Fun, funky succulent planters & more at Tillery Street Plant Co.
This brainiac baby head is just one of the creative succulent planters I spotted during a recent visit to Tillery Street Plant Co. in East Austin.
Tillery Street sells wholesale and retail “to the unwashed masses,” with a concentration of agaves, yuccas, acacias, small succulents, and other xeric plants.
From the parking lot, an inviting doorway opens up to…
…a pecan-shaded display yard filled with spiky accents for your garden.
Cholla, possibly the spiniest cactus of all.
But what really stood out for me were the small-scale container plantings with tender succulents and cacti, in colorful dishes…
…inverted metal pyramids (notice how this one is wedged into a tree stump!)…
…and beautifully constructed boxes. Don’t forget the blue baby-head planter pictured at the top of this post. That one nearly came home with me.
The business office is run out of a shiny Airstream trailer, with Austin style motel seating out front.
You’ve got mail! A mailbox stands in for a display shelf and holds a few surprises.
More laid-back motel seating surrounds a metal fire pit, currently filled with bamboo muhly.
A large stock-tank pond brings reflected sky down to ground level.
A trickle of water is revealed behind the papyrus.
Orange goldfish dart around at the surface, warming themselves in the spring sun.
Last year Tillery Street began sharing space with East Austin Succulents (click for my tour), so visiting one gives you a two-for-one nursery experience. Stay tuned for more succulent and cactus goodness!
All material © 2006-2012 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Pam, thanks for sharing these. I sprayed our old horse-trough copper color and use as a H2O feature, too.
They are naturals for container ponds, and no digging required! —Pam
Looks like a cool place! I love that blue baby head planter. I’m not sure where I’d put it, but it’s definitely something you don’t see every day.
I know, and so quirky, right? I’d love it for my kitchen windowsill, but my daughter was a little freaked out by it. —Pam
That inverted pyramid planter is such a great idea…why have I never seen something like that before! Love the rusty metal water feature…super cool.
They are doing cool things with metal, aren’t they? —Pam
I think I’d plant that baby head with burro’s tail!
A baby with dreadlocks—cool! —Pam
or curly sedge! That would be fun in the baby’s head. Now I’m trying to remember where my 3-sided metal bell is.. could be turned upside down and planted…
Great idea, Cheryl! Send me the link to a photo if you do it. I’d love to see it. —Pam
Fun place! I’ve only seen metal pyramids like that as hanging planters…so much better just jammed into a piece of wood, or the ground, or???…
This place had some fun, creative planters. But you, Danger Gardener, would have loved the plants. —Pam
I am so glad I came across your blog! We moved to Austin 6 weeks ago and know very little about where to find great plants. I am an avid gardener and so excited about the growing season here! I will visit Tillery Street Plant Co. This weekend!
Welcome to Austin, Kelly! You picked a good time to arrive—you should get to see a good wildflower season thanks to our winter rains. Do visit Tillery Street for fun inspiration. I have some other recommendations for you too. Your best bet for learning about the plants that really do well here is to pick up a free copy of the city’s Grow Green Native and Adapted Plant Guide, which you can find at local nurseries and sometimes even at Home Depot or Lowe’s. Also, visit the Wildflower Center to get a sense of our native flora, and take notes and pictures of combos that appeal to you. Visit two great native-and-adapted plant nurseries: Barton Springs Nursery and The Natural Gardener. Once you have a good sense of the basics you can splurge on a fun semi-hardy plant every once in a while. Happy digging! —Pam
What a great place. It really got my imagination racing. Lots of ideas.
Yes, indeed, Commonweeder. Look for more succulent fun from my upcoming post about East Side Succulents. —Pam
The blue baby head pot was made by Traci Hutson, a local artist/potter. She does AMAZING stuff!
Thanks for the info on the artist, AR! —Pam