Succulent extravaganza: More of Jeff Pavlat's garden
While visiting Jeff Pavlat’s succulent and cactus garden on Wednesday, I couldn’t resist snapping a few more photos than I showed you yesterday on my post about The Germinatrix’s visit. Pictured above is his millstone fountain, given an Asian flavor with the addition of smooth, gray Mexican beach pebbles curvily laid out to suggest a pool of water. Part of his aloe collection overlooks the fountain.
I love how Jeff juxtaposes the beach-ball-like form of golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) with star-shaped agaves like this beautiful A. americana var. mediopicta ‘Alba’—currently my favorite agave.
Wow, how about this fiber-optic ball of a yucca! This baby is waiting in its box to be planted out in Jeff’s garden.
Another striped agave—I forget its name, there were so many different ones.
More golden barrels and another variegated agave. Last winter’s hard freeze killed off the lower leaves of this agave, so Jeff pruned it up, and I think it looks pretty cool, not pineappled at all.
Ivette expressing her horror of the weather conditions we central Texas succulent-lovers must endure. Such sympathy! She’s the best. Ivette gardens in Los Angeles, so she rarely has to contend with freezing temps. Pictured too are Philip of East Side Patch, his wife, Leah, and Jeff, the owner, telling us about his garden. Two gigantic Yucca rostrata frame Philip and Leah in the background.
More golden barrels, along with Opuntia and sotols. I love how they look mulched in Texas black granite.
In Jeff’s greenhouse he grows an incredible assortment of cacti and succulents, all neatly labeled and mulched in various colored gravels.
Gorgeous texture, and the cactus spines capture light and water droplets beautifully.
A rainbow-like collection of aloes
I absolutely covet Jeff’s Agave colorata, which reminds me of a big satellite dish. If anyone in Austin ever sees one of these for sale in a reasonable size, please let me know.
Jeff’s garden is a feast of texture and pattern, and he has some of the most unusual plants I’ve ever seen. For more pictures, from a previous visit to Jeff’s garden, click here.
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Thanks for the pics. I am just speechless at the sight of that collection.
Oh MY! And what amazing shots you took, PAM! As usual, leave it to you to frame it all so brilliantly. I LOVE the picture where I have my head in my hands – you showed the moment of my complete unbelievable Agave Fainting Spell!
Jeff’s garden is a WONDER and I am going to be thinking about it for a long, long time – what an incredible tour, what an incredible day! Like you said – “Life IS good” – especially when there are people like you around help to create such a lovely and vibrant community of gardeners. J’ADORE!!!
XOXOIvette
I’m glad to have been able to show you Jeff’s garden, Ivette. It’s an incredible collection and designed so well to show it off. And what a fun day with you—so glad you came! —Pam
Yucca do has Agave parrasana ‘Meat Claw’ and Agave parrasana ‘colorata’. The meat claw one is striking in the photo, but I think these are small still.
What a name—‘Meat Claw’! Thanks for the info, Chris. I’ll check them out. —Pam
Wow. I love this garden! Heaven…(I remember feeling the same the last time you posted about it)…
It is amazing how well he does with cactus here in Central Texas. Thanks for the visit.
Awesome garden, and pictures. I LOVE the fountain.
Fantastic horticultural craftsmanship.
What a fun garden.
And the “horror” of those freezing temperatures. Ouch.
The lengths that we will go for horticultural beauty.
Indeed, Michelle. Many of us like to push our gardening zone, and it’s really tempting here in central Texas, where we’ll often have several mild winters in a row. But then, WHAM. Agave and aloe mush is very sad. —Pam
I bet every time you got there you come home with the wants. His place is amazing and inspiring.
Yes, and yes! —Pam
So, so glad you posted more photos of Jeff’s garden. All those potted aloes, like being in candy store! That unnamed striped agave might be ‘Cornelius.’ And now you’ve got me wanting a pair of old cowboy boots too. Love the last shot, with the millstone backed by the path and plants.
I’m glad you enjoyed the pics, Denise. Thanks for the possible ID, and you need to get yourself some old cowboy boots. I have a pair that I reserve for winter—too hot to wear them in summer, IMO. —Pam
Thanks for posting more on this beautiful garden. I bet it’s even more amazing, in person.
Very cool and thanks for the narrative.
My horror about central TX gardening conditions, more than a few wild freezes, is the combo of deep-south humidity (I lived in Mtgy Alabama), intense heat (sometimes like Phx), and too much cloudiness and haze, that would all conspire to make it tough on outdoor living enjoyment.
Enjoying a garden after you design or work in it is so easy here in ABQ and where I used to live in San Diego, for some similar and some different reasons.
But the plants in this garden, like the other gardens you show, seem to not mind one bit…very nice! If I wore a hat, it would be off to you all (y’all!!) in central TX for how you celebrate such a nice plant and hardscape mix regardless of the climate. What an inspiration to others everywhere, including people like me in cushy climates!
Oh, you cushy climate person, you. I’m envious! Yes, our climate is challenging in many ways, and summer is definitely not my favorite season. It can only be borne by staying wet, and luckily central Texas is full of beautiful, spring-fed swimming holes and public pools. But the rest of the year, for a good 6 or 7 months, the living is easy on outdoor patios and decks, attested to by the large number of restaurants with outdoor seating. With an ice-cold beer or margarita in hand, it’s even better! —Pam