cool gardens in a hot climate™
Doorways in chunky stucco walls frame vista after flowery vista in the garden of Jenny Stocker, also known as Rock Rose, the title of her blog. I showed you half of her Austin garden yesterday. Today I’ll lead you through the rest, starting with the sunken garden between her back porch and swimming pool.… Read More
Ah, let us return to the always-stunning garden of Jenny Stocker, aka Rock Rose. Born and raised in England, Jenny and her husband, David, many years ago adopted Texas as their home. Jenny’s garden, a series of walled courtyards surrounding their contemporary home, reflects her English roots but also shows a Texas taste for tough, waterwise plants including cactus and agave. … Read More
Visiting the garden of Lori Daul on a cool spring afternoon gives me a case of the blues. But the blues are moody only in hue, not in spirit! Lushly planted with Texas-tough plants, her suburban South Austin garden is a serene yet playful hideaway where kitschy pink flamingos cavort amid the greenery.… Read More
Stopping by Christine Ten Eyck’s house to return something after her recent Garden Spark presentation, I was greeted by this beautiful monster. An 8-foot-tall Agave franzosinii droops over a rocky ledge, like a giant octopus crawling over the seafloor. … Read More
Mexican plum and redbud may be blooming at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center by now. But last Sunday afternoon the gardens were still in the “grip” of an unusually mild winter. Flowers were few, but the tawny and russet hues of early February offer their own softer beauty.… Read More
February 01, 2019Years of attending interior design and architecture tours have taught me not to expect much in the way of landscape design. Making a beautifully designed home, for many, doesn’t extend beyond the front stoop, or maybe the money … Read More
December 05, 2018 An invitation to Linda Peterson’s garden in San Antonio proved too tempting a treat to resist on the day before Halloween. I arrived in San Antonio in time to tour the terrific new culinary and adventure gardens … Read More
November 28, 2018 The species Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) at the front corner of our house reliably goes scarlet in December, turning red to match the Christmas balls I hang on an agave by the front door. But this year … Read More
November 26, 2018 My phone buzzed on Saturday as my daughter, home from college for Thanksgiving, and I were heading out to do a little shopping at Blue Genie Art Bazaar. It was Lucinda Hutson, her voice excited as she … Read More
November 11, 2018 I’ve shown you the fabulous new gardens at San Antonio Botanical Garden that have opened over the past year — the culinary and entry gardens and the Family Adventure Garden — but there is more to see … Read More
November 10, 2018 I’ve visited a lot of play gardens, and I play in ALL of them. But one of the most exciting I’ve seen opened this spring at San Antonio Botanical Garden. The Family Adventure Garden at SABG offers … Read More
November 05, 2018 As a native of border city El Paso and a veteran traveler throughout Mexico, Lucinda Hutson has long embraced Mexican culture and traditions like Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. She recently hosted a … Read More
October 23, 2018 A visit to Jenny Stocker‘s gorgeous walled garden is always a treat, even on a chilly, rainy day like last Friday (and actually all this month). Jenny kindly opened her garden to me and my friend Susan … Read More
October 22, 2018 Hey, garden friends! My 2018 season of Garden Spark talks concluded last Thursday with a terrific talk by designer/author Susan Morrison about small-garden design. Thanks to everyone who braved waterlogged Austin’s wet streets to attend! After Susan’s … Read More