Gardens on Tour 2007: Bridle Path
The homeowner’s front porch. Do you sense that a garden lover lives here?
We headed to central Austin’s tony Tarrytown neighborhood for the last garden of the tour. I didn’t expect much from this garden, frankly, after looking at the black-and-white brochure photo. Shot in winter, with bare trees dominating the scene, the photo made the garden look merely unkempt and uninspired. What a misrepresentation that turned out to be.
Stepping up from the street, we were drawn into the garden along a curving path of limestone and river rock that skirts a circular pond and leads to the uniquely painted front porch, seen in the photo above. The lush mix of tropicals and native plants reminded me of the grounds of Austin’s lovely Laguna Gloria.
An ocean theme—a holdover from a previous owner, according to the brochure—asserts itself throughout the garden: seashell mulch; “antique garden gates flanked by whimsical dophin sculptures wearing seashell crowns” (no photo, sorry); conch shells attached to the house and smaller shells lining the edge of the porch (see photo at end of post). I like that the current owner let all that remain (the way Kim at A Study in Contrasts has kept her stone lions that are a little corny and not exactly to her taste). It gives the garden a history that’s independent of the current owner. Not to mention a quirkiness and personality that all true gardens delight in.
Following the path to the right side of the house, we came to this charming stone gate, smothered in star jasmine.
Looking back from the other side of the gate, you can see how the star jasmine is scaling the old live oak. The back yard opens up to a large deck looking out on the main garden “next door,” in the other half of the double lot. It felt peaceful here, removed from the busy highway just a few blocks east.
The garden is mostly green, with bold plant shapes like palms holding their own beneath those dark, sinewy arms of the live oaks. This is the view looking back toward the house and deck.
The main garden consists of three levels. From the high point at the back to the lowest level near the street, a sweeping lawn wanders among large, peninsula-shaped beds containing the jewels of this garden: ancient, twisted live oaks. Mom and I strolled into the middle level, and I was immediately enthralled with the garden’s texture and design.
Textural combination: yucca, palm, prickly pear in bud, and fuzzy Jerusalem sage
Horticulturalist and nationally known author Scott Ogden designed this garden, whether originally or more recently I don’t know. Funny story: I introduced myself to a man whom I’d seen answering visitors’ questions. I assumed he was Scott Ogden, so I said something like, “Hi. Are you Scott?” I’d swear he said yes, but it quickly became evident that he was not Scott Ogden, and now that I’ve visited Ogden’s website and seen his photo, I know that’s not whom I talked to. Perhaps he was Scott Thurmon, listed in the brochure under “Other Contributors”? At any rate, he told me that the garden is 20 years old and that he’s been helping to maintain it for the past several years.
The upper level at the back of the lot is sunnier and more xeric, as the yuccas and cacti attest.
Closer to the house, a tiered fountain decorated with seashells and slag glass makes lovely music. See Tom Spencer’s May 15th post at Soul of the Garden for more images.
Water features abound in the garden; this small, round pool was the fourth one I’d seen. Standing here in the top level, looking down into the middle level, you get a sense of how large this garden is, though the curving design and screening plants make it live larger than it really is.
Another pleasing composition: a shaggy juniper tree (called cedar around here), silver Texas sage (cenizo), and inland sea oats.
A glorious, spreading live oak and more inland sea oats. This view is from the lower level looking up toward the back of the garden.
Colored glass adds sparkle to a river-rock path.
A concrete gnome. I love a beautiful garden that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
The arms of this live oak look like tentacles—which plays into the ocean theme, doesn’t it?
A wedge of bronze cannas contrasts with the predominant chartreuse and green understory.
Just give me a hammock and I’d be in paradise.
Trees and green have dominated in this garden, so why not a green bottle tree? Hey, everybody’s got to have one of these babies!
On the way out, this little grass with pink inflorescence caught my eye. Anyone know what it is?
A last look at the painted front porch. See the conch shells above the posts?
All this can be yours for nearly $1.9 million. Yep, this jewel is for sale, gardens and all. I asked “Scott” whether his services were included with the sale, and he just smiled and said, “We’ll see.” Indeed. Let’s just hope whomever buys this property loves and maintains the gardens—and continues to share them with Austin now and then.
I hope you enjoyed these posts about Gardens on Tour 2007. If you’d like to revisit them, click here to go to the first garden.
This is my favorite of all the gardens you profiled this week, though I’m not sure why. Maybe the oaks – they are so lovely! It also has a nice natural-but-tidy thing going on, and I thought it was great to see how much variety and interest there can be in the absence of blooms (though I do love a good flower). I think what really gets me about this garden is that it just seems very livable, very much a people and pet-friendly space. The lack of blooms makes it look low-maintenance, but I’m sure that’s not true, right?
I agree, Jessica. I think it’s the oaks but also the overall tranquillity of the garden that is so appealing. It does look to me as if it’s pretty low-maintenance . . . for a garden this size. And it may well have more color earlier or later. As I mentioned in my Bloom Day post, and as was confirmed by the other Austin bloggers, it’s an in-between, green time for Austin gardens right now. —Pam
I like this too. That painted front porch is a wonderful idea. I’ve never seen that done before.
Neither had I, Bill. It was so charming. —Pam
Shades of green with contrasting textures are always at the top of my list. Great front porch. Subtle but eye catching!
I’ve just discovered your blog, and I’m really enjoying it. The grass with the pink heads that you saw might be ruby crystals. Here it is from the Natural Gardener website http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/nursery/grasses/rubycrystals.html.
Hi, Mary, and thanks for commenting about the grass. I think you’re right—Ruby Crystals. I’ve got to try some of that this fall. —Pam
I adore that wedge of bronze cannas! I had to smile when you mentioned my black lions… I don’t know if I would be able to handle working around that huge fountain as gracefully as the other gardener, though. What a wonderful job.
The front door is amazing. I love it!
When you talked about an “Austin Look” in the first garden review (limestone outcroppings, low-growing flowering perennials, and ornamental grasses) it didn’t ring true to my own feelings about Austin. This garden does.
I think it’s because I moved to Central Texas from the desert southwest. We first lived at Fort Hood in an old Texas farmhouse surrounded by huge live oaks (and one black walnut) with grassy fields runnng down to a stream (across which was the heliport). To my desert-raised eyes Central Texas was green and full of huge trees and St. Augustine grass (grass with no stickers that you could run barefoot in)–the blackland prairie meets the oak savannah. All that green under huge live oaks–that’s what Austin means to me.
You are right, MSS. There are two Austins, generally divided by MoPac/the Balcones faultline. This one represents the greener side of Austin to me too. —Pam
Hmmm, a mere snip at 1.9 million I’d say. 😉 Love that painted porch! Have seen similar stuff in France, Italy and the Netherlands. The garden is lovely, I love the way that contrast in form and structure is used. Those oaks are spectacular. Bottle tree pretty! That stone gate with the star jasmine was absolutely stunning!
BTW do you know what a 3 sisters bed is? 😉
No, YE, that’s why I asked. 😉 Thanks for stopping by! —Pam
What a gorgeous garden! I loved the jasmine climbing up the live oak tree (but I can’t imagine the tree enjoying that…but boy is it tempting to try!). I’ve started my bottle collection for a bottle tree, yours definitely inspired me.
Yea! Another bottle tree is born. I have this vision of bottle trees sprouting in gardens across the country as each one inspires someone else. My mom’s inspired me a year or so ago. —Pam
Dear Pam,
How wonderful that you met Scott Thurmon — and that he’s partly credited for this beauty. Scott used to be a neighbor of ours and was so generous with advice, encouragement and plants. Our spineless (kind of) cactus and Japanse iris are his. I have both to pass on to any who’d like to try them.
Julie
I do wonder if that was him. Dark haired? Snappy dresser?
I’m intrigued by the Japanese iris. Probably don’t need any more cactus though. 😉 —Pam
Pam
What lovely pics again, and I love the old gnarled trees. I’ve spoken with the president of the Trinidad garden club and we’ve agreed for me to start blogging their garden tours. I just put up the first one-pity I wasn’t there to take the pics. BTW I’ve changed my settings to allow anonymous comments.
Hi, Nicole. It’s pretty fun to blog a garden tour. It will be interesting to see the various gardens you have in Trinidad. —Pam
Thanks for posting the tour on your garden blog, Pam. Although I’ve been reading all your posts, making an intelligent comment on the tour is beyond me right now – I’m not sure what to think about it all.
Annie
I love the star jasmine climbing through the oaks. This was a wonderful garden tour. I would have loved to see this garden in person. There are so many cool features, like the river rock path.
Wonderful blog you have here!
Thanks, Kate! —Pam
Ha Ha! Just stumbled across this tonight (2 years later). Beautiful garden to maintain. Credit goes to Scott Ogden for his incredible plant diversity (long time no see, btw where can I find that enormous Mahonia nobody else ever noticed?), and also to Patrick Kerwin (Sp?) who did some part or all of the installation (never met, but I think took your parking permit yesterday for Central TX Gardner, and was looking to see what I should leave in my truck.)
OK I changed a few things, but not much. Great job!
Small world, lot’s of plants.
To my ex-neighbor Julie, Thanks! Glad to know you’re sharing.
Scott Thurmon