Bottle tree

April 30, 2010 It’s the perfect time of year for sitting on the upper patio, looking out over the raised beds as a succession of plants burst into bloom. Little details please me, like this bird in my succulent dish. Dianthus ‘Bath’s Pink’ perfumes the garden with a delicious clove-like ...

April 21, 2010 Purchased for its cool blue foliage, the pale pink flowers of ‘Bath’s Pink’ dianthus were unexpected. For some reason, I thought they’d be hot pink. But at twilight, paired with blue, pale pink is magical. ‘Bath’s Pink’ looks smashing with the Texas bluebonnets. Its icy blue foliage ...

April 21, 2010 Purchased for its cool blue foliage, the pale pink flowers of ‘Bath’s Pink’ dianthus were unexpected. For some reason, I thought they’d be hot pink. But at twilight, paired with blue, pale pink is magical. ‘Bath’s Pink’ looks smashing with the Texas bluebonnets. Its icy blue foliage ...

March 25, 2010 Tender green leaves, new buds and flowers, balmy air, June bugs flying around crazily, rain dripping from the eaves—yup, it’s springtime. Join me for a twilight stroll around my garden. Pictured above, left to right: ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave (A. ovatifolia); iris and dianthus foliage; potted ‘Angelina’ sedum, ...

February 23, 2010 Fat, fluffy snowflakes have quieted the garden and outlined the trees. After our super hot summer, lengthy drought, and record cold temperatures over the past year, I don’t know why this surprises me. But it does. According to Mark Lisheron at Statesman.com, it has snowed in Austin ...

February 21, 2010 Between last Sunday and this morning, 91 of you left a comment on my 4th blogiversary giveaway post! Many thanks for all the good wishes, and for playing along. At 10 a.m. I used a random number generator to select three numbers and matched those up to ...

January 21, 2010 Like a blue eye, a glass bead stares up from a moss-covered rock—my daughter’s doing. She’s become quite the moss farmer lately, transplanting it, when she finds some, to a shady niche in the Lion King rock. She keeps it watered and enjoys the way it feels ...

December 12, 2009 A glimpse of garden through a gate is tantalizing, making you want to see what’s hidden on the other side. Even if an expensive custom gate is beyond your means, you can add interest to a typical suburban board gate like mine with a peek-a-boo cut-out. One ...

December 07, 2009 With family in town through the weekend I didn’t have time to post many morning-after-freeze images. These were all taken early Saturday morning, after our first hard freeze. The ‘Twinkle Pink’ cuphea looked nearly untouched, with just a slight droop to its leaves but its many blossoms ...

December 04, 2009 As Austin awaits its first freeze of the season and squints skyward for a few predicted snowflakes, I’ve been showing my visiting mom and cousin around town in very chilly weather. Yesterday we spent the day shopping in Dripping Springs, about 30 minutes west of Austin, and ...

December 04, 2009 As Austin awaits its first freeze of the season and squints skyward for a few predicted snowflakes, I’ve been showing my visiting mom and cousin around town in very chilly weather. Yesterday we spent the day shopping in Dripping Springs, about 30 minutes west of Austin, and ...

November 20, 2009 Golden barrel cactus, ‘Angelina’ sedum, and crepe myrtle leaf A steady rain patters outside, and I couldn’t be happier about it. We still desperately need rain, so no complaints—let it pour! But instead of showing a rain-washed garden (which would mean going outside in it), I’m using ...

November 20, 2009 Golden barrel cactus, ‘Angelina’ sedum, and crepe myrtle leaf A steady rain patters outside, and I couldn’t be happier about it. We still desperately need rain, so no complaints—let it pour! But instead of showing a rain-washed garden (which would mean going outside in it), I’m using ...

November 09, 2009 Garden path at the Antique Rose Emporium Rose Garden: two words that induce irrepressible yawns. I’ve never enjoyed traditional rose gardens, where different varieties of roses are spaced out across a sunny square and unaccompanied by any other plants. It makes for a hodgepodge of color and ...

October 29, 2009 Ooh la la, Lucinda! Local author and designer Lucinda Hutson, she of the purple cottage in central Austin’s Rosedale neighborhood, welcomes you into her garden with open arms, offers of cuttings, and an exuberance for giving a tour. “Y’all, look at this!” she calls as she leads ...

October 29, 2009 Ooh la la, Lucinda! Local author and designer Lucinda Hutson, she of the purple cottage in central Austin’s Rosedale neighborhood, welcomes you into her garden with open arms, offers of cuttings, and an exuberance for giving a tour. “Y’all, look at this!” she calls as she leads ...