A month ago it wasn’t blazing summer in Austin but gentle spring. Early April found me on a wildflower safari with Patterson Webster, visiting from Canada, and my friend Diana Kirby.

The Antique Rose Emporium in Brenham

We drove out to Brenham for lunch at Truth BBQ — yum! — bluebonnet fields, and plant shopping at the Antique Rose Emporium, where the display gardens were blushing with poppies. I love the way they seed poppies into their xeric beds for spiky-soft spring combos like this.

A pink-and-lavender poppy stands out against a blue glass gazing ball.

Poppies and more poppies with a towering trellis in the background

Those poppies were a-poppin’!

A closeup

Frilly poppies framed by tree trunks and yuccas — yup, also good.

More of that spiky-soft contrast I admire

Frilly poppies

Two women in dresses, boots, and hats caught my eye as they scouted the best selfie spots.

She’s dressed for spring.

ARE displays garden art in abundance throughout the gardens.

I enjoy their leaning bottle trees.

More Texas sotol with poppies

Poppy gorgeousness

Along a trickling stream, two grand old bald cypresses keep their toes in the water and their crowns in the sky.

A fishscale-shingled, purple greenhouse

Diana dwarfed by enormous wind chimes

A long pergola supports pink roses and vines.

Galvanized envelope planters enliven the rustic Corn Crib, one of ARE’s gift-shop outbuildings.

In the main gift shop, I found one of my books for sale. Yay! Thanks for carrying The Water-Saving Garden, ARE!

Junk Gypsy in Round Top

With plant purchases stowed in the trunk, we headed on to Round Top, where we stopped at Junk Gypsy, a boho-cowgirl home goods and clothing shop.

On the front porch, giant foo dogs guard the doors. Exotic hanging lanterns and colorful barn wood siding add global-country style.

Inside the airy, barn-like store, it was all bohemian hippie-meets-redneck, ruffles and fringe and sparkly belt buckles in a wink-wink, over-the-top Texas style. How did I not know about this place?

It was fun to poke around, and I bought a couple pairs of earrings.

Loved these boots!

And hats

And more hats

Lots of angel wings…

…and “junking finds” for creating that flea-market-treasure vibe.

Eclectic exterior decor

Humble Donkey Studio

We also stopped in at Round Top’s Humble Donkey Studio, where this funny sign made me hee-haw.

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Digging Deeper

Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Stay tuned for more info!

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