cool gardens in a hot climate™
December 24, 2012 I’ve driven west through Johnson City, about 45 miles from Austin in the Texas Hill Country, many times on the way to Fredericksburg and parts further west. But not until last night had I strolled around the … Read More
December 22, 2012 The Great Recession dimmed Austin’s beloved Trail of Lights for two years. But this year the electric extravaganza, an Austin tradition since 1965, returned, and so last night we braved traffic (I witnessed a bang-up fender bender … Read More
December 21, 2012Forget all that Mayan doomsday hoo-ha. The very first, sparkly new copy of my book, Lawn Gone!, arrived in the mail from my publisher today, and I’m just gonna have to gush like a new mother holding her … Read More
December 17, 2012While sorting through my filing cabinet this morning, I came across an old newsletter published by my former neighborhood association. Why in the world did I save this? I wondered. Flipping through the yellowing pages, I saw an … Read More
December 17, 2012 Big thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for a copy of Andrew Keys’s new book, Why Grow That When You Can Grow This?. I randomly drew the winning number this morning, #45, and so the winner … Read More
December 16, 2012In the hubbub of the upcoming holiday I nearly forgot to post for Foliage Follow-Up. But recently I’ve had some fun adding colorful potted plants to my entry garden, and since I chose them for their shape and … Read More
December 13, 2012 Doesn’t everyone want a plant with a sharky grin in their gardens? I know I do, and Agave gentryi ‘Jaws’ obliges with half-inch-long thorns that leave shadowy “teeth marks” on each emerald-green leaf as it unfurls. I … Read More
December 11, 2012You can’t help but feel curious about a gardening book titled as provocatively as this one. Why Grow That When You Can Grow This? 255 Extraordinary Alternatives to Everyday Problem Plants is the work of Andrew Keys, a … Read More
December 09, 2012 Before: October 2008 We almost didn’t buy this house because we didn’t like the front exterior. We’d read the listing online and drove by but were turned off by the bland, 1970s style and the way the … Read More
December 07, 2012 We’re expecting a low around 30F (-1.1C) early next week, so we may be enjoying the last flowers for a little while. ‘Twinkle Pink’ cuphea is still glowing rosily in the afternoon light, but a frost will … Read More
December 06, 2012My book is taking its first baby steps out into the world. An excerpt is now available on Scribd, so check it out (below) if you’d like a sneak peek! The excerpt includes the introduction and chapter 1, … Read More
December 06, 2012My book is taking its first baby steps out into the world. An excerpt is now available on Scribd, so check it out (below) if you’d like a sneak peek! The excerpt includes the introduction and chapter 1, … Read More
December 05, 2012 I confess: I used to be disdainful of Mexican heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia), that sturdy, prolifically blooming sub-shrub offered on the summer-color tables at the big-box stores and plugged into many a planter at local shopping centers. I … Read More
December 04, 2012 Do you have an agave lover on your holiday shopping list? Or do you want to know more about these marvelous, architectural plants yourself? Or maybe, just maybe, you fantasize about plant hunting on rocky, treacherous hillsides … Read More