All I need is more plants
Pop into the restroom at Barton Springs Nursery, and you’ll find you’re not alone in there. An impassive woman wearing a t-shirt that speaks for all of us — All I need is more plants — frolics in a bathtub filled with faux succulents and fiddle-leaf figs.
Even the showerhead is “planted up,” with a giant faux tillandsia standing in for a spray of water. So clever!
Like every single person in Austin, I’ve been making near-daily visits to nurseries in search of plants to fill holes in the garden and replace freeze-blasted container plantings. It’s a crazy scene at every nursery, with lines of cars trying to get in and plants flying off the shelves as fast as delivery trucks bring in new ones. But if you can go early on a weekday, you’ll find fewer crowds and a less frenzied atmosphere and can take a moment to enjoy springtime sights like this, a stunning ‘Tangerine Beauty’ crossvine in full bloom at Barton Springs Nursery’s entrance.
Beautiful blooms!
Even in the parking lot you’ll find little surprises, like a spiderwort that’s pushed up through a crack in the concrete to flaunt purple flowers.
At Vivero Growers, their container plantings always make me stop and look, including this combo of slipper plant, silver ponyfoot, and ivy geranium (I think).
And in a friend’s garden — always make time to visit a friend’s garden, where you can relax and enjoy her plants without thinking for one moment that you should get up out of your chair and get to work, as you do in your own garden — I spotted a patch of Texas bluebonnets in full flower. Hmm, it’s time for a wildflower safari, I think.
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Digging Deeper
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Have you found rosemary yet? I saw one at Barton Springs Nursery and almost grabbed it until I realized it was in someone’s cart, not a display. I think there has been a run on rosemary.
I got a small one at BSN a couple weeks ago, literally as it came off a delivery truck. I did see some somewhere recently but can’t remember where — and those are probably gone by now anyway. I think you’ll find one soon though, as rosemary can come from growers anywhere around the country.
The Westgate Central Market has carried a lot of herbs the past couple of weeks, and I bought my rosemary plant there. They had a pretty full supply.
I went to The Garden Gate Garden Center in Sequin yesterday and they had a lot of rosemary available.
You are right about visiting a friend’s garden. Maybe THAT’S why I love garden tours, I don’t see anything that I need to do.
Right? Lots of ideas and no work required, just enjoyment.
The mannequin is so perfect to the circumstances. The slipper plant/Euphorbia is very interesting and oddly not something I’ve ever seen here. I’m glad your lovely bluebonnets have arrived to provide a distraction from the results of that truly awful arctic blast.
Slipper plant is pretty commonly used around here, although it’s not, I think, winter hardy. There’s also a native variety (native to West Texas) that’s not as beefy and structural.
Not surprised your nurseries are overrun. They are here in Northern California, where we’ve had a mild winter. I can only imagine the demand in winter-ravaged Austin!
I’m blown away by how quickly the surviving plants have staged a comeback in Austin!
Well, certain plants are thriving and in fact hardly seemed to notice the deep freeze. But many, many others — in particular the shrubs, certain trees, and of course nearly all the large succulents — were hit very hard and are still brown, or cut to the ground to see if they can come back from the roots. These pics don’t tell the story of what Austin looks like right now. But they’re the pretty pics. 🙂
I totally understand the impulse, but COVID isn’t slowing down the in-person plant shopping?
Nope. Every nursery I’ve been to in Austin requires shoppers to wear masks, and the shopping is done outdoors for the most part. So it feels pretty safe.
All of your photos are wonderful. The lady in the bathtub is hilarious. I miss BSN, the Natural Gardener, and the Great Outdoors. There’s little like them where I live…but Stephen F. Austin State University (a 2 hour drive) is still hosting its spring plant sale, and I’m signed up for the first slot on the first day they offered it next weekend. Have been buying like crazy on-line. I’d name a very special mom & pop nursery in Louisiana (both online and in person) that I love, but I don’t think the purpose of your blog is to advertise nurseries. Hope you’re finding everything you want. I’m trying a few new-to-me plants. Fingers crossed they like it here.
Go ahead and name it, Laura! I’m curious now.
The nursery is named Almost Eden https://www.almostedenplants.com/ and is located in Merryville, LA. It’s a family-run nursery, and I’ve been purchasing plants from them for five years. I got their name from a fellow Master Gardener. They are just wonderful to deal with when I’ve called with various questions. Always friendly and helpful. Their plants also sell out quickly, but you can be put on a waiting list for those plants they are out of. I believe, Bonnie (the wife of John) does the propagation.
I have been thinking this very thing that bathroom lady has on her t-shirt. I totally agree that this is clever.
It’s a fun surprise for anyone who visits the bathroom. 🙂
Even without an unexpected freeze, gardeners always need more plants!
That’s for sure!
Here, it’s “all I need is more space”, a more difficult issue to address. Yet, new plants are appearing–we gardeners are incorrigible. Best wishes that you soon need more space!
It’s funny how new plants appear even when space is tight or a garden is full. 🙂
I’m amused watching my resolve to stop zone pushing just slowly fade & disappear. I’ve already blown some big bucks on a large olive tree replacement and a fancy alocasia that’s going into the ground instead of a pot. The heart wants what the heart wants, I guess!
Indeed it does. It’s going to take more than one epic freeze for me to stop zone pushing with certain indispensable plants. 😉
[…] Barton Springs Nursery, the bed-headed mannequin (last seen in the restroom’s bathtub) was perched one day atop a tall stool, a surprise for the unwary along a woodsy path. Hello there! […]