Evening stroll around the garden
Last week we had a surprise rain shower — what joy! Afterward I walked through the garden, imagining the plants were feeling the joy too.
In the side garden, the string lights on the fence came on as daylight faded away. Golden thryallis makes a bushy, flowering hedge by the gate, and ‘Winter Gem’ boxwood balls and ‘Everillo’ sedge add interest along the path. This secluded, shady space is a favorite lounging spot for the neighborhood deer, especially during fawn season.
At other times of the year, it’s a good lounging spot for me and a friend, thanks to a hanging chair and bench.
This is my happiest ‘Everillo’ sedge — it’s huge! It’s surrounded by a Mediterranean fan palm, prostrate Japanese plum yew, and a squid agave in a carved-limestone planter.
In the hellstrip, ‘Bright Edge’ yucca in a steel pipe planter — one of three — stands tall enough to create a little screening.
Texas sotol makes a sunburst of toothy foliage.
‘Amistad’ salvia adds royal-purple flowers that hummingbirds adore.
In the driveway bed, golden thryallis makes a friendly screen to hide neighboring cars.
In the gravel courtyard by the front door, a whale’s tongue agave displays cupped, pale-blue leaves tipped with brown spines. The rutting deer went after it last fall, so I’ll need to devise protection for it by September. Behind it, a flowering ‘Brakelights’ hesperaloe has escaped deer-noshing thanks to its elevated position in a steel pipe. Texas sotol grows in back, slightly elevated in an old tractor rim, with an Anacacho orchid tree that’s leaning and needs pruning.
Overhead view of the whale’s tongue agave. What a beautiful plant.
You can never have too many! I’ve got another whale’s tongue agave in the stock-tank planter in the circle garden. The woolly stemodia that surrounds it was looking gorgeous all summer, but all of a sudden it’s showing some stress, with thin, browning patches. Hopefully it will recover.
There’s always something to puzzle over, am I right?
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
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!
All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
You are quite right about puzzlements in the garden. Sometimes I think plants just think they are finished in this life. I always enjoy the tours through your garden. It looks lovely. I don’t know how you do it with the wild and crazy hot weathers you have to endure. I guess you get used to it. We too have to get used to the changing weather. Cheers.
Sorry to be so late with my reply, Lisa. I was out of town until recently. Thanks for your comment though! Yes, we’re all having to get used to changing weather, for sure.
Even in the heat of summer, your garden looks good. That’s the mark of a well designed garden, kudos!
Thanks, Paula. It’s also the mark of a selective showing of photos — ha! 😉
Your garden is beautiful as always. Please tell me how you prepared your ground for the gravel, and what kind of gravel is it? Thank you.
Hi Jeanette. I actually hired a landscaper to convert the small area by the front door from a grassy space into a gravel garden. I’m sorry to say he used landscape fabric under the gravel, which I didn’t know enough to push back on at the time, and a too-thick layer of pea gravel. There are generous cut-outs for the small number of plants planted there. If I had it to do over again, I would forgo the landscape fabric, spread a layer of coarse gravel and compact it, and then spread a 2-inch layer of pea gravel on top. Too much pea gravel and you slosh around in it.
I look forward to your pictures always. You are helping with ideas for my yard landscaping.(also LAWN GONE) I am interested to know how you secure the large metal pots and keep them from tipping over. I love the whale tongue agave and plan to get one on my next trip to Austin. Thanks!
Frankie Feagins
San Felipe, TX
Hi Frankie. I’m glad to know you’re finding ideas for your own garden here! The tall metal pipe planter with the hesperaloe is buried about 3 feet to secure it. The shorter metal pipe planters are also buried, but not as deeply, and they have rebar stakes inside to secure them as well.
Your garden looks really good! I have some of the same plants. My anacacho orchid tree suffered badly in Feb 21, but is slowly recovering. I have a tiny A. ovatifolia in too much shade, so it is growing, but will reach a decent size long after I am gone. Otherwise my garden is now trying to look as good as yours. Maybe someday!
You’re too modest, Peter. Your garden already looks lovely! I know we’ve both had losses in recent winters, but I’m glad to know your Anacacho is recovering. It’s such a pretty little tree.