Goodbye to Green Hall Garden
Every silver lining has its cloud. This cloud is small but significant: I am leaving Green Hall Garden.
After seven years of loving attention, experimentation, a little relaxation, and a whole lot of digging, I will be turning over my garden (and the house) to a new owner soon. Which brings me to the silver lining: a new home, with more room to spread out as our oldest enters his teen years, a pool for family fun and relief from the summer heat, and a new yard to explore and study and start digging in.
Gardening challenges at the new house will be many: thin, caliche soil, a heavy cover of live oaks, and voracious deer. Does that sound familiar to anyone else in Austin? 😉 I’m looking forward to putting down roots in our new northwest Austin neighborhood. I love designing garden spaces, and I’m already thinking about the possibilities at the new place.
Our house went on the market today, and naturally I’d love for a gardener or would-be gardener to fall in love with our home. But if not, that’s the way it goes. A garden is an ephemeral art form, and I’m OK with that.
But you can bet I’m taking my ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave and a few other treasured plants with me when I go. I hope you’ll follow along as I start over. It’ll be fun to blog about a garden from the very beginning.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Yikes that is a major step. I hope you will be happier and will have many fun hours of planning a new garden(-: I would take the Whales Tongue too!!!
We’ve been very happy in this house, Cindee, so it’s not really a question of that. It simply comes down to a need for more space—inside, not outside, though I’m getting that too. But leaving is a bit of a wrench. At the same time, I’m excited about starting something new. —Pam
Pam — That’s exciting — and bittersweet, too, I’m sure. I few years ago we thought we’d have to move to get the space we needed and I often thought the garden was the thing that made me the most hesitant to leave this house. I’ll be looking forward to seeing the new garden take shape.
Hi, Susan! I didn’t know you were still keeping up with garden blogs. I’ve missed reading South of the River. Thanks for the words of encouragement. As you know, we thought about adding on to our current house, and we were mightily inspired by your addition. But in the end, a move seemed right for us. —Pam
Wow–big news! Congratulations on a new home and new possibilities. I’m reserving a front row seat.
We’re thinking about a little move south, but it’s at least a year off, probably more.
Are you?? Whew, I knew I couldn’t be the only person pragmatic enough to leave a treasured garden. —Pam
That is exciting. I would be sad to leave behind your beautiful garden. But like you said it will be so fun to design a new one. I can’t wait to see what you do.
I always say that gardening is about the journey, not the destination. I do feel a little sad about leaving this garden, but not as sad as I thought I would feel. Looking ahead is too much fun to leave room for regret. —Pam
Congrats and I know you’ll have a wonderful time designing your new garden-even before I read down I thought “I hope she takes her whale’s tongue agave”! I’m sure you can pot up tons of starts of various plants for your new garden.
That’s the plan, Nicole! However, I’m going from a flat, mostly sunny garden on clay to a sloping, mostly shady yard on thin soil over limestone. I’m having to carefully consider what to take with me, and it will have to survive in pots for quite a while until new garden beds are established. But I just have to find a spot of sun for the ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave, of course. —Pam
What a new adventure for all of you! The deer are a pain, but they’re also beautiful. You’ve got the talent to design a wonderful new garden – good luck and congratulations to the whole family.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I expect the deer will be my biggest gardening challenge. I’m not sure they’ll seem beautiful when they’re chomping my garden. 🙂 Thanks for the good wishes, Annie. —Pam
Pam, sad to leave your beautiful garden behind. New garden – new challenge. Anyway – still intense period in front of you…
Yes, it’s been an intense period already, Ewa. But I hope that now the decision has been made, it will be smoother sailing. —Pam
I will miss Green Hall Garden, but it will be exciting to see what you can do with your new place — and how much gardening gets done when you have a swimming pool! Expecting to see maps, photos and plans next post…
Hmm, I’ll bet swimming does cut into my gardening time, at least for a while. 😉 But when fall arrives in earnest, I’m sure I’ll feel compelled to get out my shovel again. I’ll need to wait until it’s officially ours before I post any photos of the new place, and I think their yard is quite lovely as is. But every gardener has to put their own stamp on a place, don’t they? —Pam
Hi Pam,
One chapter in your life comes to a close and another begins. Look forward to reading about your new adventures as you start new gardens. Even if a gardener buys Green Hall Garden they will put their own touches to it and so be happy for that and cherish the years of memories you have. Best Wishes!
Thanks for your comforting words, Phil. I do feel as if a new gardening chapter is beginning for me. I just hope it will prove as pleasant as this chapter has been. —Pam
Hey Pam, I hope you take lots of cuttings and seed with you too. As you say, although sad to leave your well loved garden you will have a fantastic opportunity to start again with a new one. I can easily imagine how exciting that will be!! All the best 😀
Thank you, Shirl. I am planning to take as much of Green Hall Garden with me as I can without leaving holes for the next owner. I’ve already collected a bunch of seed from my coneflowers, and I’ll be collecting more from other plants. —Pam
Wow, Pam, that’s big news! Like the other commenters, I’m sad for you leaving your current garden, but I’m so excited for you too. Your new place sounds like quite a challenge, but there’s nothing like having more space to work with. It will be so cool to watch the progression of your new space. And, you’ll still count as an Austinite!
Now you know why I asked you about deer recently, Nan. Knowing you were able to create such an incredible garden with deer is inspiring to me as I prepare to move to a new house in deer country. And yes, I will still be an Austinite. The new neighborhood is considered somewhat central in that it’s “inside the loop” of the major highways. But it is to the northwest by a couple of miles from our current home. —Pam
Wow, I had no idea that you guys were thinking of selling. My next door neighbors put their house on the market today too. I hope your new place has a much bigger yard to putter around in, and I’m excited already to see what you’ll do with it. 🙂
Lori, we hardly thought of selling until just recently ourselves. I guess you could say we’re somewhat impulsive. The new yard is bigger, but of course the pool and a larger house take up some of it, and exposed limestone takes up other parts. I think that will be fun to play with though. —Pam
I wondered at first if you were going to dig out your garden for the pool you mentioned a few posts past! This way is much better then digging it all out! Pam, how very exciting for you and your family..the posts of your new garden are going to be a joy to read. Gail
That was our first option, Gail, but ultimately it seemed like more work (and expense) to put in a pool than it was worth. It was hard to make the decision to leave—but not as hard as I thought it would be. Thanks so much for the good wishes. —Pam
All the best on your new adventure. Take as many plants and seeds as you can. A new garden is a wonderful challenge, and it’s so nice that you have all your blogs to help preserve the memories of this beautiful garden throughout the years. We’ll all be eager to see your new canvas.
Thanks, Diana. I am inspired by the way you’ve gardened around your pool and by how your persevere even when deer are snacking on your prized plants. I’ll be in the same boat soon and need to make sure I go in with a good attitude about it. —Pam
I envy the buyer of your house, what a lucky person to inherit such a gorgeous garden AND garden shed. Your new house sounds great, I can’t wait to see what you do with the new garden.
Thanks, Susannah. It is hard to leave the shed since I recently had the work done on it. But the garden area I’ll miss the most is the sunny front garden. I identify with and enjoy that one the most. Still, change is good, and I’m looking forward to the next chapter. —Pam
This is big news! I am very happy I got to see Green Hall Garden earlier this spring. It’s a wonderful garden and I do hope a gardener or budding gardener gets the opportunity to enjoy it as much as you did. And what fun you’ll have with a new garden and the challenges it brings.
What’s also nice is that you have all your pictures and postings on this blog to look back on, anytime you want to see and remember Green Hall Garden. I look forward to future postings as you ‘dig in’ to your new garden.
This blog will be my scrapbook of my time with this garden, and I’m so glad to have it. I’m also very glad that I was able to host the Spring Flingers here and will treasure those memories too. Thanks for the encouragement, Carol. —Pam
I can’t wait to see your talents applied in a bigger space. I hope you have some good ideas with dealing with voracious deer because they have been my downfall here.
Show us the “before” pictures.
Bill, I’m looking to you and other gardeners with deer for the good ideas, don’t you know? 😉 Our new neighborhood, which was built in the early 1970s, backs up to greenbelt spaces along Highway 360. There’ll be plenty of deer in the front yard, I expect, but I am hoping, perhaps naively, that the fenced back yard may remain relatively unscathed. There are existing roses back there, and that’s proof, right? —Pam
Dear Pam,
You amaze me! Tremendous energy and guts as well as talent, and always moving forward. Will you tell the prospective buyers that the house comes with ghosts of garden bloggers?
Hope none of the dishes get chipped.
Julie
I wonder if prospective buyers will hear the clink of Texas martini glasses and the laughter of garden blogging friends? (I hope so!) Thanks for the good wishes, Julie. —Pam
You and your husband have great courage, and are adventurous souls to pull up stakes and move away from your cozy Green Hill Garden haven that you’ve put such hard work and loving care into. I’m glad the anticipation of a new ‘canvas’ and more room…not to mention a pool (how lovely!)…is making the move easier for you.
What fun it will be for us to watch the new garden unfold. You’ve certainly had a lot of practice to prepare you for this next adventure. I hope the transition goes smoothly, Pam and wish you the very best. Time to make new memories…but I know you’ll always treasure the ones made in Green Hill Garden 🙂
Thanks, Kerri. I’ve got my eyes on the prize right now, and while I do feel some sadness about leaving this garden, I’m looking forward to new gardening adventures. —Pam
Hi Pam, I am so excited for you. Don’t look back, only forward. It’s more about the gardener than about the garden. As one who has left many a garden behind I advise you to take what you can, but not one of everything, like we did on the move from TN to TX, Noah’s Ark we called it. It sounds like you have time to start putting some designs on paper for the new place, a very fun task. Buying a house with a pool is way cheaper than putting one in yourself. Unlike a new kitchen, pools do not add enough value when a house is sold to offset their cost. I am so excited for you. Someday we will move too, one more time and I think about the differences in the approach to planting thinking about water and maintenance more, natives and evergreens, and views from the house too. So fun, I envy you.
Shouldn’t you have had two of everything if you were calling it Noah’s ark, Frances? 😉 Thanks for your words of encouragement and the benefit of your experience. It heartens me to know that a dedicated gardener like yourself can make many moves and still turn out a beautiful Faire Garden. —Pam
Pam what great news although I know it is bittersweet to leave a place you love and have put so much love into. You will so enjoy the pool (as we do) and the family times that it brings garden,swim,garden,swim …well you get the idea…
Yes, it was a bittersweet decision to move, but I’m excited about the new possibilities…and the pool! I can’t wait to take a dip after a hot day of gardening. —Pam
What a shock. Moving!! Congrats & happy gardening in the new field {garden}. Do hope you can take as many plants & seeds as you can. You’ve had a very beautiful garden in the past—now hopefully we will see a new beautiful garden. Good Luck.
Many thanks for the good wishes, Lola. I look forward to the process of creating a new garden again. —Pam
Congrats on your new space. What an adventure lies ahead of you! And I’m keeping my fingers crossed for an empathetic gardener taking on your “old” space.
My fingers are crossed too, Dorothy. Thanks for the encouragement. —Pam
Here’s to a quick sale and smooth moving process, so you can get down to the really important business of creating the new gardens! May you have as many happy hours digging in the new digs as you have in the old ones. Like the other Spring Fling attendees, I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see Green Hall Gardens and your lovely home. Here’s to a future Spring Fling at the new place!
“The really important business of creating a new garden.” That’s the fun part, isn’t it, Cindy? I look forward to hosting fellow garden bloggers in the new garden one of these days. —Pam
I was just thinking…what about that phenomenal agave???? Now at least I know you won’t leave it behind. It’s way too beautiful!
Brenda
I call it my baby, and people often look at me in disbelief. But I have to bring it with me, even it it fights hard and draws blood in indignation at being dug out of the garden. —Pam
Do you have enough pictures to give us a post one day with a retrospective of Green Hall Garden? From the beginning?
I wish you luck in the new garden. Deer and caliche will certainly be a challenge. However, since my challenge is shade I’ll be anxious to see what you do with the same issue. What a big step!
Do I have enough pictures, Chris? Bwah, ha, ha! I’ve got pictures coming out of my ears. Thanks for the good idea. I will do a retrospective post before I move. —Pam
Oh, Pam, I must have missed a couple of posts. I’ve been doing the back to school dance, you know. I had no idea you were going to put your lovely garden ‘er house on the market. I can understand how excited you must be at the prospect of building another garden space from scratch. I’m truly happy for you, but a little sad. I’ll comfort myself with the thought that the next time I visit Austin, I’ll get to see your new garden. That is, if you’ll let me.~~Dee
Of course I will let you, Dee! I fully expect you to come to Austin for another visit sometime soon. You can see my new garden in its infancy. —Pam
Hope you have a quick sale. How’s the market there? I would like to sell, and do just the opposite–downsize house, property and garden. It has been fun establishing my garden from the beginning, but it’s getting harder and harder to maintain such a large property. The market here is atrocious, so I haven’t even tried. I think we’ll be stuck for at least a few more years until the current inventory of houses, including numerous foreclosures, gets to a more normal level. They are predicting at least three years in the Phoenix area.
Good luck,
Aiyana
The Austin market has bucked the national trends for a long while, and it’s still a decent market to sell in, though more of a buyer’s market than a seller’s. Still, that’s always good for the next purchase. —Pam
Congratulations! A new challenge makes life interesting.
My life is feeling very interesting lately, Mother Nature. What a maelstrom we set in motion when we decided to move. Still, it’ll all be worthwhile when we get moved in and make it our own. —Pam
Oh boy Pam. I can’t wait to see your new digs and to watch how your new garden evolves. I bet you won’t be able to sleep at night with all the ideas running around in your head. Keep your camera handy I don’t want to miss anything. Good luck.
Keeping the camera handy is good advice. Thanks for the supportive comment, Lisa. —Pam
Hi Pam.
I wish you good luck with the sale and the move. It is really funny how attached you get to someone else’s garden when you see many pictures of it. I have a suggestion…I think you should stipulate that only a garden blogger can make you an offer on your property, it may limit your offers but hey,! you have a duty.(smiles)
I am sure your new patch of land, being a clean slate for your creativity, will be even more striking. I can’t wait to see your plans and ideas for it.
Looks like I am good for the get together, is this still in the works? Drop me a line.
My regards,
ESP.
Hi, Philip. So does this mean you’d like to make an offer on the house? 😉 Re: the get-together, I’ll send you an email soon. Thanks for the note. —Pam
Oh Pam, someone is going to be gifted with a fabulous garden! I do hope they are gardeners, too, and appreciate all the love and attention and work that you’ve put into your garden there. It is one that I’ve admired so much. I’m glad to hear you’re taking at least one of those fabulous agaves. You know how I envy those and that was my first thought – “Oh, the agaves! How can she leave those wonderful agaves??”
And how wonderful that you have this blog as a record and remembrance of Green Hall Garden, both for you and for us. I wish you the best as you create yet another beautiful garden in your new home. I will enjoy reading about the move and everything that goes with it!
Thank you, Kylee. I am grateful to have this blog as a record of my cherished garden. And about the agaves, don’t worry! I’m taking several along with me. —Pam
It’s always difficult to leave so much work behind, but think of it as a gift to the new owners, and the neighborhood. You’ve certainly left that little piece of the planet greener and more beautiful than you found it. 🙂 I’m sure your new gardens will be spectacular, no matter where you DIG. I look forward to following the progress on your new property — much happiness to you in your new home!
Many thanks, Nancy! I appreciate your kind words. —Pam
Hi, Pam, it looks like you will be taking a WHOLE lot of other folks with you, all anxious to see Before and After photos,which I’m certain you will generously provide and who then will follow each and every shovel full of dirt that gets moved about in the creation of a new garden. Ah, the joys of a new palette! Blessings! Kathryn xox
It is hard to resist the allure of starting a new garden, Kathryn. Thanks for the support! —Pam
How exciting! It is always fun to start something new. You can bet I will be following along with your new gardening adventures! Good luck!
Thanks, Michelle. I appreciate the good wishes. —Pam
I know you have blogged about this garden for a long time but isn’t this a bit drastic for new material? LOL as your material is always as fresh as your garden. I know the new place will include the stock tanks and specialties that you are famous for and inexplicably entwined in my mind’s vision of a ‘Pam Garden’. Now you will have room for the pool! Tabula rasa….
Ha ha! Thanks for the chuckle, Layanee. Yes, it would be a drastic decision were it motivated by a desire for new blogging material. Actually, my first thought when we discussed moving was, “But what about my blog? What will I post about?” Then I realized there’s a wealth of fun in blogging about a new garden’s beginning, as Christopher at Outside Clyde has shown. Plus, I’ll survive our summers more happily while enjoying the garden from the deep end of the pool. —Pam
Like Dee, I’ve also been busy with back to school stuff. Congratulations on the new place. I agree with Frances, don’t look back. Whoever gets your garden will be a very lucky person, but I doubt that whoever it is will be anything like the designer you are. If I were you, I’d take only the Whale’s Tongue Agave & start over fresh. Of all the plants I brought to Squirrelhaven from my last garden, only 3 remain. Part of it is that the nature of the garden changed (from sunny to shaded just as your soil type will be different), but more than that was the chance to try out new plants & new ideas. I expect that the new garden will be even more impressive and delightful than this one. I’m glad I got the chance to see it in person.
I’ve been busy with back-to-school stuff too, MMD, which made it doubly crazy around here while we were cleaning out our house prior to putting it on the market. Whew, thank goodness we’re back to a normal schedule now.
You and I think alike with regard to bringing the old garden along or leaving it behind. I plan to take only a few plants: the ‘Whale’s Tongue’ and some small offsets of my other agaves, some oxblood lily bulbs (it’s handy that they’re up now), a native palmetto I’ve been nursing along, and a few passalong irises—basically the plants that take a long time to grow or were given to me by family or friends. Also seeds from the coneflowers and inland sea oats because they’re easy to grow anywhere. But I’m leaving the stock tanks behind and most of the other plants, which are neither rare nor gifts. As it is, I’ll have to make a holding bed for these few, and I don’t want to burden myself with any more or leave holes in this garden when I leave. —Pam
I’m obviously just catching up on posts and was shocked to hear your news, but what a great opportunity to create another garden paradise for another part of your life.
My only question, did you have to include your prized plants on your “exclusion list” to indicate they will be moving with you? Will the buyers expect all of the plants they see to be there upon move in?
Thank god you can divide many plants so you can include them but take some with you!
When we get down to the nitty-gritty of contract signing, I’ll make sure that the few plants I’m taking are noted as not conveying with the property. I’ll be replacing them with something nice of equal size, so it’ll be fine. The big features of my garden—stock tank planters, center courtyard planter, the remodeled greenhouse/shed (sniff)—will be staying. —Pam
Wow! Congrats on your news! I’m looking very forward to hearing all about your gardening adventures in your new home. We recently (well actually a year and a half ago – gosh that feels like yesterday) made the move from central to north Austin (same reasons – we needed more space!) Sometimes we miss the central lifestyle, but overall we are extremely happy up here.
I sure envy the person that gets your home and garden!
Thanks, Chandra! I’m glad to know that your move went without a hitch. Your family travels so much and with such enthusiasm that I imagine a little move seemed like a piece of cake. —Pam
I wish I was moving to Austin, I’d make you an offer pronto! That’s based on the gardens & shed alone (since I have no idea what your house looks like!!) I bet you have no problem selling and add me to the list of “fans” that will eagerly follow you to your new garden.
I’m glad to know you’ll be following my new gardening adventures, Kathleen. Thanks so much for the encouraging words. I’m feeling bittersweet about leaving this garden but mostly excited about the changes ahead. —Pam
Congratulations on your new home! How exciting. You’ll have fun with it, I’m sure. Good luck, Pam.
Many thanks, Kelly! I’m looking forward to starting a new garden soon. —Pam
I’m sorry I’m so late getting here to extend my congratulations. I, too, was shocked when I heard the news. But then I realized it was good news, a new adventure. Thank you so much for sharing Green Hall with us, and I look forward to seeing the new place through your camera lens and your writing. Good luck!
Yes, a new adventure. Thanks for the good wishes, Kathy. I hope one day you’ll be able to visit Austin again and come see my new garden. —Pam
Best of luck to you and your family and congratulations! I bet it will be the funnest thing to build your new garden. Think of it this way: You get to put your mark on another plot of land.
Hi, Kristy. Thanks for dropping by and for the encouragement on the move. I’m looking forward to it, though there are, naturally, bittersweet feelings of regret for leaving this garden behind. —Pam