Austin garden bloggers taking over the world

April 23, 2008


If you haven’t been paying attention, you may have missed the memo about Austin garden bloggers taking over the world, or at least the blogosphere. Austin booster that I am, even I have been surprised by the number of garden blogs popping up left and right in our fair city.
In the spirit of welcoming the new bloggers and celebrating the unique community that the Austin garden bloggers have become, I am listing all the ones I know about, with a short description. If anyone has been posting a while and I was just slow to find you, I apologize and hope you won’t mind my calling you “new.” New to me, I should say. And if I missed your blog, please let me know and I’ll add yours to the list*.
If you live in the Austin area and are looking for a good source of gardening information, you’ve hit pay dirt. Reading this number of garden blogs—seeing real photos of plants (and plant disasters) and getting the insights of both experienced and newbie gardeners—is the best way I know (short of hiring a garden coach) to learn about gardening in Austin. Dig in!
New Austin garden blogs
THE NOT SO BIG GARDEN. Kelly is growing a drought-tolerant garden in north-central Austin and would like to connect with other local xeriscapers.
HORSELIPS’S HORSE SENSE. Randy gardens in upper-east Austin. His nursery-crawl posts are especially fun.
THE GARDEN GUIDE. Karla is gardening on eight acres in west Austin near Mansfield Dam and has a vegetable garden and a streamside garden.
ROCK ROSE. “Lots of rocks and a few roses,” the tagline modestly and pithily summarizes. This is the blog of Englishwoman-turned-Texan Jenny, whose beautiful walled garden in southwest Austin attracted throngs of visitors on the Inside Austin Gardens Tour and who gave the early-bird Spring Flingers a private tour. I’m eager to see more posts in order to visit her lovely garden on a regular basis.
GARDENING IN AUSTIN. Katina asks, “What do you grow in Austin, TX when everything you try dies?” After moving here from Colorado, she soon discovered that plants well suited to her old garden soon croaked in the heat and humidity of Austin. Frustrated with a lack of info on plants suited for Austin (I’m guessing she hadn’t discovered the other Austin garden bloggers yet), she started a blog about her experiments with a variety of vegetables and native perennials.
CENTRAL TEXAS GARDENER BLOG. Linda Lehmusvirta, producer of the popular “Central Texas Gardener” show on KLRU, our local PBS station, recently switched from an e-newsletter to a blog format for her weekly stories about her own east Austin gardening adventures. Reminiscing this week about the excitement of planting her first garden in her early-married days, she recalls sitting on the patio and gazing at their new eden. “Fire ants, weeds, struggling lawn, chainlink fence, and such dreams as we never thought could happen to us: our very own yard!”
PEOPLE WITH DIRTY HANDS. “Robin Chotzinoff bares her soil in this garden blog,” reads the tagline. Oh, how I love wordplay. Named after her book of the same title, Robin’s blog gives us a taste of her wry humor, gardening angst, and “pseudo-intellectual” theories. Gardening in south Austin, she’s a recent transplant from Colorado and is still adjusting to the humidity. She also writes a monthly gardening column for the Austin American-Statesman.
THE SUN IS KILLING ME. Lee17 describes herself as “a transplant from the Great Northwest attempting to build some gardening goodness in the great frying pan that is Austin, Texas.” In her “semi-arid suburb” she’s changed her gardening palette from Seattle’s dogwoods and azaleas to Austin’s persimmons, citrus, salvias, cacti, and the Anacacho orchid tree that started her gardening craze.
PUNK GARDENER. Heather’s blog is about green living and gardening for food. Her tagline is her wish for the world: “Let there be gardens where there were parking lots.”
SOCIETY GARLIC. Iris’s blog combines “adventures in beginning urban organic gardening” with, unusually, “observing a few criminal trials.” She trusts that it’s not too weird a blogging combo for Austin. She gardens in central Austin.
THE GARDENS OF CASA MARTIN. Maggie gardens on a large suburban lot with a pretty courtyard at the front door.
EAST-SIDE-PATCH. Philip lives in a 100-year-old house in east Austin, where he’s growing agaves, natives and semi-tropicals, and a water garden.
COOL AS A CUCUMBER. SMR is a nature observer and an ornamental and vegetable gardener in the north-central neighborhood of Crestview.
SOME LIKE IT HOT. Laura, a south Austin blogger, moved here from Phoenix and is enjoying her new vegetable and flower/xeriscape gardens.
GETTING GROUNDED. Robin is a chiropractor and nutritionist turned writer. Her new blog contains lots of big, beautiful pictures of her southwest Austin garden.
CONSCIOUS GARDENING. The Conscious Gardener joins us from the Crestview neighborhood in north-central Austin and blogs about her vegetable garden, her chickens, and living lightly on the earth.
CRAZY BILLIONAIRE. Kelly is vegetable gardening on the east side of Austin.
I HAVE IMPORTANT THOUGHTS. Samantha blogs about gardening in the West Campus area and whatever else strikes her fancy.
RENEE’S ROOTS. Renee Studebaker’s tagline reads, “The garden of an urban farmgirl,” but she writes about all kinds of gardening in the Austin area, and her essays and interviews frequently appear in the Austin American-Statesman.
Austin garden blogs from those who attended the Garden Bloggers Spring Fling 2008
AURORA PRIMAVERA. Libby gardens in black clay in a “postage stamp yard” in north-central Austin. Inspired by a visit to Key West a few years ago, she’s turning her unlandscaped yard into a “desert tropical cottage garden.”
SOMETHING ABOUT BLOOMING AND BUTTERFLIES. South Austinite Vivé works on making her garden a fall paradise for her upcoming back-yard wedding.
THE GARDENER OF GOOD AND EVIL. Wisconsin transplant Lori evokes Savannah with her title, but she’s going for a lush Texas look in her southwest Austin garden.
THE GRACKLE. Lee gardens in east Austin on the black clay of the Blackland Prairie. Boldly taking the name of one of the most despised birds in Texas, he frequently poses philosophical questions on gardening matters, like, Is it ethical to use hardscaping materials from far-off places, perhaps destroying their natural beauty in the process?
HUMAN FLOWER PROJECT. As Julie has explained to me, HFP is not exactly a garden blog but rather an exploration of the meaning and uses of flowers in society. Her insightful and humorous posts cover topics from around the world and across fields as diverse as “art, medicine, society, politics, religion, and commerce.” Julie reports from south Austin.
IN BLOOM. Rachel is growing vegetables and perennials in her first garden, located in north Austin. She has a great eye for detail and takes lovely photographs.
KISS OF SUN. In the hills of west Austin, Bonnie grabs moments to garden “between baby napping and children potty training.” She has a big veggie garden, lots of Texas natives, a wildflower garden atop her septic drainage field, and deer.
PLAYIN’ OUTSIDE. Vicki is the envy of the garden-blogging community in Austin with her giant cistern (water-collection tank) that she recently installed. She also has a good-sized pond in her Pflugerville (suburb of Austin) garden, so water seems to be a theme.
SEEDS. Growing her garden in the black clay of north Austin, Brianna blogs about transforming her yard into an “intentional garden space.” Her title evokes “hope, new beginnings, and the promise of miraculous things to come.”
SHARING NATURE’S GARDEN. Diana grows a variety of native and adapted plants, some tropicals, and vegetables on her large lot in southwest Austin. “Connecting to the earth, to our wildlife friends, and to my fellow gardeners,” her tagline reads.
SOUL OF THE GARDEN. Locally famous as host of the long-running “Central Texas Gardener” show on KLRU, Tom Spencer has also kept a blog for many years to “explor[e] the garden of life from an Austin garden.” In his Daily Muse section, Tom writes thoughtfully about spirituality and politics and posts beautiful photographs of his north-central Austin garden.
SUBURBAN WILDLIFE GARDEN. Florida transplant Dawn documents the process of “transforming a small, relatively barren suburban lot into a wildlife-friendly oasis.” Her northwest Austin garden provides her with the challenges of deer and caliche (thin, limestone soil) and the rewards of greenbelt views and proximity to wilder nature.
THE TRANSPLANTABLE ROSE. Annie in Austin, as she calls herself on this blog about her northwest Austin garden, is a “former Illinois gardener doing [her] best to bloom and grow in Zone 8.” She gardens on black clay in a traditional neighborhood and keeps most of her gardening adventures behind the garden gate. Fearless about trying plants not usually grown in Austin, she also fearlessly posts YouTube videos of herself singing and playing her own compositions about deer-proof salvias, spinning under the Zilker Christmas Tree, and an aging Arizona ash.
VERT. Hyde Park (north-central Austin) gardener Vertie calls herself a “wannabe” who’s killed innumerable plants. Starting over with vegetables and now ornamentals, she’s seen her thumb turn from brown to green.
ZANTHAN GARDENS. One of the pioneer garden bloggers in the world, not just Austin, MSS grows a spring-oriented meadow garden in south Austin. Her unique format groups weekly posts from across the years, so we can see how a week in today’s garden compares to the same week in years past. She shares not only her scientific observations about her garden but also oodles of seeds and bulbs, particularly oxblood lilies.
DIGGING. That’s me. As my tagline reads, I’m “growing a central Austin cottage garden” that contains a rollicking mixture of Texas native perennials, old-fashioned cottage classics like roses and irises, and trendy, architectural agaves. Thanks to numerous posts extolling their usefulness as garden decor, I may already have become known as the stock-tank lady.
Inactive or occasionally updated Austin garden blogs
HANA’S GARDEN CATASTROPHE. Dubbing her blog “the least Zen experience ever,” Hana confesses that although her name means “flower” in Japanese, she has a history of killing plants. Join the club, Hana! Starting a vegetable garden from seed, she has enthusiasm aplenty and a fun sense of humor. Her first post warns, “Be prepared for stories of heartbreak. Brace yourself for graphic images of death. . . . This is a blog about the seedlings unfortunate enough to end up in my care.”
THE GREAT EXPERIMENT. R. Sorrell says her blog is “all about an Austin garden whose keeper has no idea what she’s doing.” She grows roses, perennials, and fruit trees in north-central Austin.
SOUTH OF THE RIVER. Susan grows an intimate, colorful, yet serene garden on two elevations in her south Austin back yard.
Like a trumpet vine on a telephone pole…
…the group of Austin garden bloggers keeps growing and blooming. For whatever reason, this town has created or attracted a number of people who enjoy gardening, writing, photographing, computing, and meeting other gardeners online. But don’t assume that we’re all the same. We dig in different soils (some in black clay, others in caliche) and different neighborhoods (some strait-laced and traditional, others freewheeling and creative); some of us deal with deer, others with urban noise; some focus on vegetables, others on ornamentals; some have decades of gardening experience, while others are planting their very first gardens. In other words, there’s a wealth of knowledge to draw on right here in Austin among the garden bloggers.
Whether you blog or not, whether you live in Austin or not, won’t you join us in the conversation?
*Local blogroll updated on March 5, 2009.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

0 responses to “Austin garden bloggers taking over the world”

  1. And I thought I was going to beat you to the punch and tell YOU about Robin Chotzinoff’s blog. Of course, I never scoop you. Wait, have you found Garden Girl yet?
    You did scoop me on Garden Girl, MSS. Although I’m not sure hers is a garden blog so much as a green living blog. What do you think? —Pam

  2. Austin IS the center of garden blogging universe- and you are one of the Divas of that universe. I’m gonna have to quit gardening so I can keep up with what everyone is doing in their garden!
    Stop by my blog when you have a chance. There a little award for you there.
    Mary Beth, it is a hoot to be called a diva of anything, but I am certainly thrilled to be part of the Austin garden blogging group. I know what you mean about having to quit gardening to keep up with all the blogs—yikes! And thank you so much for the “E” award! I just left you a comment on your site. —Pam

  3. Have you alerted the Chamber of Commerce about Austin being the garden blogging capital of the world? It certainly is a “mecca” for many of us garden bloggers who came to see for ourselves and attend the Spring Fling. It is an impressive list, but watch out, I am finding more Indiana garden bloggers every week!
    I’m happy that Austin had the honor of hosting the first Garden Bloggers Spring Fling. As you know, it was partly because of your wish to see our gardens that I had the idea for the Fling.
    Way to go, Indiana, for producing more garden bloggers every week! A few have commented here at Digging, and I’d noticed that Indiana was becoming well represented. But, ahem, in the spirit of competition I’ll just add that when Indianapolis garden blogging takes off, come talk to me then. Otherwise, I’ll have to add in all the other Texas bloggers, and there are plenty all around the state. 😉 —Pam

  4. Amy says:

    Wow! Garden blog heaven 🙂 I wish I could find other bloggers in my city. I’ve searched and searched…so far I seem to be the only one…and yet I know there are many enthusiastic gardeners out there. I’ll have to get out on the garden tour in July and try to meet some other gardens.
    Don’t give up hope of meeting others in your town, Amy. MSS of Zanthan Gardens blogged alone for several years here in Austin before her example inspired others. From there it just snowballed. —Pam

  5. where is this going to end? is everyone in the city of austin going to become a garden blogger?
    Yes! —Pam

  6. Texas baby! There are many of us who WOULD BE Austin bloggers if we had any sense. Instead, we blog through through the ice of where we are. But we read you all and feel that much closer to home.
    Can somebody FedEx me some tamales?
    Hank
    Hank! I haven’t heard from you in a long time. I do think of you as a misplaced Texan and an Austinite in spirit. Hope you get some warm weather soon. —Pam

  7. Lori says:

    I am proud to say that I’ve almost managed to keep up with new Austin bloggers– only two of those blogs are brand-new to me (Rock Rose and Gardening in Austin). It’s looking like time to update my sidebar again! 🙂
    It’s hard to keep up, isn’t it? I used to think of your blog, and several others, as new, but not anymore! —Pam

  8. Gus says:

    Austin bloggers… wow! I had no idea there were so many – I actually found “all y’all” via my old friend David Perry. I moved to Austin from Oregon three years ago. Just pulled more of that nasty St. Augustine out of my yard from around an oak and made some fresh dirt. So… help me out. I have some 50%-75% shady dirt, and it’s empty. What should I put there? I am also going to pull more of it – this section is the first part of a three piece grassectomy under a tree, down a fence and to a corner.
    Glad I found you!
    -Gus
    David Perry has many fans here in Austin. Welcome to the River City, Gus. Your grassectomy will give you room for a nice shade garden, won’t it? If you don’t already have a copy of the free Austin Grow Green Guide, pick one up at a local nursery to discover great shade plants for Austin. —Pam

  9. Gail says:

    Austin rocks! Even before I visited for Spring Fling I wanted to move there! Now, I really do, what a terrific garden community. There is only one problem…there aren’t enough hours in the day to visit every blog.
    Gail
    It’s so true, Gail. But it’s a fun evening when I can sit down with my virtual gardening friends and just read and read. —Pam

  10. Heather says:

    Oh my gosh– here I am lurking & never expecting to see my blog mentioned. Thanks MSS for the shout out. 🙂 My blog is about green living and gardening as well. Expect more gardening posts from me by this Fall. Right now my finances are in recovery from buying a home and moving & so the only gardening I’ve got going on is three baby fruit trees and a blackberry patch. This Fall I’ll get to my two raised beds for veggies, greens, herbs & berries.
    My gardens will be much more functional (focused on food productions & natives) than ornamental, tho I hope to get a wildflower garden going on the side of the house eventually.
    I love reading all the posts here & on the other gardening in Austin blogs!
    Hi, Heather, aka Garden Girl. Thanks for de-lurking and letting me know more about your blog. I’ll add you to the list above and look forward to reading more about your gardening adventures. —Pam

  11. Jenny Stocker says:

    OK Im addicted. How will I ever juggle bridge, genealogy, gardening and blogging! Housework may have to go.
    jenny
    See how that happens? Just like that. I’m glad you’re here, Jenny. It’ll be fun to talk gardening with you on a regular basis. —Pam

  12. How is it you have so many garden bloggers there? I want to encourage Buffalo gardeners to blog, but don’t even know where to start.
    Many of us have pondered that question, Jim. In fact, I wrote an article for the local paper about the Austin garden-blogging phenomenon last year. At that time there were 10 of us, and I thought that was a lot. Now we’re up to 28! I’d say try to get some publicity for local bloggers—write an article for the paper or pass out a flier at the Garden Walk. Sometimes people just don’t know about garden blogs. Once you get a handful of local bloggers, it’s fun to meet in person. Blogging about the fun you’re having encourages others, and so it goes. —Pam

  13. Helen says:

    What is it with the people in Austin they are gardening mad or at least blogging mad!! I think there are probably as many bloggers on Blotanical in the Uk as there are in Austin.
    We Austinites do have a reputation for going our own way—for being weird, in fact—and perhaps the garden-blogging craze is representative of that. But I think it really boils down to a very computer-literate population in a very green-minded city. Thanks for commenting, Helen, and happy blogging. —Pam

  14. Brenda Kula says:

    Hmm. I wonder why that is? And I’m always wondering if there are other garden bloggers in Tyler. Haven’t found any yet. How did you find those? Google? Austin is always forward-thinking, I know, from living there briefly many years ago, and from living in New Braunfels for five years.
    Brenda
    I found some via a Google search for “Austin garden blogs” and others via links left in comments here and there. —Pam

  15. Twenty-eight? Thanks for the notice on a couple of them, Pam!
    There are two Austin garden bloggers on LiveJournal… not sure how to comment there or if it’s a kind of closed club.
    And Over at the Grackle Shack
    http://thegrackleshack.livejournal.com/
    Laura at Playing in the Dirt
    http://plays-in-dirt.livejournal.com/
    Annie at the Transplantable Rose
    Thanks for reminding me about those two, Annie. I’d seen them before but wasn’t sure how interactive they were either. Maybe they’ll comment and let us know. —Pam

  16. Bonnie says:

    Holy cow. Thanks for all of the updates Pam. I may have to pull an all nighter to read all these new blogs.
    Whew, it could happen! If you try to read them all at once you’ll be burning the midnight oil. —Pam

  17. Uh… seriously… about the tamales…

  18. kidding (maybe)
    Ha! Uh, I think. 😉 —Pam

  19. Layanee says:

    Pam: Wow! Lucky you to be living in such a garden community! I love the Austin garden blogs. Your season starts when mine is frozen and cold and then mine really takes off when you are hot and muggy. (Not a personal comment, LOL) I’ve learned so many new plants from ya’ll and now with more bloggers, more plants! If only there were more time in the day.
    More time—that is what we all need to keep up with all these garden blogs. —Pam

  20. Iris says:

    Thanks for these fantastic resources, Pam. I had no idea there were so many Austin garden bloggers! My husband & I have been converting a standard sod-covered corner lot front yard into an interesting (no sod–we don’t own a lawnmower)drought-tolerant garden. It’s been and continues to be fun and challenging. We just started organic vegetable gardening, too. I blog about my gardening adventures but also about some local high-profile criminal trials–I know, go figure. http://societygarlic.blogspot.com
    Hi, Iris. That’s certainly a unique combination of topics for your blog—gardening and local criminal trials! I’ll add you to the list when I have moment. —Pam

  21. Iris says:

    Thanks, Pam! Yes, it’s a “unique” combination but not too weird for Austin, right? Nice Statesman article today, too! Y’all have inspired me to speed up my timeline on getting a better camera–whoo-hoo!