I was happy to visit the new garden of a new gardening friend a few days ago. Located in Austin’s Windsor Hills neighborhood, the garden represents a new beginning for its creator, Nancy Fortner (@gardeningwhileold).

In 2021, to be near their daughter, Nancy and her late husband, Bob, proprietors of Sweetlife Farm, relocated to Austin from Bainbridge Island, a beautiful, moist, gardening paradise west of Seattle. What a life change! Over the past year, Nancy has laid the groundwork for her new garden, ripping out half-dead front and back lawns, laying paths and patios, building gabion walls and custom metal gates, and preparing large planting beds. The stage is set! Now she’s busily planting it up.

The interior of Nancy’s home is beautiful and filled with nature-centric vignettes, art, and a happy collection of houseplants, like this tin box planted with succulents.

Nancy collects metal bird silhouettes, and this little wren “nests” in a pot on her porch.

Outside, a metal owl perches atop her new gabion wall, a fabulous feature that already sets her baby garden apart from the norm, giving it character and a sense of permanence.

Nancy worked with a local craftsman to create the one-of-a-kind metal gate — two actually, one on each side of the house — using pieces of wire mesh and solid panels she brought with her from her Seattle-area home.

She added the circular metal tree silhouette as a finishing touch. The mesh on the bottom lets her Jack Russell terrier Spanky see who’s coming too.

Nancy filled one sunny side yard with Vego beds, and she’s growing cool-season vegetables right now.

Along the back of her house, a long sunporch brings in lots of light. Nancy put up corrugated galvanized metal to replace nondescript siding, giving her house a little rustic Texas flair. Colorful birdhouses adorn each section.

Nancy removed every bit of lawn from the backyard and laid a generously sized decomposed granite patio under a tall red oak. A low, curved gabion wall defines the patio and adds extra seating. Wide gravel paths lead to the side gardens and back door.

Early spring annuals like corn poppies and snapdragons add color while perennials slowly fill in. A long gabion wall on one side of the garden makes a textural backdrop.

Nancy (on the right) with Cat, our mutual friend

A pink globemallow is already in full bloom, even before the heat arrives. ‘Tangerine Beauty’ crossvine scrambles up the back fence. Nancy is hoping the vine will cloak it soon.

Nancy had to cut down a big, ailing pecan when she and Bob moved in, but she retained the stump with interesting shelf fungi and turned it into a pedestal for a dish planter. A metal raven — or grackle, now that she’s in Texas — adds a focal point.

Spanky, Nancy’s 13-year-old pup, checks out the squirrel situation.

He is cute and pettable! We are now fast friends.

Corn poppies and inviting patio seating

Metal ravens grackles cling to the gabion wall, seeming to investigate a couple of shiny mirrors.

Bearded iris adds a dash of mauve-purple.

More poppies

And here’s the other garden gate Nancy and her welder designed. Planters built into the top of the wall await Nancy’s decision on what to plant there.

Spanky keeping a close eye on things

What a beautiful foundation for Nancy’s new Austin garden!

Somehow I neglected to take pics of the front garden, where Nancy also removed the lawn and laid wide gravel paths and generously sized beds, even though it’s already mostly planted and blooming! I got busy talking and forgot to take pics, darn it. But I hope I’ll be invited back sometime to see how the garden grows and evolves.

Thanks for the garden visit, Nancy!

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Digging Deeper

March 30-31: Come see the Austin Cactus & Succulent Society Show at Zilker Botanical Garden on 3/30 and 3/31, from 10 am to 5 pm. Includes a plant show with specimen cacti and succulents, handcrafted pottery, daily silent auction and hourly plant raffles, and expert advice. Admission is included with paid admission to Zilker Garden, $5 to $8 for adults, $3 to $4 for children (under 2 free).

April 6: Come out to Austin’s Mayfield Park on 4/6 for the Mayfield Park Gardening Symposium & Fundraiser, 8:30 to 11 am. This annual benefit for the park includes a raffle, plant sale, and garden speakers.

May 4: Explore “brilliant backyards, perfect pools and pergolas, and outdoor rooms and gardens” on the ATX Outdoor Living Tour on 5/4, 10 am to 3 pm. Landscape architects, designers, and builders will be on hand to answer questions. Tickets are $33.85 for adults, $17.85 for kids age 10-17.

May 18: On Austin Home’s Great Outdoors Tour, held 5/18 from 10 am to 3 pm, find “Pinterest-worthy pools and outdoor kitchens to thoughtful plantings and stylish urban density solutions.” Tickets are $30.

June 1-2: Take a self-guided, 2-day tour of ponds and gardens in and around Austin on the annual Austin Pond and Garden Tour, held 6/1 and 6/2, 9 am to 5 pm. Tickets are $20 to $25.

Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Stay tuned for more info!

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