Lucinda Hutson’s colorful Day of the Dead garden

October 25, 2021

Austin author Lucinda Hutson‘s garden blazes with color every day of the year. But come October, for Day of the Dead, she kicks it up a big notch. Yellow and orange marigolds glow from every pot, mingling with hibiscus, coral vine, and roses in sherbet hues, all set against the backdrop of a house and garage painted grape, turquoise, and goldenrod.

Fun-loving skeletons loll amid the flowers, this one clutching a tequila bottle (Lucinda’s alter ego? She is the author of Viva Tequila! after all) and wearing a coronavirus necklace in recognition of the earthly trials we’re living through.

Lucinda’s generous spirit and irreverent humor make any visit a joyful experience.

She has mad hostess skills too. This pretty table in the garden was set for a gathering of friends that evening, decorated with sugar skulls, skull plates, pom-pom-like marigolds, and green goblets on a silver tray.

Let’s take a tour, starting with the side garden, where a vine-smothered arbor divides the long, narrow space into two separate rooms.

A mermaid tile plays up the mermaid-grotto theme of the first garden room.

Nobody here but us chickens…in a corn-tiled kitchen window. Fall-blooming coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) swags around it.

That window looks out on a small seating area bristling with aloes, softened with mango-hued bench pillows and yellow marigolds. Our Lady of La Tina, in a bathtub shrine, anchors the corner.

In the sunny space in front of the garage (this is the old driveway), a raised bed contains edibles and more potted marigolds in honor of the season.

So festive!

The tequila-toting, papier-mâché skeleton comes outside for parties.

I expect she’s the life of the party!

Hot-pink bougainvillea reaches out from a trellis on the house, reminding me of visits to Mexico.

Sancho the cat trailed along with us, friendly as always but playing it cool.

One wall of the house, painted goldenrod-yellow, holds a collection of children’s chairs from Mexico. Lucinda has an extensive collection of folk art, textiles, and other handcrafted items from her travels through Mexico.

Coral vine also goes by the name queen’s wreath. It’s such a beautiful vine, delicate looking but tough as nails.

Coral vine shares vertical space with blue sky vine (Thunbergia grandiflora), a tropical vine with big, trumpet-shaped flowers that comes back from the roots every year.

In the rear garden, a deck table shaded by a purple umbrella is set for guests. The beautifully crafted cedar structure behind it serves as Lucinda’s office and writing space.

Colorful stools line a floral oilcloth-covered buffet table.

Old cowgirl boots get a second life as succulent planters. The boots are real even if the succulents are faux!

Even a single boot makes a kicky planter.

Behind the garage, a turquoise wall serves as a vivid backdrop for Lucinda’s tequila cantina, a rustic cedar structure topped with a flame-leafed metal agave. A metal mariachi serenades a bottle-guzzling listener.

Sancho lounges in the background.

An outdoor shower and picnic table add more function to this back-of-the-garden space. The bamboo lining the fence, which screens a tall neighboring house, got hit hard by the February freeze but is coming back.

A dancing-figure plaque embodies the joyful spirit of the garden.

Lucinda’s tiled back stairs host a trio of light-up, glittery skulls.

The gate into the mermaid garden now has — what else? — a mermaid skeleton hanging from it.

The view into the front garden…

…where a mariposa skeleton with purple monarch wings presides over a small patio and potted marigolds.

Lucinda’s purple casita, all decked out for Day of the Dead

A mauve rose basks in the sunshine.

By the raspberry-colored front porch, a tall skeleton lady stands ready to welcome visitors.

Monarchs were zipping among the flowers, but I managed to catch this one at rest for a few seconds.

A lipstick-pink rose adds more happy color.

Lucinda invited me to see her indoor decorations for Day of the Dead, so let’s step inside.

There’s always so much to look at in Lucinda’s carefully arranged Dia de los Muertos altars, like these skeleton cups and candles and tequila bottles.

He’s got some crazy eyes going on!

A favorite photo of Lucinda’s mom and a friend in sombreros sits on an altar for departed loved ones.

More skeletons and exquisite Mexican folk art everywhere you look

Lucinda found this embroidered dress at a resale shop — a perfect fit, she says. It’s currently part of the decor until she has an event to wear it to.

Antique sugar skulls — Lucinda has preserved these for twenty years!

They have pride of place on her Carry Me On altar by the front door.

The tile mosaic is by local artist Aly Winningham.

A guffawing gaggle of skeleton mermaids lounges on one of the living room chairs.

The dining table is transformed into a Day of the Dead showpiece, with sugar skulls and coffins, tiny skeleton figures enjoying the pursuits they loved in life, and ornaments dangling from a lampshade.

Looking closer you see the details, like a skeleton lady with turkeys, a skeleton vendor selling corn, and skull-decorated martini glasses.

An agave chandelier sports skeleton baubles on the tips of its leaves.

Love and peace, a framed picture reads.

A grinning purple skull ornament hangs from a lampshade…

…as do skeleton ladies and a genial devil.

Lucinda offered me a gingerbread skull as an edible souvenir to take with me.

I treasure each visit to Lucinda’s purple cottage in the Rosedale neighborhood, especially when her garden is bursting with color and the festive remembrance of departed family and friends.

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Digging Deeper

Need design help with your yard? Hire me as your personal garden coach! Maybe you need replacement plant ideas after the big freeze. Or maybe your landscaping has grown tired, and you want fresh curb appeal. Or perhaps you’re ready to get rid of some lawn and create a pollinator garden, bird habitat, or hangout space for you and your friends. I’m here to help! Contact me to let me know what’s going on, and let’s figure it out together. My range is Austin and suburbs within a 25-min. drive of NW Austin, but I’m flexible and can travel farther with a surcharge, so let me know where you are. Weekday morning appts. only.

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All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

38 responses to “Lucinda Hutson’s colorful Day of the Dead garden”

  1. Gerhard Bock says:

    It’s so heart-warming to see the comeback Lucinda’ garden made from the horrible freeze. And to see her smile!

  2. Laura says:

    As always, Lucinda’s garden is a rainbow of colors and delight. I think after so many years, her garden should be made into a must-see Austin landmark. Thank you for the photos, Pam, and thank Lucinda for allowing us to tour her garden through your lens.

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Her garden does feel like part of the fabric of Austin, Laura. Thanks for your comment!

  3. Tracy says:

    I love this home and garden. So festive.

  4. Kris P says:

    Lucinda’s house and garden are always a joy to see – and she does know how to dress it up the Day of the Dead festivities. The mermaid skeletons were a surprise and a hoot 🙂

  5. ks says:

    Thanks so much Pam for taking us on this visit to Lucindas fantastic garden. I am so grateful for our Fling visit -this is the type of garden that stays in the memory bank for a very long time. And who doesn’t need a gingerbread skull ??

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Everyone should try one. 🙂 I’m so glad to know you enjoyed touring Lucinda’s garden at the Fling, and that it was a mental “keeper.” It sure has been for me too.

  6. Janet Davis says:

    I hope you pitch this to a magazine, Pam. It really deserves a much wider audience. Lucinda takes the Day of the Dead and turns it into the Day of Exuberant Life, with appropriate accessories! (And sugar skulls… I desperately want those now….)

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Her garden does deserve a wider audience, Janet. And I love the way you describe it — just so.

  7. Lisa Bowman says:

    It is always a delight to see her garden and home, lively and colorful.

  8. hb says:

    Lovely, in multiple ways.

  9. Denise Maher says:

    Wish one of these great photos also included you and Lucinda raising a tumbler of tequila in honor of the Day of the Dead! 😉 What a force of nature she is!

  10. Each time you post about my garden, I think it’s the best but this really touched my ! Your Ken’s and language—your way with words and camera really captured the season and my garden in its fall glory. Thank you for sharing this with your wonderful readers and for gracing me with your incredible creativity! Besos y blessings!

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Lucinda, thank you for sharing your beautiful place with me so often over the years. I try to do it justice with my posts, and it makes me happy to know you enjoy them. Thank YOU!

    • Darrell Kirkland says:

      Lucinda, what a treat to get to see you and your magical garden through Pam’s pictures! Would love to meet up soon and see you again. I am a new neighbor in this hood and would love to stroll over since we are now so close My cell is 512-970-6676!

  11. commonweeder says:

    Pam – Thank you so much for this Halloween gala in Lucinda’s garden. I’m thinking of all the great fun we had together at the Garden Bloggers event. Here is beauty and fun!

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Yes indeed! Lucinda’s garden was greatly enjoyed by so many Flingers in 2018. I’m grateful she was able to share it with us all.

  12. Jane says:

    What a bright and happy chaos of color you, and Lucinda, have brought into my dreary wet and grey Pacific Northwest Day. I was lucky enough to be in Mexico on Dia de los Muertos in 2019 and will always treasure the experience. Thank you both so much.

    • Pam/Digging says:

      Thank you, Jane! Lucinda’s garden would brighten the dreariest day, I think. And how wonderful you were able to enjoy Day of the Dead in Mexico. I bet that was magical.

  13. peter schaar says:

    Lucinda hasn’t slowed down at all in the years since I saw her house and garden decorated for Dia de los Muertos. Thanks for the great tour. Btw, I love the Spanish name for A. leptopus – cadenza de amor.

  14. Peter Lecca says:

    Always love to see Lucinda’s amazing creative garden ! If she ever opens her garden for a private tour I would be honored to experience the special invitation! Thanks for giving us a glimpse

  15. It’s so wonderful to see Lucinda’s garden so colorful and lush after the horrid freeze. Dare I ask if the agave on the stone wall made it?

    • Pam/Digging says:

      She tells me no, it didn’t make it. But she’s already replaced it, so agave life goes on!

  16. Judi says:

    Beautiful, Lucinda! Well done. great photos, Pam! Exquisite!

  17. Alison Wells says:

    Love the garden and Lucinda’s take on Day of the Dead
    In New Orleans we ‘do it up’ as well
    Too bad can’t post photos on reply

  18. Merry says:

    Thanks to both of you for the fantastic imagination and work behind this place and the sensitive writing and photography that captured its spirit! I went yesterday to see the last day of Mexico Week at Rockefeller Center, complete with enormous alebrije guardians, huge catrinas, huichol beaded skulls, and a long ofrenda full of tequila bottles, marigolds and dancing xoloxcuintle dogs. It was wonderful, especially set as it was in the heart of NYC, but it had nothing on Lucinda’s intimate space and personal touches. ¡Gracias!

    • Pam/Digging says:

      That sounds like a beautiful exhibit, Merry. Thanks for coming here too. Lucinda really has created a special garden.