Gardens & gabbing with the Germinatrix
Ivette Soler—L.A. garden designer, fellow agave nut, blogger extraordinaire at The Germinatrix, soon-to-be-published author, and an altogether delightful, adventurous, and generous person—visited Austin today for a meet-up with blogging friends. It was so great to meet her after following her blog for several years, a little like meeting a rock star!
We got to meet her lovely aunt Nora too, pictured above with Ivette in the middle and fellow designer/blogger Jenny Peterson on the right.
Ivette and Jenny had already met at the San Francisco Flower Show a couple of months ago and quickly reconnected.
Ivette and Nora arrived at my garden in the morning, in the rain, as did Jenny, Philip/ESP, and his wife Leah. Together we are undoubtedly Ivette’s biggest fans west of the Mississippi. I gave them a soggy garden tour, and then we popped over to Chez Zee for lunch.
With full bellies and under clearing skies, we caravanned to Jeff Pavlat’s succulent and cactus garden in the hills of west Austin.
Jeff gave us (agave freaks all) a tour of his incredible garden, which he and his partner built with their own hands and a knack for creating a beautiful design out of a collector’s garden.
Then we were off to the Patch, the East Side Patch, that is, where Philip and Leah had invited us and a few others for happy hour.
Scotsman that he is, Philip pulled out his bagpipes and played a rousing welcome for Ivette as she stepped out of her car and entered the Patch.
Wow, what a welcome! But where was the kilt, Philip?
Noshing in the kitchen, strolling the feathergrass paths of the Patch, gabbing with Ivette and the other guests, sipping sangria—what a great finale to a fun day.
Unsurprisingly, I did spot a few strange creatures in the Patch…
…and a glimpse of an ESP witch casting a spell?
We posed for a group shot on Philip’s new oversized bench—perfectly scaled, it turns out, for a group of passionate gardening friends. From left to right: Jeff Pavlat, me, Rock Rose Jenny, Philip/ESP, Daphne Richards, Jenny P., Leah, and Ivette/Germi.
My thanks to Philip and Leah for opening their home, kitchen, and garden to us, to Jeff for an inspiring garden tour, and, not least, to Ivette for taking the time to spend the day with us in Austin. Ivette, I look forward to your next visit!
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Is it possible the only thing in your pictures that I can grow is the Nassella? I am also grinding my teeth over the Agave’s refusal to grow in my climate. Looks like a fun outing, meeting with other plant lovers is always a good time, am I right?
Christine in Alaska
Well, we are gardening at least 3,000 miles and several growing zones apart. I never would have thought the Nassella would grow in Alaska, but I bet you get all the advantages and none of the invasiveness, eh? And I am certain that you are growing a number of plants that I would love to get my hands on but that would melt into a puddle in our heat. I know what you mean—it’s always the ones that won’t grow in our climate that we really want. —Pam
Hi Pam.
You captured the day perfectly…And what great photography… I also really enjoyed your account and your chosen images of the day…and what a mad day it was…rain…more rain…drizzle…then inhumane humid temperatures!
Where is my Kilt?…Well I left mine on the side of the:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Mare%27s_Tail
some years back! A rather more involved story! Oh, and I have to say…Kilts are really horrible, especially on long bus journeys! Well-they just are.
Thanks for organizing the get-together Pam…
Philip.
It does sound as if there’s a story there—kilts on long bus journeys? I will have to hear more about that one day, along with a demonstration of tying on an iced turban. (I could have used one of those yesterday.) I have quite a few more pictures of gardens from yesterday but just got these up as fast as I could to share the fun day I’d had. —Pam
I knew you’d have great photos! So glad you got to meet dear Germi and had a fun day with her fans. Can’t wait to get her up to the Bay Area again!
She is every bit as lovely and interesting in person as she is on her blog, Laura. I can’t tell you how fun it was to sit around with friends and talk with her yesterday. Well, yes I can—you just did that recently too. 🙂 —Pam
PAM!!!
I was meeting MY RockStars!
I can’t thank you enough for organizing the day – it was marvelous! Everything I could hope for and THEN some! Every garden was so special, and gasped so much I was afraid I might pass out.
And the BAGPIPES!
I enjoyed every second, even though the humidity took my flashdance hair to new heights of untamable frizz. I am in LOVE with Austin and my new “in real life” friends.
As usual, your pictures serve up the magic. We were a little swarm of garden paparazzi! I am SO eager to see our different takes on the day- and you started off with a bang!
Biggest XOXO – we FINALLY met!
Ivette, it was such a pleasure to spend the day with you. I loved every minute of it. You’re the best, truly. I hope you will come back again soon. —Pam
You all look so happy sitting there together. I can imagine what a magical day it was with so many gardening souls gathered together.
Yes, you CAN imagine, Lisa, because you’ve been to a garden bloggers meet-up yourself! They are always so fun, especially when you’ve been reading each other for years. —Pam
Oh my, what a happy day it looks like! Love the dragonfly capture 🙂
Very happy, Cyndy. Thanks for your comment. —Pam
The 4th photo (various agaves in ground, in pedestal planters, all over…against that rock wall), as well as the bagpipe greeting, is refreshing – far from stuffiness of TOO MANY landscape people. Thanks!
Oh no, there was absolutely no stuffiness allowed yesterday. Actually, most of the gardening folks I know here in Austin are incredibly friendly and creative and playful—not at all stuffy. Of course there are always a few, but I’d say they are the exceptions. Thank goodness! —Pam
Pam! You are the fastest blogger I know! All I did last night was download pictures! You, as usual, took breathtaking pics and they’re totally representative of the day. What fun to gather with old and new friends, share our love of plants and beautiful gardens, food and drink! Cheers!
Jenny, it was wonderful to get to know you better yesterday too. And wasn’t the Patch amazing—not to mention Philip’s bagpipe playing? (Is there nothing he can’t do?) What fun it all was. —Pam
New gardens and new friends – hard to top a day like that! Thanks for sharing
Yes, very hard, Susan. Blogging has led me to so many wonderful new friends and gardens. We were talking about that over lunch—how, before the Internet and blogging, we would all have been strangers to each other. But thanks to these online connections, virtual gardening clubs keep us engaged and fuel our creativity, and many of the virtual friendships eventually become real, in-person friendships. Life is good. —Pam
So sorry I missed it with this darned cold, but I’m so glad to be able to get a glimpse from your post. Looks like you all had a great time – thanks for sharing!
See you at the next Go-Go, Diana. More blogger fun ahead! —Pam
Looks like you had a fun, whirlwind day.
Thanks for sharing with us.
I had a lot of fun. Thanks for your comment, Linda. —Pam
Loved the day! It was totally worth getting sticky-icky and eaten alive by mosquitoes. Thanks for posting photos of everyone. And thanks for the invitation. It’s so nice to be part of the Austin garden blogging family.
Sticky-icky is an understatement, isn’t it? Whew! I’m glad Ivette had the opportunity to meet our extension agent, Daphne. And I’m glad to know you too! —Pam
Thanks for the lovely tour and for making me GREEN with envy! Hanging out with some of my very favorite gardeners of all time…drinking sangria…strolling gardens…truly a heavenly day! I feel like I was there (sorta). Beautiful photos, too!
Rebecca, I’m glad you enjoyed! It would be lovely to have you come to visit one day too. If you’re ever in Austin, let me know! —Pam
Thanks for sharing the tour with the rest of us, Pam. I continue to enjoy your posts and look forward to spending a few minutes everyday (stuck at my desk at work in a cube) escaping to the garden through your blog. Thanks again.
Thank you, Jeremy! I’m happy to provide a window of escape from work! —Pam
What fun! I am so jealous. I am also a fan of the Germinatrix because not long after I started blogging (two and a half years ago) she left a comment and said my blog described the life she lived in her dreams. How could I not fall in love with her?
How could you not? Exactly! She is so generous with everyone and comments so enthusiastically and yet sincerely that you can’t help but adore her. —Pam
Pam,
I love your photo’s. I really like the photo of the terra cotta bowl planters. Can you tell me what the terra cotta looking pedestals were that were used and if you know of a source for those. I just have to have those.
Debby, Jeff made the pedestals out of standard concrete tube forms, which you can find at Home Depot or Lowe’s. He bought the terracotta tinting powder and mixed it in before he poured the concrete. Then he set terracotta saucers on top, and voila! Isn’t it great? —Pam
Looks like you had a great time. Did you talk about anything other than gardening?
We talked a lot about blogging. And garden writing, but I guess that’s related to gardening. We talked a lot about ourselves as we got to know each other better. Aren’t you going to Buffa10, Les? You’ll see. —Pam
Lovely meeting you yesterday at ESP. Beautiful pictures. Really like the group portrait and the the one of ESP’s pretty little witch.
It was so nice to meet you too, Gail. You have a lovely family. —Pam
Wow. That is the best visiting ever! Tons of ideas there and what an attractive group! The bagpipe is quite impressive, one of the most enchanting sounds on earth! You all must have enjoyed it so. 🙂
We did indeed, Frances. It was a very fun day. I’m glad you enjoyed the pics. —Pam
What a fun-looking bunch and some fun-looking garden visits. Why can’t any of my potted succulents look as good as Jeff’s??
Jeff is a master, Jean. We mere mortals must not compare ourselves. 😉 —Pam
Fabulous! What fun!
It was, Jenn. Thanks for visiting. —Pam