cool gardens in a hot climate™
Are you a plant parent, or proud owner of plant pets in Austin? If so, you probably already know about Succulent Native, an adorable succulent and houseplant boutique that also sells cacti-themed housewares and hosts potting parties. Originally peddling plants from a mobile cart downtown and then out of a brick-and-mortar shop on E. 5th Street, the owner has just opened a second store on North Lamar Boulevard. … Read More
September 08, 2018 Chalk it up to my weird indifference to houseplants, but it’s taken me two years to check out Frond Plant Shop on West Mary Street, right off South 1st, even though I kept hearing good things about … Read More
September 02, 2018 Need a plant fix today, my fellow Austinites and succulent lovers? Sunday, 9/2, is the final day of the Austin Cactus & Succulent Society’s fall show and sale at Zilker Botanical Garden. I arrived just after opening … Read More
April 10, 2018 When Gardens closed in 2010, it left a void in Austin for a source for high-quality terracotta pottery. Landscape architect Jackson Broussard, who owns and operates Sprout, decided to fill that void by importing Italian Impruneta pots … Read More
February 22, 2018 A balmy breeze smelling of spring convinced me to move my cold-tender potted succulents back out into the garden over the weekend. It’s so nice to see them gracing a plant table on the deck again, after … Read More
February 14, 2018 Thank heavens for evergreens, grasses, yuccas, and structural features like stock-tank ponds, big containers, and low walls. After this withering, frostbitten winter, my garden would otherwise be flattened. Of course I’ve been moaning and groaning about the … Read More
October 14, 2017 I road-tripped up to Dallas/Fort Worth last weekend with a friend for two days of garden visiting and nursery shopping. The Garden Conservancy was hosting an Open Days tour in Fort Worth on Sunday, and my favorite … Read More
August 08, 2017 Shaded by a big live oak, our back patio stays relatively cool, even on hot days. That shade also makes it a good spot for a variety of potted plants, especially succulents that prefer bright shade in … Read More
March 19, 2017 Happy Sunday morning! After a week of family illness at Chez Penick, I finally got in some gardening time this weekend. Here are my refreshed containers on the back porch steps. The purple oxalis (Oxalis triangularis) in … Read More
March 12, 2017 If you like Austin’s thrift-store, anything-goes, fun-loving style, especially in gardening, check out my article about Eric Pedley’s nursery East Austin Succulents in the current issue of Country Gardens magazine (Spring 2017, pages 70-75). You can read … Read More
January 31, 2017 I popped in at Vivero Growers in far southwest Austin last week and was smitten by their beautiful container plantings, like this absolutely stunning succulent pot. The owner tells me her niece created it while working at … Read More
August 04, 2011 I’m baaack! Did you miss me? If you thought I’d gone AWOL from Austin’s summer from hell, well, you were right. I left early for the Garden Bloggers Fling last month, flying into Portland, Oregon, on July … Read More