As you pull up to Brian and Tyler Gainey’s 1940s bungalow in Revolution Park, you’ll see a hand-built planter box that spans the length of the deck. The black fence contrasts with the vibrant greenery and bright florals that dot the yard. The lawn loops around a flowerbed that offsets the light gray of the stamped concrete patio.
It’s the physical foundation for what’s become one of Charlotte’s most active social media accounts for gardening: Gardener in Love. It grew from a COVID-lockdown hobby into a way to showcase their passion for nurturing shrubs, flowers, and trees—and each other.
“Gardener in Love is a culmination and outward view of the best of us,” Brian says. “We want this to be a view of our relationship and our life, and we also want that to be front and center because it’s so important to us.”
Tyler works full time as a global sales strategist for a tech company, while Brian runs Grove Haus, an advertising agency that works primarily with gardening and lifestyle brands. They typically spend 10 to 15 hours a week on Gardener in Love, which features photos and reels of the pair’s travels to places like the Chelsea Flower Show, as well how-to videos and sponsored content that highlights their favorite gardening products.
When the Gaineys purchased their home in December 2019, the backyard was a blank canvas. They saw the potential for a timeless, European-inspired garden where they could host friends and neighbors. “It’s the kind of neighborhood where people stop by to chat about the garden and share stories from their time growing up in the neighborhood,” Brian says…