville garden designer on what separates real design from a plant list — and what to look for before you hire anyone to touch your landscape.

A designer’s honest breakdown of what projects actually cost — and what’s really driving the price.

You don't need a bigger patio. You don't need a fancier fire pit. You need a reason to go outside and stay there. That's what a garden gives you — and it's the most valuable thing money can buy.

Japanese-inspired gardens aren't about lanterns and raked gravel — they're about stillness, intention, and making a space feel like a breath. Here's what this style takes in Middle Tennessee and why it transforms a property like nothing else.

Nashville, Tennessee