Winter blues that'll lift your spirits
January 22, 2009
After feeding the lories at the San Antonio Zoo, we stopped by the Antique Rose Emporium in north San Antone. In winter the roses are quiet, but the adobe walls are always colorful. And at any time of year they show off evergreen yuccas and agaves to great effect.
At an opening in a terracotta adobe wall, a blue gate invites you in.
This boldy painted courtyard sang the blues, but I didn’t feel sad.
Do you?
Neither does she.
A wooden arbor introduces another shade of blue.
The blue wall enhances the yucca’s blue-green leaves.
Blue, blue, blue
Goodbye, winter blues.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
I love the blue walls and that gate is just incredible! Sometimes I wonder why most folks (in my area anyway) are so cautious and neutral with color choices. In areas with lots of sunshine, there are so many gorgeous colors in use on houses and architectural features.
Cameron
I could do with a few of THOSE winter blues! Gorgeous – what a great spot!
Eww, I just love it all especially the gate, my favorite color.
That blue is just inspiring! Love the photos!
Wow ! those blues just POP ! .. I love the whole setting .. what is it about the blue that really makes you pay attention and yet you find it so restfull at the same time ?? amazing : )
It’s those two kinds of blue together that really makes it work, ist’t it.
Hi Pam, what a lot of inspiration there. Where’s my paintbrush! That is so different than the Brenham location, that one is very cottage garden with picket fences styled. San Antonio is so cool anyway, it was a favorite destination when we lived in The Woodlands. Are you thinking of adding some blue to your hardscape? It sure makes those agaves and other spikeys sing out loud! 🙂
Frances
I may, Frances. I don’t have the budget for stucco walls, but I’m thinking of a short section of painted fence at some point. We’ll see. —Pam
Boy – does that make me want to get out my paintbrush! I have a little fence by the veggie garden that needs some new planks and they will need to be stained to match the others. OR, they could all be painted a fun color to perk up the yard! Inspiration….or chores!
It’s all in how you look at it. For what it’s worth, I think color in a veggie garden really spices things up. Look at Carol’s purple bench, for example. —Pam
I would definitely say they have a thing for blue. Didn’t know there was an ARP in San Antonio. I little closer than Brenham. You had a nice day out with the family.
I’ll have a few more pics tomorrow, Jenny. The grounds aren’t as extensive as in Brenham/Independence, but I do love seeing roses cascading over adobe walls, and it IS closer to Austin. —Pam
This is my favorite Blue…ever! If I could make it make sense here…that would be all over this garden. It does look fantastic with the gray and blue toned plants. gail
No winter blues here in any form. I do like seeing all this blue. The sun was shining here all day. Yep a lovely day. These blues are the ones I like to see in my garden. No adobe walls here though. They would freeze to death. I just love those huge agaves.
Wow – that makes me wonder whether I should paint my old back yard fence blue.
Cool! I had no idea there was more than one ARP. I’m a big fan of blue accents in the garden, too. We had a tropical garden in Houston, and I painted my bench and arbor the same color blue as this gate, plus had pottery groupings in all the different water shades. I loved it – it really popped!
I’m a true lover of blue. In fact, just this afternoon I ordered a cobalt blue bird bath. Always wanted one. And the one I have seems to have cracked in the freeze. Gotta give my birds their bath! I love the color of the green plants against the blue. Really striking. I wouldn’t have thought so until I saw it, in fact!
Brenda
Although I’m not a huge fan of blue (in my garden) I think these photos are fabulous. The varying shades of blue hardscapes is a real treat for the eye. Thank you for sharing!
Oh, Pam – You’ve done it again!
Thank you thank you thank you – I’ve been trying to talk my husband into painting the wall of our garage that makes up one side of my veg garden a cobalt blue, but he was being so stubborn! Until I showed him this post – and he acknowledges that it will look stunning.
I can ALWAYS count on you for inspiration! I’m really enjoying what you are doing with your new space – rarely does anyone get the treat of watching a talented gardener design their home garden from the bottom up. What a treat!
What!? You mean you don’t have automatic free rein in the design of your garden, Germi? I’m shocked!
Well, I’m glad to have provided the visual confirmation you needed to convince your hubby of the rightness of your vision. I expect to see pics soon! —Pam
All that blue just made me instantly happy, Pam. Beautiful, rich colour, and it must be a perfect anodyne to hot Austin days.
Thank you Pam for this post. What gorgeous pictures!!! Did you ever see the Frida Kahlo movie with Salma Hayek? I think FK OWNS this blue. There are several blue + orange houses in my ‘hood. I want to photograph them and post on wacky cottage colors.
I did see that movie, but I can’t remember the blue. I’ll have to watch it again. But do you remember the blue wall at Peckerwood that we weren’t allowed to cross the stream to see? We could admire it only from a distance. This reminds me of that wall. I would love to see your post on cottage color schemes. —Pam
If only it were this easy! Great blues and great photos as always, Pam. Thanks for taking us along. If I ever get to Austin, I will visit this place.
It’s an hour and a half south of Austin, in San Antonio, but there are many reasons to make the drive. I would love to see you here one day, Layanee. —Pam
I wonder what the name of the color is and what brand. I would love to get that particular shade.
Aiyana
Good question, Aiyana. You could grab some color chips and compare them to your screen, I guess? You certainly have the right look in your garden for a gorgeous, colored adobe wall. —Pam
Absolutely gorgeous! I love color and this blue rocks!
Really nice color. I’ve never seen this part of the Antique Rose Emporium. Did you buy any roses?
No, I didn’t. The only sunny beds I have in the new garden are already filled with sun-lovers. I did pick up a columbine though. —Pam
Pam . . . I needed this post! Like a mini-vacation from winter in the East . . .
I haven’t been to the San Antone ARE in about 8 years but remember it fondly. They had planted Fortune’s Double Yellow Rose on an adobe wall and it was just achingly beautiful.
I LOVE all that blue! I especially love your photo of the wall with the two pots (where you said you weren’t sad). That’s just gorgeous from that angle.
Love the blues. But you probably knew that.
That blue is amazing. I’d love to have something painted that color in the garden.
Antique Roses Emporium is one of my favorite rose vendors.