About Urban Earth
Located in Midtown Memphis’ Flicker Street Art District, Urban Earth is a welcoming, community-minded resource for plants and garden materials and garden design, creation and management. Our mission is to enhance the natural beauty, livability and resilience of our clients’ gardens, and in doing so, enhance our wider community. We are proud to offer the following goods & services:
- Garden Design & Installation
- Garden & Lawn Management Programs
- Indoor & Outdoor Plants
- Gifts & Garden Supplies
- Planters & Fountains
- Community Workshops
- Experiences & Celebrations
The company’s roots trace back to the Touliatos family — longtime, influential members of the Memphis horticultural community. In March 2019, Leslie and Brett Norman bought Urban Earth and are excited to bring an increased focus on serving the design & beautification needs for the “built” environment such as condos, patios, and porches.
Let’s stay connected! @UrbanEarthMem
Brett Norman
Owner
Brett grew up on a produce and tobacco farm in Middle Tennessee but has lived in Memphis for 25 years. After graduating from Rhodes College, he worked at a Texas landscape design firm, where he fell in love with plants and gardens. He has learned a lot about the horticultural industry through his professional endeavors, including founding an Ag-Tech company, and also through trial and error in his own gardens. When he’s not at work, he enjoys walking his dog and watching his kids play soccer and lacrosse.
Lisa Post Lawhead
Nursery & Market Manager
Lisa is a lifelong Memphian with 20+ years’ experience in horticulture. She thoughtfully curates the plant inventory and has a keen eye for merchandising and designing custom containers. She also has a strong desire to continue the educational element offered at Urban Earth. While balancing work and home life with two daughters, Lisa is always looking for the highest-quality plant material for customers.
Mark Comes
Gardens Designer
Mark was born in Memphis and has lived most of his life here. He started working at Greg Touliatos & Associates, Inc. (now Urban Earth) in 2001 and enjoys the diverse plant inventory and great staff. Previously, Mark worked at Dan West Garden Center and at several landscape firms (including his own) and as a horticulturist at Memorial Park Cemetery. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family.
Steven Killebrew
Gardens Designer
Steven grew up in Honolulu, San Antonio and Memphis and later lived in Pensacola. In 2010, he returned to Memphis and began working at Urban Earth. He enjoys getting to know a diverse group of customers and helping them craft their individual gardens. Steven has a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Mississippi State University. In his spare time, he likes reading, container gardening, collecting unusual plants, going to estate sales, and taking road trips with his three Dachshunds.
Shaeffer Upton
Gardens Coordinator
Born and raised in Greenwood, Mississippi, Shaeffer has lived most of her life in Memphis and the Horseshoe Lake area. She says gardening is in her blood, as her mother and grandmothers were avid gardeners. Shaeffer worked in the fitness industry before moving to retail and landscaping at a family-owned garden center in North Carolina. In 2019, she moved back to Memphis and began working at Urban Earth. In her spare time, she enjoys going to movies, concerts and dinner with family and friends.
Robert O’Neal
Gardens and Nursery Superintendent
Robert spent the majority of his life in North Mississippi, and then became a Memphis resident in 2014. He loves having a plant-centered job and is particularly fond of native warm-season grasses and forbs that flower late in the year. Robert developed a love of gardening after becoming a homeowner in his late twenties. Outside of work, he spends time with his wife and son and also enjoys reading, writing, naturalistic gardening and wandering through natural areas with no agenda.
Amy Ballentine
Plant Technician
Born and raised in Memphis, Amy became interested in landscaping after spending time with her grandparents who were avid gardeners. Her favorite gardening tool is the Hori Hori root cutting knife. Over time, she has become an expert on native plants and is working to increase the native plant inventory at Urban Earth. Amy also has a passion for animals and regularly volunteers at the Humane Society of Memphis in her spare time.
Martha Garriott
Sales Associate
Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Martha and her family moved to Memphis when she was 9. Now a master gardener, she began gardening with her grandmother at age 4. Martha started working at Urban Earth in 2016 after attending a seminar on butterflies and pollinators at the nursery. Previously, she worked as a designer at Pugh’s Florist. Her poodle, Bee, comes to work with her and is a friendly addition the shop. In her spare time, Martha likes bicycling, gardening, nature photography, and listening to concerts at the Levitt Shell.
Urban Earth Gardens
We believe that gardening is a craft—one that we’ve honed. Let us partner with you to create tranquil indoor and outdoor spaces.
- Customized Design & Installation
- Plant and Building Materials that Make Your Space Worth Celebrating
- Hand-Crafted Garden & Lawn Management Thoughtfully Tailored to the Needs of Your Space
- A Focus on Locally-Sourced Garden and Plant Materials
Come by Urban Earth soon and let us help you reimagine your space with expert garden design direction.
Urban Earth also offers customized Garden and Lawn Management Programs.
Contact us to learn more.
Urban Earth
Nursery & Market
Come to shop, to clear your head, and to leave energized.
- Situated on 1.4 acres in Midtown Memphis
- 4 Greenhouses with the Region’s Best Variety of Plants for All Seasons
- 6,212-Square-Foot Retail Market
- Hand-Selected Planters, Gardening Tools, Decor, Gifts & More
- Potting Artists Creating Beautiful Creations for Pick Up or Delivery
Don’t have a garden but want to stage one? We partner with other “experience creators” like wedding photographers and event coordinators to elevate their services. Lifestyle bloggers also use our educational facilities to host workshops like still-life photography and home decoration.
Hope you pay us a visit soon. We can’t wait to meet you and learn about your garden.
Location & Hours
Our Location
80 Flicker Street
Memphis, TN 38104
Hours
Monday, Closed
Tuesday–Friday, 10am – 5pm
Saturday, 9am – 5pm
Sunday, 1-4pm (Open Seasonally)
Let’s talk!
info@urbanearthmemphis.com
901.323.0031
@UrbanEarthMem
© 2019 Urban Earth