Stoneleigh native-plant estate garden and Flingers
Stoneleigh, a new public garden of native plants in Villanova, PA, is a park-like arboretum around a Tudor Revival mansion.… Read More
Enormous live oaks wow at Becks Prime in Houston
Two enormous, tentacle-limbed, 400-year-old live oaks wow and shade diners on the decks at Becks Prime restaurant in Houston.… Read More
Nearly extinct American chestnut – a vision from America’s past – at UW Arboretum
The American chestnut, once the king of the Eastern forests, is now virtually extinct. Yet here I was, gazing at a survivor at UW Arboretum.… Read More
Grand trees and pastoral views at Winterthur, part 1
In October, Winterthur’s majestic trees are tinged with pale gold, berries brighten bare branches, and fields are stubbled with mown grass.… Read More
Hide out at Fortlandia at the Wildflower Center
Bring your child – or just your inner child – and explore the collection of architectural play forts at Fortlandia at the Wildflower Center. … Read More
Fortlandia is here for one more fortnight at the Wildflower Center
Explore 10 unique forts at Fortlandia, an imaginative, interactive exhibition at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.… Read More
Dazzling holiday lights in Johnson City and Austin
For dazzle and shine and small-town Christmas spirit, there’s no better place than Johnson City, Texas, about an hour west of Austin, and the headquarters of Pedernales Electric Co-op, where a grove of live oak trees is annually transformed into a nebula of twinkle lights. … Read More
Don’t smother your tree trunk. Let it flare!
February 05, 2019How many times have you seen a tree trunk that looks like this? It looks nice and neat, right? The trunk is tidily surrounded by mulch that’s layered right up against the bark. Maybe under that mulch there’s … Read More
Waterwise beauty and metal animal safari in Linda Peterson’s San Antonio garden
December 05, 2018 An invitation to Linda Peterson’s garden in San Antonio proved too tempting a treat to resist on the day before Halloween. I arrived in San Antonio in time to tour the terrific new culinary and adventure gardens … Read More
Kew Gardens walkabout: Mediterranean Garden, Treetop Walkway, and more
July 15, 2018 London’s Kew Gardens is a big place at 300 acres, with a variety of gardens, glasshouses, a magnificent arboretum, and other attractions. During my mid-June visit on a family vacation, I saw as much as I could … Read More
Flowering trees and Athena the owl at the Wildflower Center
March 22, 2018 Texas mountain laurel, one of our finest native flowering trees Whether you’re hunkered under a blanket of snow or your gardening season is well underway, let’s pause to appreciate the beauty of spring-flowering trees and other gorgeous … Read More
New leaves coming up, old leaves coming down
March 16, 2018 Spring looks a lot like fall in my garden, as this photo shows: fresh green leaves surrounded by brown live oak leaves. Live oaks stay green all winter, like an evergreen tree, but come spring they do … Read More
The twinkliest town in the Hill Country
December 22, 2017 If you want to see trees made of light and a charmingly illuminated main square, go visit Johnson City, a small town of 2,000 residents, located about an hour west of Austin. Every December they turn their … Read More
Austin shines brightly at Trail of Lights and Zilker Tree
December 13, 2017 Five years have slipped by since we’ve walked Austin’s beloved holiday light display at Zilker Park called Trail of Lights. When our kids were little we went every year, and our last visit was in 2012, but … Read More