Garden writer and speaker

Covering design, ecology, and the ways plants shape how we live

Garden writer and speaker

Covering design, ecology, and the ways plants shape how we live

My story

A serene landscape featuring rolling hills, a clear blue sky, and a vibrant sunset.

A garden writer and speaker based in Seattle, WA, I explore the many ways nature shapes our lives. I believe in the power of gardens to connect people with nature, support biodiversity, and strengthen communities.

My work appears in Better Homes & Gardens, Horticulture, The Seattle Times, and American Gardener, among others. I also write garden and wellness columns for Washington state newspapers and enjoy covering lifestyle topics, from travel to home design.

After years as a reporter and producer in fast-paced newsrooms, I combined my journalism with a lifelong love of gardening. I studied landscape design at The New York Botanical Garden and worked in nurseries in both New York and Seattle, experiences that continue to inform my writing.

My writing has been recognized with four Gold Medals from Garden Communicators International. In the community, I'm a content consultant for Pacific Horticulture, serve on the board of the Northwest Horticultural Society, and am a trained Master Composter/Sustainability Steward with Seattle's Tilth Alliance.

When I'm not writing, speaking, or gardening, you'll usually find me exploring the outdoors with my tree-climbing dog.

Signature Topics

Talks can be customized for your group, online or in-person

Climate-Ready Gardens

Reveals the strategies to understand what your garden needs now - and in the years to come. Find climate-ready plants, learn about microclimates, use climate analogs, and weatherwise care tips.

Futurescaping: Ancient Wisdom meets Modern Technology

Ancient traditions, the wisdom of nature and the latest technology all come into play now. Hugelkultur, food forestry, and rain gardens are being rediscovered as we learn to use AI, drones and citizen science. Filled with inspiring local examples.

Feast Mode: Grow More Food in Less Space

As gardens become more compact, you'll learn how to grow a rich tapestry of food in the smallest spaces, from the latest dwarf and container-ready plants to design and growing strategies.

Seed Snails and Winter Sowing

Two seed-sowing strategies that use creative upcycling for efficient, easy growing. Offered as a demonstration, webinar, or hands-on workshop.

Garden Wanderlust: Waterwise Gardens from Europe, Mexico and the Western U.S.

A global adventure exploring waterwise strategies and how we can apply them at home.

Go for the Bold: Tropical Drama Anywhere

Learn the design secrets to creating bold, magical spaces with any kinds of plants, from tropicals to hardy ornamentals to vegetables and annuals.

Growing Great Tomatoes - Even in the PNW

A Seattle tomato is not a mythical creature - you can have a bountiful harvest through plant selection and care tips modified to our climate.

Media

Close-up of a blue agave succulent with thick, pointed leaves.

Photography

My photography is featured in The Seattle Times, American Gardener, and Noelle's Johnson's excellent book, "The Water-Smart Garden: Techniques and Strategies for Conserving, Capturing, and Efficiently Using Water in Today's Climate... and Tomorrow's."

Book cover titled 'The Healthy Garden' with colorful flowers in the background.

Expert Advice

What a joy to be included with other passionate gardeners in this fabulous book by Mary-Kate Mackey and Kathleen Brenzel!

I'm also honored to be a regular garden commentator for Axios Seattle's news site.

Collage showcasing climate ready landscape plants and eco-patch at Potrero Gateway.

Video Production

I helped produced the final two installments of Pacific Horticulture's video series on the Climate-Ready Plants Trial - what a cool project!

Watch

Past Events

Whidbey Island Garden Workshop

Futurescaping and Seed Snails- March 21, 2026

Futurescaping: Ancient Wisdom meets Tomorrow's Gardens

Northwest Flower and Garden Festival, Seattle Convention Center February 18, 2026 3pm

Garden Wanderlust: Water-Wise Inspiration from France, Italy, Mexico, and Beyond

Webinar, Cascade Water Alliance, February 3, 2026, 7:00 pm PST

Sow More Seeds with Less Effort - The viral seed snail method

Christianson's Nursery, Mount Vernon, WA -Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, 11 am - noon

Erica Browne Grivas

Garden writer and speaker

Garden writer and speaker

Writing

Inspiration

Writing

Speaking

Inspiration

Writing

Inspiration

Inspiration

Inspiration

My story

Signature Topics

Inspiring stories