Vines

August 28, 2009 They’re a dime-a-dozen in gardens all over Austin. Here are a few plants easy to overlook because of over-familiarity, whose praises I rarely sing, but which keep my garden green even during the hottest and driest summer anyone alive can remember. ‘Katie’ dwarf ruellia (Ruellia brittoniana), also ...

May 11, 2009 A carpet of silver ponyfoot (Dichondra argentea) sparkles like a stream in the Buckeye Trail garden. My pictures from this garden, our third stop on the Wildflower Center-sponsored Gardens on Tour, don’t do it justice. The Buckeye Trail garden, located in Rollingwood, was my favorite of the ...

March 12, 2009 It’s a spring fling. A brief yet passionate affair. I have a big, orange crush on crossvine ‘Tangerine Beauty’ (Bignonia capreolata ) that lasts for a blissful couple of weeks every spring. Actually, crossvine is pretty fine all year, with long, evergreen leaves perfect for cloaking a ...

February 19, 2009 ‘Amethyst Flame’ irises have burst into bloom at Green Hall Garden, my old garden that is still for sale, along with our former home in central Austin. I recently had sod installed in the back yard to replace the mulched area where the kids’ trampoline used to ...

September 17, 2008 The Good: This is my favorite seed, that of ‘Duchess of Albany’ clematis. I love the color, the texture, and the shape of these tousled-hair seedheads. Don’t you just want to reach out and ruffle it? The flowers that precede them are pretty, but I believe I ...

September 17, 2008 The Good: This is my favorite seed, that of ‘Duchess of Albany’ clematis. I love the color, the texture, and the shape of these tousled-hair seedheads. Don’t you just want to reach out and ruffle it? The flowers that precede them are pretty, but I believe I ...

July 23, 2008 Among all the beautiful, bold, and imaginative gardens at Chanticleer, why do I like the Gravel Garden best? It so resembles the dry gardens of west Austin that I feel a little sheepish to admit that in this lush, Pennsylvania garden I preferred the familiarity of home ...

July 21, 2008 I’m sure something shines brightly every month that Chanticleer is open (April through October). But I felt fortunate to see the hydrangeas in full bloom since I rarely see one in Austin. I can never decide whether I prefer the pink or the blue. The lacecaps are ...

June 13, 2008 During the past week of 100-degree days, I enjoyed a twice-daily visit to Switch Willo Stables in northwest Austin, where my daughter attended a riding day camp. What a beautiful, lush oasis tucked away in a neighborhood that nowadays is practically in-town. When Switch Willo opened back ...

May 19, 2008 You’ve seen Tom Spencer’s garden, which I visited on Mother’s Day weekend as part of Gardens on Tour 2008, a self-guided tour of Austin gardens that feature native plants and green-gardening practices. Sponsored by the Wildflower Center, the tour’s focus has varied wildly over the three years ...

April 18, 2008 I know gardeners who are successful with traditional clematis in Austin (Annie for one). But many of us can only yearn for those big, beautiful clematis featured in all the garden magazines but which tend to croak in our summer heat. Happily, the Natural Gardener nursery recommended ...

April 15, 2008 This Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, it’s all about the roses. Naturally, all but one (‘Carefree Beauty’) refused to bloom for the Spring Fling on the 5th, but they’re rockin’ now. ‘Belinda’s Dream,’ my favorite, looks dreamy in the morning light. It leans over the garden fence out ...

April 15, 2008 This Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, it’s all about the roses. Naturally, all but one (‘Carefree Beauty’) refused to bloom for the Spring Fling on the 5th, but they’re rockin’ now. ‘Belinda’s Dream,’ my favorite, looks dreamy in the morning light. It leans over the garden fence out ...

March 18, 2008 Front porch vignette Last Friday we drove three hours east to Houston to visit my sister and her partner in their house in the Heights. Despite unseasonably hot and humid weather on Friday and Saturday, we had a wonderful time kicking around at the Houston Rodeo, shopping ...

March 18, 2008 Front porch vignette Last Friday we drove three hours east to Houston to visit my sister and her partner in their house in the Heights. Despite unseasonably hot and humid weather on Friday and Saturday, we had a wonderful time kicking around at the Houston Rodeo, shopping ...

March 03, 2008 Spring called to me yesterday, and I spent a good deal of time in the garden just puttering around. I shot some photos, I pulled one or two weeds, I watered some moonflower vine seedlings I’m growing. But mostly I just looked and touched and smelled and ...