StayRooted Entertainment (SRE) is committed to community, and we recognize that one of the most significant staples of a thriving community is local businesses. Texas is home to thousands of small businesses, working to provide for their “village” and bring authenticity to business practices.
StayRooted is excited to highlight local businesses, and we’re starting with one close to home as we finish out our garden monthly theme: Rambling Garden in Fort Worth, Texas.
Rambling Garden is a landscape design business owned and operated entirely by its founder, Alexandra “Allie” Johns. Allie has been working in architecture and landscape design since 2022, with a focus on residential and commercial projects. She has worked under renowned Dallas landscape designers and is now stepping into her own business venture. We’ve known Allie for almost a decade, and as she is gearing up to launch Rambling Garden, we jumped at the chance to interview her.
Rambling Garden is a lifestyle blog where Allie also promotes her virtual landscape design, specializing in Cottage Core and whimsical designs. Through storytelling and an eye for detail, Rambling Garden showcases how intentional living, small-scale gardening, and personal style can transform even a camper into a sanctuary. Allie inspires others to find joy and creativity in the spaces they live—no matter how small.
Meet the “Gardener” & Small Business Owner: Alexandra Johns
[SRE] I am stoked to talk to you today about Rambling Garden. Even though I’ve known you, let’s start with an introduction. What’s your name, and where are you from?
[AJ] I’m Alexandra Johns, and I grew up in a tiny town called Wortham, Texas. It has a population of 1000—I graduated with 30 people.
[SRE] So, we met in college as you were getting your Art History degree. I’d love to hear how you became interested in that and how it evolved into landscape design.
[AJ] Well, I originally wanted to pursue Library Science, possibly working with archives. I was pursuing interdisciplinary studies (combining religion, history, and art history) because I came from a family of artists; everyone was always making art. It has been something I’ve been doing ever since I can remember—my parents really supported it. One of my first jobs was at my grandmother’s picture framing business. She had a profound influence on me, particularly in the areas of art, archives, and gardening.
[AJ] Gardening had always been a hobby for me, but I saw a job posting back in January 2023 and decided to put myself out there. I started out drawing other people’s designs, and that has led to my designing my own work as I gained confidence.
[SRE] How has your art grown with you?
[AJ] I use art to help me process things that I’ve gone through or experienced. It also has tons of religious and historical themes, like the stuff I studied in school. My art style hasn’t changed much since I was a kid, aside from becoming more refined. I’ve done lots of self-portraits.
[SRE] Can you share a moment or a story where you fell in love with plants?
[AJ] My favorite childhood memory has to do with gardening. It’s something that has stuck with me. I was with my grandma, and we were walking out to her garden—and you have to understand, her garden was huge. She didn’t usually do this, but that summer, she had a watermelon patch. I just remember her picking one up, busting it open, grabbing her little apron knife, and starting to cut it up. Then, we sat there together, eating watermelon on the ground. This is actually my first year growing watermelons.
[SRE] What does “gardening” mean to you beyond the literal sense, and how does that philosophy shape your work?
[AJ] My personal belief is that we’re supposed to be stewards of the land and animals. I feel that it’s a way for me to do that in my own way and leave a mark behind.
[AJ] Doing landscaping and planting trees that will last for decades, or transforming existing areas to make them better, feels good. To me, plants are another palette to create artwork. I love the challenge and versatility that come with my job. There are also many more sales aspects in landscape design than people realize, as you present yourself as someone they can trust to take on their projects.
Planting the Seeds for a Rambling Garden
[SRE] If Rambling Garden were itself a garden, what would it look like?
[AJ] It would be small, but abundant. So, laid out in a way that you don’t see everything at once. You’d have to wind through it and find the secret passageways. There’d be arches, almost like natural ruins.
[SRE] What first planted the seed for Rambling Garden?
[AJ] As I gained more experience, I started thinking about what kinds of projects I wanted to do. As a designer, the idea of working on designs that I’m passionate about really appeals to me. I want to be able to represent myself as a professional.
[AJ] Rambling Garden picked up after I moved to Fort Worth into my camper. I started decorating and planting my own garden, and it made me realize that I could share my journey and expertise with others. So, Rambling Garden is as much a design company as it is a lifestyle blog.
[SRE] How has Rambling Garden grown or transformed since its beginnings?
[AJ] I do think Rambling Garden is still in its beginnings. The first steps were moving into my camper and getting my garden going. The goal now is to create content and showcase the journey itself to the world.
[AJ] I’m living that tiny home, cat-mom, plant lady lifestyle, and as I grow and progress, then Rambling Garden will too.
If you’d like to work with Allie on a design or follow along on her adventures as a camper and home garden content creator, you can find her using the information below:
Taylor is the Editor-in-Chief of the Rooted Literary Magazine and works as a freelance editor and writer for Game Rant. Her fiction work has appeared in Neon Origami Literary Magazine, Wingless Dreamer, and more. Her background blends creative writing, digital content creation, and editorial work.
Rooted Literary Magazine is a literary platform dedicated to showcasing art, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, spoken word, music, and film that captures the full spectrum of human experience—from the beautiful to the devastating, and everything in between.
