Can a garden grow more than just vegetables? What if it could grow collaboration, connection and even culture?In this moving and insightful talk, a university gardener-turned-leader shares how an old barn and a few beds of soil transformed into a thriving community one where people formed friendships, built startups, shared values, and healed together. Reflecting on history, student life, and the instinctual human need to co-create, this talk invites us to rethink what makes teams truly work and how gardens might just be the missing piece. Emilio Garcia Padron is a social entrepreneur and community garden advocate, whose journey has intertwined the cultivation of green spaces with the fostering of innovation and team synergy. At 18, he became president of Edible Campus, a society responsible for maintaining an expansive community farm at Lancaster University. Under his leadership, the society grew into the third-largest at the university, receiving the prestigious LUSU Sustainability Award.Through his experiences, Emilio has demonstrated the untapped potential of gardens, proving that they are not just spaces for reflection, but powerful ecosystems for nurturing creativity, collaboration, and sustainable change. His TEDx talk, “Over the Garden Wall: The Importance of Touching Grass,” aims to spread the idea that green spaces are vital for fostering team culture, innovation, and personal growth, offering a fresh perspective on how to make a positive impact in a fast-paced world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx