Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Kuznetsova.
Hi Julia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
A Garden You Can Enjoy. Not Another Weekend Job.
If you’ve ever bought a car full of plants, spent your weekend digging, and watched the Texas sun undo your hard work, we should probably talk.
I’m Julia, founder of TerraArt Creations, and I’ve had my share of garden disappointments, too. Plants that looked promising at the nursery and had other plans once they got home. A garden that looked lovely in spring, then had very little to say by fall. I understand your fears.
I’m also an oil painter, so color, texture, and composition are a big part of how I design. But your garden should look good beyond installation day—without becoming your weekend job.
I use low-maintenance, Texas-adapted and native plants to create gardens you can enjoy year-round. Flowers have their moment; foliage, shape, and texture keep things interesting when the blooms take a break.
And your garden shouldn’t disappear after sunset. Thoughtful landscape lighting keeps its best features—and your enjoyment—in view.
At TerraArt Creations, I design and install landscapes across Houston and Sugar Land. When you hire me, you get me—personally working on your project, on-site with my crew.
Tell me what isn’t working—and what you’d love to see when you come home.
Let’s talk: terraartcreations.com
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Moving from Siberia to Houston? Let’s just say the plants weren’t the only ones that had to adapt.
I went from gardening in Zone 4 to Zone 9 while rebuilding my life in a new country. I brought my experience, but no local connections, no established network, and no years of company reputation to help people trust me. I had to earn that from scratch.
Has it been easy? No. There are days when I feel like giving up. Starting over takes a lot out of you.
But even if nobody paid me, I’d still be creating gardens. I’d still be out there with my crew, making things happen on a construction site—work that some people still don’t picture a woman leading. Well, here I am.
Getting paid is definitely the preferred arrangement, though.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I design and install gardens that suit the people who live in them, using low-maintenance, Texas-adapted and native plants, with lighting that makes the garden just as inviting after dark.
But what I’m especially proud of is what happens after installation. We don’t pack up and wish you—and your plants—good luck. For the first month, we help care for your new garden, check how the plants are settling in, and adjust your sprinkler settings to their needs. We also show you what to do and answer your questions, so you feel comfortable caring for it yourself.
That first month of follow-up care is included at no extra charge. A finished installation is the beginning of a garden, and we stick around to help it get started.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I’m still building my network in Houston, so I won’t pretend I have networking all figured out. Starting over in a new country is a very effective way to become a beginner again!
My advice? Be curious, ask questions, and don’t feel you have to impress everyone. I’d rather have one good conversation than leave with twenty business cards and no idea who anyone is.
For me, a mentor would be someone who can be honest about what isn’t working—not just tell me I’m doing great. Encouragement is lovely, but practical advice helps you move forward.
Contact Info:
- Email: Terraartcreations@gmail.com
- Instagram: Garden.houston
- Facebook: Julia TerraArt
