Stained-glass leaves and Crazy Eyes snake

August 22, 2015


Even a dark-green, fibrous leaf, like that of cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), glows like a stained-glass window when backlit by the setting sun. In the lowest, shadiest part of my garden, it fringes a native Mexican buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa), which is also aglow.


A tunnel of incandescent leaves. I caught the scene just before sunset and enjoyed the brief show.


The sun was already too low to shine through the new Yucca rostrata‘s leaves. The pale, crooked trunks behind it belong to a pair of Texas persimmons (Diospyros texana), which are loaded with fuzzy, green fruits right now.

Everyone who visits my garden asks about the limestone slabs back here. Yes, they are natural, and yes, they are cool. This part of the garden is basically floored with natural limestone.


Cosmo is standing on one of the large slabs of rock — it looks like a paved path, right? That’s a very slow-growing blue nolina (Nolina nelsonii) and a Mexican honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera) in bloom just ahead of him.


Moby, my whale’s tongue agave (A. ovatifolia), poses with blue bottles from the bottle tree.


That’s all for now. It’s the weekend, so enjoy!

All material © 2006-2015 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

24 responses to “Stained-glass leaves and Crazy Eyes snake”

  1. Alison says:

    Great shot of Moby with the blue bottles!

  2. Cheryl Hawes says:

    what have you got growing in your blue glass “doughnut”? I’m trying to get string of pearls going in a couple of mine.

    • Pam/Digging says:

      I planted ‘Blue Spruce’ sedum on one side and another blue succulent on the other. You can see a picture of the latter if you scroll through this post. I’ll have to bring it inside for winter, but that’s a short season here. —Pam

  3. Jeanette says:

    How did you make your bottle tree. I would love to have something like it in my yard. Your gardens are very beautiful.

  4. Those stained glass leaves are pretty. It is essential to slow down and enjoy those beautiful fleeting moments in the garden. I am glad you shared them. Love the snakey snake.

  5. Jeanette says:

    Thank you for your reply, Pam.

  6. Moby looks like a sweetie. What breed? Don’t you just love that oblique light? Enjoy your beautiful garden this weekend!

  7. Gail says:

    I have enjoyed my weekend and your post. xogail

  8. Moby and Cosmo are too cool! Almost as cool as the limestone slabs in the back…glad to be one of the many who notices their contribution.

    Stay shaded from Estrella Muerta de ATX…

    • Pam/Digging says:

      It’s been a while since you’ve visited, David. You need to come back and have some graham crackers and beer with us on the patio again. —Pam

  9. Hannah says:

    The limestone gives such a wonderful look to the garden. Moby seems to be saying Hi, and the crazy-eyed snake also has a crazy tongue. I love the little Texas persimmons, so sweet, I have some persimmon trees but they are taking years to grow and haven’t fruited yet.

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Hannah, I never noticed any fruit on our Texas persimmons either until a couple of years ago. I guess they do take quite a few years to mature. I have no idea how old our trees are, but I assume they self-sowed because they’re growing out of narrow crevices in those limestone slabs. —Pam

  10. Wendy Moore says:

    Ditto what Lisa at Greenbow said. The ‘tunnel’ shot is particularly intriguing to me – lots of different shapes and textures, but not at all cluttered or busy (quite the opposite, very relaxing).

    Thanks for the reminder to appreciate the beauty of what we’re growing, rather than what’s failing! 🙂

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Wendy, the Mexican buckeye requires at least a twice-annual pruning to keep it neat like this. I love the tunnel effect but don’t like leaves hanging in my face when I walk through, and so I stay on top of the pruning. I’m glad you like the effect! —Pam

  11. Xericstyle says:

    I love all your shades of green and the lush feel …
    Did Cosmo get a little haircut?

  12. TexasDeb says:

    I could simply live in those top two shots. All I’d need is an attendant to bring me a fresh glass of wine occasionally…maybe some herbed goat cheese on baguette slices… Perfection.

    • Pam/Digging says:

      The light was pretty magical at that moment. I think I’d have to add mosquito netting to your fantasy set-up though, Deb. Ah, reality. —Pam