In which I meet the new owners of my former garden
Since selling our former home last summer, I’ve avoided driving down our old street, fearing to see what the new owners might have done with my old garden. At best I worried it might be neglected. At worst I expected to see a water-guzzling St. Augustine lawn in place of the xeric Texas cottage garden I’d nurtured.
So imagine my surprise when I recently received an email from the new owner that began, “I’m hoping you can help me with my garden, which was actually your garden!” and ended, “Thank you for starting such a great yard for me to love and nourish!” How charming!
I met her and her husband yesterday and spent an hour with her ID’ing plants, explaining when to prune them, and sharing a few of the garden’s stories: how I brought the spider lily bulbs from my first garden; how I toted home the cedar elm, now huge, as a baby tree in the back of my minivan; how I moved a beloved ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave with me to my new garden, leaving her an opening for a favorite specimen plant.
She in turn told me about watching excitedly, from the front window, as hummingbirds visited the salvias, being wowed by the statuesque ‘Belinda’s Dream’ rose when it burst into bloom, and admiring the fossils visible in the limestone-paved courtyard. She’s already changed a few things and even added a small vegetable garden, and it pleased me to see her claiming the garden as her own.
It’s a happy ending—and a new beginning—for Green Hall Garden.
Note: Not to confuse anyone: these are old photos of my former garden, taken in warmer and well-groomed seasons.
All material © 2006-2011 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Pam, what a happy ending to that chapter of your story!
Yes, it is for me, Sheila. 🙂 —Pam
What a nice story! Driving by my own and friends’ gardens left behind, I’m afraid it’s often a tale of overgrown neglect, almost painful to look at. Sounds like in your case, both buyer and seller lucked out!
I felt happy when she told me the garden was one of the selling points for her, Cyndy. Lucky indeed. —Pam
It’s heartwarming to see that the new owners have taken to the garden and made it their own. I hate to say it, but the back garden looks better without the trampoline. :^)
Well, yeah! 😉 The trampoline is still cluttering up my current garden. But it won’t be around forever, as we both well know how fast children grow up. To clarify about the photos, these were all taken when we owned the house. It’s winter and obviously not as green and flowery over there right now, plus a little overgrown. —Pam
How lovely that the new owner is nurturing and caring and discovering all the surprises you left for her in the garden.
Yes, it’s a happy outcome from my perspective. —Pam
Thanks for the visit to your old house – I sometimes drive past my first house to see the plants. I like the strong axis your past place has to the front door. Potted beargrass – YES! Any winter pics?
You sat right in front of that potted bear grass when you visited my new garden, remember, David? Winter pics of my former garden can be found by scrolling back through my 2007 and earlier posts. —Pam
Pam, that is astounding…how wonderful! That is a gardener’s dream come true…knowing the people who came after you appreciated the garden and made it their own…I’m so happy for you!
Thanks for your kind comment, Scott. —Pam
how lovely…my old garden was totally pulled out structures and all and replaced with all lawn…so sad!!!
Oh no, I’m sad to hear that too, Donna. I’ve seen that happen many times as gardens change hands. —Pam
what a great story! it must feel wonderful to have someone embrace what you nurtured and loved!
It does, LD. Thanks for your comment. —Pam
How great to meet the gardener at your old house, Pam … but have to laugh that a veggie garden went in already. That was probably the surest way for the new owner to stamp her new garden as different from your old garden!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I was aware of a certain irony too, Annie. She picked a bold spot for it too: right alongside the driveway. Front-yard edible gardens are trendy, you know. —Pam
I wondered if you had sold your beautiful former home yet Pam. I don’t come here often enough to know that answer I guess but I’m glad to learn the happy news. I would think even if they weren’t gardeners before they bought it, they would become gardeners after seeing the beauty around them. It so nice they are going to continue the garden and make it their own.
It was a relief to finally sell it, Kathleen, and I’m happy to know now that the garden was one of the selling points for them. —Pam
How wonderful for both you and the new owner! Long may Green Hall Garden grow!
Hear, hear! —Pam
How wonderful that they contacted you and got to learn from your experience as well as share the gardens progression with you. A wonderful story! (oh and I love your positive spin on removing the Whale’s Tongue….”leaving her an opening for a favorite specimen plant”)
Wasn’t that a good spin? 😉 I told her about it because it was obvious that something was missing (I’d planted an annual purple fountain grass there after removing the agave). She likes the big variegated American agave by the front door and was already contemplating adding another agave. A new gardener after my own heart. —Pam
LOVE this story!! What a beautiful new friendship.
It was definitely a friendly meeting, Cat. I hope they enjoy years of happiness puttering in their new garden. —Pam
What a great garden you created for the new owners…you’ll have to show us photos of how it looks this spring/summer.
I don’t know if I’ll end up visiting the garden again, Darla, but I’m glad to know it’s in good hands. —Pam
I sort of know how you feel. My Sister bought my former house and garden. She has over the years changed the plants quite a bit, added a veggie garden and removed some plantings. All in all it has the same foot print. It is fun going over there seeing how she changes it. It is now “her” garden for sure.
What an interesting situation for you, Lisa, and a gift: to see your garden evolve into someone else’s vision. Plus you can still get divisions from it, right? —Pam
Wonderful follow up to all the Green Hall stories. Great to know the new owner loves the garden.
I know. It was so nice to hear that from her, S. Fox. —Pam
What a beautiful gift you could give to the new owners! It’s always disheartening to let it go, but at least everything will be (hopefully) well taken care of.
Thanks, Jenn. They’ll put their own stamp on it, I’m sure, but now I know it won’t be turned into grass. At least not with these owners. —Pam
I was near your old house the other day and did a drive-by Happy to see they have kept so much of what you started.
Hi, Bonnie, yes. There were some losses while we rented out the house for a year, and of course I took with me some of my favorite structural plants. But the garden was really in need of some editing, and a few structural plants can easily be added back in. —Pam
What a wonderful surprise, to find the new owners caring so well for your ‘baby’. I expect mine will go to pot when I move, so I’d better enjoy it now. I hope to make one of those publish-yourself books with pictures of my garden when it matures, so I can enjoy the book in the nursing home when my gardening days are past.
Enjoying it while you have it is always the happiest course rather than worrying about the garden’s future. Making a book about your garden sounds like a great way to remember it once you’ve left it. A blog is great for that too. —Pam
I dream of having someone who buys my house and asks me about caring for the garden. That fear of bulldozing and lawn coming in is real in the suburbs. How sweet for you to get the call, to visit, and help start a gardener.
Her call was totally out of the blue, and I really did appreciate it. I hope you get the same call one day, Benjamin. —Pam
Pam, whats the name of the pretty pink flowers in the second to last picture? They are gorgeous!
That is Autumn sage, or Salvia greggii, Mary. Such a great plant for a warm, sunny spot. —Pam
Pam — Oh how comforting and exciting that must have been — to know your babies and hard work are being treasured and nurtured by a budding gardener. You couldn’t ask for much more than that…except maybe for a few more of those plants!!!!!
So true, Diana! I thought about asking for a few divisions…. —Pam
It must have been neat to see the new owners. Love the pictures.
Thanks, Jewel! —Pam
Oh, what a relief this must have been for you! And how fun to go back to teach the new owners how to care for it, and how wonderful that they WANT to care for it 🙂
Yes, Toni, especially the last thing. 🙂 —Pam
This post made me hugely happy, Pam, as I’ve wondered (and worried) about that former garden, too. How lovely that someone has it who loves and will care for it. It’s the best thing we can have happen to a garden we nurtured…
Isn’t it lovely? I’m glad too, Jodi. —Pam
How wonderful to know that your previous garden is being cherished, enjoyed and developed. I love that they wanted to get in touch and find out more about it. It honours the love and care you put in to it over the years but ensures it has a future too, one that will see it change and grow with its new owners. Perfect.
I couldn’t have said it better myself, Janet. Thanks. —Pam
What a great story. You need to introduce her to the world of Austin garden bloggers. Wouldn’t that be fun to see her writing about your old garden?
If she starts blogging about the garden that’ll be a sure sign that it has ensnared her heart. —Pam
A gardener couldn’t ask for a better ending~But, really, it’s a beginning for the new garden owner! gail
Yes, so true, Gail. —Pam
How wonderful that you met the new owners! The garden is gorgeous. They must love it.
I hope so, Meemsnyc. The garden’s bones are in good shape, and it needs a little TLC for it to be gorgeous, but I believe it’s in good hands. —Pam
Hi Pam.
I am glad Green Hall Garden finally went to a good new home Pam!
And how nice of the new owners to get together with you for a plant and maintenance download / consultation.
ESP.
Yes, it was a good ending for me, and I hope a good beginning for them. —Pam
I remember you mentioning how you didn’t want to face what might have happened to your last garden, so I’m glad to see the happy ending to this story. I fully expect new owners to rearrange a few things, but I’d feel deeply hurt if they’d done something radically unimaginative like replace your thoughtful plantings with lawn.
During the course of selling the house, we heard from a few potential buyers that they didn’t want the maintenance of a garden. Of course we heard from others that the garden was a big selling point, especially for those who didn’t want the bother of a lawn. But we really didn’t know which way the actual buyers viewed the garden. It’s nice to know the garden was a plus for them. —Pam
How fortunate you are to have sold to someone who appreciates what you accomplished. When we sold our last house, they soon let everything go to hell. Now 16 years later, the only remnants are a custom fence I designed and some Red Tip Photinias I’m embarassed to say I ever planted.
We all have those embarrassing plants that we wouldn’t plant now, Les. Bitterly ironic, though, that that’s what survives of your old garden, isn’t it? —Pam
Oh Pam, it’s the best of news. 🙂 I loved your old garden and will love your new. The shed is so cool with that roof.~~Dee
Thanks, Dee! It looks even better now, as DH has added flashing along the joints. The siding materials are in the garage. We just need a warm-up again. —Pam
The best outcome a gardener can hope for. Someone to love the garden and take it forward into a new future!
Yes, Jenn. I’m so glad the new owners value the garden. —Pam