Gardens on Tour 2009: Rockcliff Road garden

May 10, 2009


Our second stop on the Wildflower Center-sponsored Gardens on Tour was the Rockcliff Road garden in upscale, woodsy Westlake. This garden surprised me by virtue of its loose, naturalistic style juxtaposed with a large, expensive home; I expected a more formal, even contemporary, garden out front, but the entire two acres seems given over to a feeling of being in nature. According to the brochure, 150 species native to central Texas have been planted in this exclusively native garden.
Water figures prominently in the garden design. A naturalistic stream tumbles in a series of waterfalls down the steep, wooded slope behind the house, adding beauty and water music to the meandering trails.

Winecups (Callirhoe involucrata ) flourish alongside the stream. The landscape design was accomplished, and is still maintained, by Environmental Survey Consulting, whose work you’ve probably admired if you’ve been to the Wildflower Center; they installed the beautiful Hill Country Stream near the cafe.

Here was a surprise—a grotto built into the back facade of the house. A stone bench for resting in the coolness can be reached via “floating” stepping stones.” Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum ) and horsetail reed (Equisetum hyemale ) soften hard surfaces.

Along a gravel path, Engelmann’s daisy (Engelmannia peristenia ) and verbena add spring color.

At the front entry, a brick courtyard surrounded by a naturalistic native-plant garden includes a trio of olive jars planted with red yucca (Hesperaloe parvifolia ).

In the center of the courtyard, a stream (is it connected to the one in the back? I can’t remember) winds past a cluster of live oaks, bridged by a slab of limestone.

White coneflowers and winecup make a pretty pairing.

Another olive jar anchors a small clearing along a path, stuffed with a Texas dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor ) and a rock rose (Pavonia lasiopetala ), among other things.
This garden displays an amazing variety of native plants, and the water features are naturalistic masterpieces. It isn’t showy but subtle and designed to let Mother Nature shine.
Tune in soon for pictures from the Buckeye Trail garden. For a look at the Academy Drive garden, our first stop in south Austin, click here.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

0 responses to “Gardens on Tour 2009: Rockcliff Road garden”

  1. chuck b. says:

    That grotto under the house looks like a nice place to beat the heat. It’s always fun to see other people’s gardens; you never know what you might find. Happy Mom’s Day.
    Thanks, Chuck. I had a nice one. —Pam

  2. Jenny says:

    I can see we both loved the same things in this garden. The grotto, white cone flower and the olive jars. I asked Troy if they had designed the water feature at the WFC as it was so similar and he said “yes.” He was very interesting to talk to. He teaches the wildflower gardening at the WFC on the Go Native U program. I came home absolutely exhausted after 9 hours in the sun and today I played in a bridge tournament all day. I am done for!
    I met Troy at the City of Austin’s Green Garden Certification class a few months ago. He gave one of the lectures, and he’s a very interesting and engaging speaker. We talked with him a little while at this garden also and learned that he still maintains it. —Pam

  3. Brooke says:

    Oh wow, I loved everything about this one. Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing….Brooke
    My pleasure, Brooke. —Pam

  4. That is a beautiful garden. We should all have a cool outdoor place like that grotto to relax in!
    Yes, indeed, Carol. I’m all for cool, watery retreats. —Pam

  5. Thanks for sharing. Great pictures, as usual.
    I’m glad you enjoyed them, Linda. —Pam

  6. Town Mouse says:

    Amazing! I’m always encouraged when I see natives in surprising places. And that grotto does look so pleasant. Thanks!
    My pleasure, TM. —Pam

  7. Wow how fun! I secret little hidden grotto! And I love the hesperaloe, they grow here and seem happy but don’t bloom so much.
    Does it not get hot enough for them, Loree? I guess that’s one reason not to complain about the heat. 😉 —Pam

  8. Gail says:

    An outstanding garden Pam! I love that it is entirely native! The stream and secret grotto are delightful. It’s hard to get a sense of scale, it could be smaller then I imagine. How large is the garden? Btw, thanks for the tour! gail
    It was pretty large, Gail, but much of it, especially in back, was so naturalistic it was hard to tell where nature began and garden ended. —Pam

  9. Mmmm, pretty, cool, restful all came to mind. I’m so glad you took photos and were our tour guide.~~Dee
    I’m happy to know you enjoyed it, Dee. —Pam

  10. Jean says:

    So nice to see so many wildflowers and other natives. That grotto was indeed a surprise (although I couldn’t help but think about all the daddy-longlegs that might want to hang out there!).
    Ha! I bet you’re right, Jean. It was all clean on tour day, of course. —Pam

  11. Chookie says:

    Lovely! The olive jars are my favourite photo.
    I’m glad you enjoyed the pics, Chookie. —Pam

  12. Cindy, MCOK says:

    Pam, your accounts of the tour are giving me all sorts of great ideas for my own garden! On to the next post!
    Garden tours are great for sharing ideas, aren’t they? I bet we’ll get some good ones in Chicago during Spring Fling. —Pam

  13. diane says:

    Thanks for the photos
    From Canada
    Still a little cool here. Roses though coming up nicely. Lots of Hostas and other perennial plants.
    Tulips and daffodils mostly finished
    Thanks for stopping by, Diane. Enjoy your spring. Ours is just about finished. —Pam