My sister’s Houston garden
Front porch vignette
Last Friday we drove three hours east to Houston to visit my sister and her partner in their house in the Heights. Despite unseasonably hot and humid weather on Friday and Saturday, we had a wonderful time kicking around at the Houston Rodeo, shopping at The Garden Gate in the Rice Village (Fabulous terracotta pots! Glazed English wall fountains! French garden benches! Ooh la la!), and enjoying a beautiful, cooler Sunday at the Houston Zoo.
But hanging out in the gardens of their lovely home was just as pleasant.
A fun collection of plants on the front porch, including a cactus and a pencil tree, is accented by blue glass and a blue sap-bucket planter.
Like Houston’s weather, their garden goes hot and tropical in the front yard. Here a firecracker fern (Russelia equisetiformis ) heats up the sunny strip along their driveway.
Bucking the Old South look so popular in Houston’s shady inner neighborhoods (see the fuchsia azaleas along the neighbor’s foundation?), they’ve planted palms in their narrow strip of a front yard, with hot-red and orange flowers and chartreuse- and copper-leaved plants beneath. Along the driveway, a bottlebrush tree (Callistemon rigidus )—we just missed seeing it in bloom, darn it; it was loaded with buds—anchors a lively planting of variegated ginger, firecracker fern, bulbine, rosemary, and succulents.
In the Lone Star State, stars are a common motif in gardens. I have a number in mine too.
In the back, evergreen foliage cools things down, with variegated leaves and blue decor providing accents of color. Seen from their back porch, the tiny, brick-paved garden reminds me of old courtyard gardens in Charleston or Savannah. The herringbone-laid bricks look authentically old—some are stamped with the maker’s name and flecked with mortar—but actually they’re brand-new from Home Depot. Impressive!
They planted bamboo in this glazed pot we gave them one Christmas.
Along the side wall, water bubbles out of another tall, glazed container, visually cooling the garden and masking street noise. I love this fountain.
A blue, star-shaped birdhouse hangs on a fence strung with fragrant Carolina jessamine.
Their courtyard garden is delightful, whether viewed from indoors or sitting in it with a glass of wine in hand. And it shows how much you can do with a tiny, narrow space.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Ah, the Heights does have its own eclectic sense…and your sister’s done a lovely job on her garden.
I really enjoy the Heights. It is indeed a fun, eclectic neighborhood, and very pleasant for walks. —Pam
I see the garden bug runs in your family Pam. What an attractive garden your sister has. I love the firecracker fern. The bamboo goes very nicely with that beautiful pot and the fountain adds a fresh touch. They’ve done a really nice job making that back patio area look inviting, and yes, the brickwork looks great.
They do enjoy gardening and are learning to take care of their plants. Not knowing which plants to use, having moved to Houston from the southeast, they hired a local designer, who helped them choose plants, installed the courtyard plan that I’d sketched out for them, and planted everything. Now they’re enjoying the tinkering and experimentation that comes with having a garden. —Pam
Oh my… an eye for a beautiful garden must run in the family! What a great garden your sister put together. (And I have to say that I’ve been drooling over that variegated ginger ever since I first noticed it in Plant Delights!)
Now that you mention it, it’s true that everyone in my family has a garden. So much more fun than just grass. —Pam
Pam, it’s lovely. Some of her vignettes remind me of the photos of your garden too. I’ve seen Carolina Jessamine a lot lately at garden centers. I wonder if it would survive winter here. Hmmm . . . ~~Dee
She and her partner have a great eye for striking combinations, both inside and out. It’s always fun to see what’s new at their house. I hope you can grow the Carolina jessamine—such a lovely vine. —Pam
Your sister’s patio garden is just wonderful! It makes such good use of the space & is so inviting, I can imagine it is the spot for hanging out in the evenings.
Yes, at least until the mosquitoes get bad. It is Houston, after all. 😉 —Pam
What a beautiful garden! I could move right into their brick-paved patio.
The patio would be a tiny place to live, but it is charming, isn’t it? —Pam
Pam, there is a real similarity between your sister’s garden and your own, both lovely and smart for the climate! We often went to the Heights to shop for plants, my black metal pineapple sculpture came from there, and we have been to The Garden Gate, the planter on my front porch is from there. Ah, shopper’s paradise! Lucky sister and lucky you! Did you buy anything?
Frances at Faire Garden
What a coincidence that you’ve been to some of the same places in Houston. I really enjoyed the Garden Gate, and I bought a clay bird and a glazed, decorative tile there. But, oh, I could have spent ever so much more. —Pam
Yet another fountain I want. I love the idea of these.
It’s such a simple, elegant design—and drown-proof, for those with small children. —Pam
Pam,
I love this garden, the fountain and the bamboo in the glazed pot it’s all lovely.
Gail
Thanks, Gail. —Pam
I would hang out in that courtyard! I especially appreciate the incorporation of sculpture, interesting planters and other objects to highlight the plant materials.
Now, pass the lemonade…
Robin at Bumblebee
I do too, Robin. Non-plant decor injects the owner’s personality into a garden and makes it more meaningful to him or her. Cheers. —Pam
That courtyard garden looks so inviting. Nicely done patio!
It was inviting. We enjoyed drinks out there in the evening and breakfast there in the morning. —Pam
You must have been in Houston during the record heat they had. Whew… It is great that you shared your Sister’s lovely garden with us. It really does look tropical with that big palm in the front garden. I love the name ‘firecracker fern’. I have never heard of it. The blooms do remind you of a firecracker.
Yes, indeed, it was hot on Friday and Saturday. Sunday was back to normal (mid-70s) and much nicer. I prefer hot plants, like firecracker fern, to hot temperatures. —Pam
What a nice garden.
Thanks, Bill. —Pam
The seating arrangement is just beckoning someone to sit for a glass of sweet tea or a mint julip. How relaxing!
It’s a great spot to relax after a busy day as the sun sets. —Pam
The courtyard garden looks so inviting and REAL. It’s not a garden all staged up for a gardening magazine. It’s a real garden, inviting and relaxing. And I do remember you posted about drafting up a design for them. It turned out to be a real gem of a garden.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
Thanks, Carol. As my sister aptly puts it, I provided guidance for the design. The execution of the idea turned out great. And, yes, very real. —Pam
I really like how that fountain works with the overall space– the colors work with the siding and the flagstone, and the blue stones around the base help it feel connected to the house. And it’s just detailed enough to be a focal point without seeming pretentious.
I also like the way the jessamine is being trained on wires– I hadn’t thought of trying that, but it really seems to help the plants spread horizontally and evenly to connect the entire space the way a few plants growing mostly vertically wouldn’t.
This is a really soothing garden in a challenging space, and I’m enjoying picking apart why it works so well. 🙂
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Lori. You are exactly right about the fountain details, which my sister and her partner deserve full credit for. They also came up with the diamond pattern for training the jessamine. The local designer had used a few vertical wires, but they weren’t happy with the look and redid it themselves.
To my eye, the diamonds on the fence, the herringbone pattern of the brick flooring, and the corner-facing seats draw the eye diagonally across the long, narrow garden, creating an illusion of extra width. Positioning the fountain on the side wall, rather than at the end, emphasizes the width rather than the length of the garden, and prevents a bowling-alley feel. —Pam
Your sister has a fun looking garden. I was surprised to see so many plants that are familiar to us south Floridians.
Queen palms, firecracker plants, carolina jasmine. Of course the cacti are something we have a bit too much humidity for.
Thanks for sharing,
Rees Cowden
I imagine Houston and south Florida have a very similar climate : hot and humid. You don’t see many cacti in the ground in Houston either. You’ll notice that hers is growing in a container. —Pam
Oh my-another garden from which to covet plant ideas. That’s a very clean and crisp look using succulents. Both the bamboo in this glazed pot and the glazed pot fountain are so Zen like, and remind me of the spa gardens in Asia.
It is a very calming space, whereas the front is more zippy. —Pam
Good taste runs in your family! That patio looks like a nice place for a Texas martini in the evening.
Well, thanks, Chuck. Mmmm, Texas martinis. —Pam
What a beautiful courtyard garden. I love the fountain and the bamboo in the pot you gave them. The brick patio reminds me of a New Orleans courtyard garden – a style I always covet. It looks so peaceful there.
Yes, it is like a New Orleans courtyard too. Although I’d picture wrought-iron furniture instead of wooden Adirondacks. —Pam
As always I enjoyed evey photo. I like the narrow courtyard. It looks like a nice place to hide and relax but I’ll have a beer instead. What really caught my attention was the rabbit. I don’t usually go for statuary but I LIKE that.
I remember that you like bunnies, Wiseacre. Bugs in particular. —Pam
Oh my!!! I love so many things about your sister’s place I hardly know where to begin. I wish it was 3 hours from ME so I could go visit and get lots of tips from her. First, the fact that they have bucked the typical planting schema make sme smile a big old smile! Then, the fence. I am trying to decide what to do to create privacy along my back property line and I love what she has done with this board fence to make it creative and unique. And the fountain and glazed pots and…and…and….
My blog has been renovated..please stop by!
Carol
terranovadesign.blogspot.com
The fence with the diagonal wires has gotten a number of comments. It’s a great idea to borrow, isn’t it? Thanks for commenting, Carol. I’ll be sure to pop over to your blog again soon. —Pam
It’s official, you all have the Garden Gene, you, your Mum and your sister! And how about your kids, are they showing any signs of the GG? 😉
What a lovely house your sister lives in and her garden looks wonderful. Love that little seating area; it looks so inviting!
Yes, my youngest has the gardening bug. She’s just planted a bunch of seeds in her own little garden—and is already coveting more space. —Pam
Oooh! I want to live there! Except I already get my share of humidity in Tyler. But the look is fantastic. The courtyard is so cozy. The blues and whites so soothing. And that fountain. Where did they get it?
Brenda
They got the fountain at a little garden shop in the Heights. —Pam
Pam,
Your sister’s garden is wonderful! Just like something out of a magazine. I love the bamboo in the pot, that’s a good way to keep it under control.
It’s the only way I’d grow a running bamboo. It’s perfect for that tight, vertical space. —Pam
Pam, I’m so glad you shared the photos of their seating area. It’s wonderful! And Home Depot bricks??? Wow, what a wonderful place to sit and relax.
Relaxing indeed. Thanks for your comment, Melanie. —Pam
As Carol said, this lovely courtyard looks real, not staged, but it sure looks good enough for something like Cottage Living! That wooden fence must be a lot taller than the standard six-foot height allowed in most subdivisions… there’s enough space above the chairs to give the effect of a real garden room.
I looked at the website for Houston Heights, Pam and it was very interesting – a planned community, sort of like Hyde Park in Austin.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Ooh, she’ll be tickled to hear that compliment, Annie. She’s just started reading Cottage Living. You know, Houston has no zoning laws, so as you see she has very little open ground left on her property, and the fence is higher than would be allowed in Austin. And you’re right in drawing a comparison between the Houston Heights and Austin’s Hyde Park neighborhood. They have a similar look and feel. But the Heights in undergoing rapid gentrification, more like Austin’s east-side neighborhoods, which has made some old-time residents unhappy. —Pam