Elizabeth Lawrence

Elizabeth Lawrence (1904–1985) was an American garden writer and plantswoman known for her influential books and newspaper columns on ornamental gardening in the American South. She is best remembered for *A Southern Garden* (1942), a work that drew on her experiences creating and observing gardens in North Carolina. Lawrence wrote with a practical, observant style, combining plant knowledge with attention to regional climate and tradition. Her later books continued to document Southern plants, seasons, and garden design, and her columns helped popularize thoughtful, place-based gardening. Lawrence’s writing remains valued for its clarity, horticultural insight, and enduring sense of garden life.