"The Invincible Garden Ladies"

It was nothing short of a grand affair when Blanche Hurston launched her Florida floral business during the roaring twenties. And when it came time to sell beautiful blooms, the mighty Mahalia Jackson made customers an offer they couldn't refuse. From the ordinary to the extraordinary--join in as the State Botanical Garden shines the spotlight on these lady legends in horticulture who forged a path to economic and social freedom, providing inspiration for plant lovers today.

Abra Lee is a storyteller and author of the forthcoming book “Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers.” She has spent a whole lotta time in the dirt as a municipal arborist and airport landscape maager. Her work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Fine Gardening, and Veranda Magazine. Lee is a graduate of Auburn University College of Agriculture and an alumna of the Longwood Gardens Society of Fellows, a global network of public horticulture professionals. In January 2023 she joined Oakland Cemetery, a revered garden cemetery and vibrant park located in downtown Atlanta, as Director of Horticulture.