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Spring spruce up from a wide angle lens

One of the rites of spring (even though it has already been 94 degrees here in Austin, Texas), after the whining about winter, pruning, planting and mulching, is taking photos of the garden as it grows.

I recently bought a wide angle lens, primarily for use in photographing our landscaping jobs and getting a good overview. But, I haven’t put it to use here at home.

When I finished the recent spring planting and mulching work on the back garden (which is technically outside of our property line in the neighborhood easement), I decided to try out the new lens.

If you’re wondering WHY I am gardening and watering outside of our property, it’s because the back is bordered by hideous cedar trees.

Several years ago I decided to remedy the ugly cedar problem. I started a deer-resistant, drought-tolerant “trial bed” — all things that are tough as nails and can survive with next-to-no water. In the heat of summer I would drag the hose all the way back there and water with a oscillating sprinkler head only once a month if we hadn’t had rain.

But then came the barn. The neighbor on the country road far behind us decided he needed to build a barn — a RED barn — right on the back edge of our easement. Which you can see through the trees — see the silver metal roof — and below the little bit of red peeking through? Well, I can see it. So, I expanded the bed, planted soon-to-be large, screening plants, shrubs and trees and added an actual sprinkler head to make it easier to get the plants established at least, though I still don’t water often back there.

My goal is to eventually remove the cedars when the nicer plants have gotten large enough to provide some screen. On this end you’ll find a sharkskin agave, some quadricolor agaves, some creeping germander, two Kentucky coffee trees, given to me by my father, (thanks, Daddy!), a green goblet agave passalong from Pam of Digging , some newly planted Yaupon holly trees, and far in the back, a Mexican olive tree. Oh, and two hot pink oleander to coordinate with the desert willow and salvia on the other end.

I’ve added things slowly — some passalongs, some things that didn’t behave elsewhere in the garden and some things I just had to have. The goal is for this bed to be low maintenance. So, toward this end of the bed, you’ll find my beautiful whale’s tongue agave, a desert willow tree, some salvia, Jerusalem sage, zexmenia, euphorbia, dyckia, a few muhly grasses, indigo spires salvia, bright edge yucca, and some recently transplanted large native yuccas that came from a client’s overcrowded natural area. There are also two yaupon hollies on this end, hidden behind the other plantings.

This bed is mostly out of sight from the back deck, unless you walk down the steps leading to the back of the pool. The aerial shots (well, high as I could get them — me on the back pool sheer wall) give you a sense of the breath of the bed.

We’ve started pruning out some of the dead wood on the cedars and hope to start taking some of them out entirely in a few years. I have babies from my loquat tree in the front, so I think there will be a few loquats back there soon, as well. I will have to fence them until they get tall, since the deer have free reign back there and will think I finally served up something that they like to eat!

It’s nice when things come together in the garden, isn’t it?

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:02-06:00April 28th, 2015|Agave, back bed, Blog, cedar tree, deer resistant, desert willow, drought-tolerant, dyckia, euphorbia, Garden 2015, long lens, long shot, screen, Sharing Nature's Garden, whales tongue agave, wide angle lens|0 Comments

Hill country garden charm in the heart of San Antonio…

The last stop on our visit to San Antonio gardens was another xeric garden, filled with drought-tolerant plants, both soft and sculptural. You can come along on the first two gardens of tour with me to see Melody’s and Heather’s gardens here.

Then we toured the garden of Shirley, who blogs at Rock, Oak, Deer. I ‘d seen Shirley’s garden through her camera lens many times, yet when we arrived, I was surprised to find that she wasn’t gardening in the country, but in a suburban neighborhood. Her style and plant choices created an oasis that made the rest of the world seem far away.

Well-placed plants serve to let the grasses and yuccas and perennials all shine.

Shirley uses repetition in her garden to create a dramatic effect.

Definition draws the eye through the space.

In the back yard, the focus is on perennials and grasses. Her rustic shed with its cedar posts and porch make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The arbor on the right is the entry for a deer-proof fence, protecting delicate plants and vegetables from the curious and hungry deer.

Leading to the shed, this circle garden is filled to the brim with flowing perennials and grasses.

Her unique rock garden design is home to a lovely collection of yuccas, cacti and agaves.

Rustic art and pots are scattered about to add interest throughout the garden.

The river rock path guides you around the plant-filled stock tank and circle garden to the shed.

Garden art on a rustic table is tucked away in the shade.

Whimsical elements make true garden art from a simple grapevine.

A collection of sweet somethings brighten up the front of the shed.

Because deer are frequent guests to the back yard, extra protection for new or special plants is a must. This rough cedar fence fits right into the landscape.

Up on the the large, shady deck, succulent planters adorn the windowsills.

All around the deck, pots and paraphernalia bring color to the shady spots.

Even the outdoor fireplace boasts a collection of perky little pots.

Since we’ve toured Austin gardens often with Shirley, it was a special treat to wander through her garden with her. The entire garden was intentional and peaceful. She’s clearly mastered the art of gardening with the rocks, oaks and deer that she writes about. Special thanks to Shirley and her husband for hosting us in your garden.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00October 26th, 2014|Agave, arbor, barrel cactus, Blog, cacti, deer, garden art, garden decor, grasses, paths, pots, Sharing Nature's Garden, succulents, xeric, yucca|0 Comments

Another beautiful San Antonio garden to share…

The second stop on our recent visit to San Antonio was Heather’s garden from Xeric style. Her style is certainly xeric, yet with many soft grasses, draping perennials and ground cover, it has a delicate feel. You can see my post about the first garden here.

Purple fountain grass frames a collection of other grasses and yuccas.

The sun was blazing hot that day, so taking photos was a real challenge. These yuccas were enveloped in a blanket of pretty purple trailing lantana, but it’s hard to see that here.

In this his view of the front of the house you can see that her landscape is well matched to her contemporary style house.

The pots scattered around were also full of drought tolerant native and adapted plants like this cactus, grass and silver ponyfoot.

Another special touch greets visitors at the front door. The sleek orange planter echoes the color of the front door.

This beautiful grass and its inflorescence shine against a backdrop of cacti paddles.

Retro/modern chairs next to the orange door and planted on the front porch complete the look as you enter the house.

Another beautiful agave, a grey weberi, I think, softened by a fuchsia salvia. Two plants that can really handle the heat.

In the shade of the back yard, we were treated to a show by her chickens, who were intrigued by the visitors to the garden.

Also nestled under the tree – a wonderful hammock for lazing about and pondering garden projects.

I was taken with this bed that included drought tolerant plants like the bulbine, with a lovely cairn painstakingly placed in the middle.

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Don’t forget the whimsy. This bright seating area was decorated with several plants in unique pots — plastic tub trugs!

I always celebrate Dia de los Muertos since I worked once a week for a year in my company’s Mexico city office. I learned to understand and came to love this unique celebration of the lives of lost loved ones. Needless to say, these beautiful ceramic plates caught my eye.

And yet another special touch — cacti planted in a pipe suspended on the fence.

Okay, so you’ve seen these in gardens, right? These are made from bamboo given to Heather by her neighbor and she spray painted them orange, her theme color. How clever. Now if only I knew someone with extra bamboo!

I was taken with this simple, elegant pot in front of the garage. I don’t know which I liked more — the beautiful pot or the cascading firecracker fern.

And here’s our friend, Lori, of Gardener of Good and Evil, who has found the perfect spot from which to survey the garden.

Heather professes that she’s stingy with water and is always on the lookout for plants and methods that conserve our precious water. Her garden was the perfect example of the beauty of a truly xeric garden.

Thanks, Heather, for sharing your beautiful garden with us!

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:04-06:00October 24th, 2014|Agave, Blog, cairn, garden art, garden tour, garden tour 2014, grasses, pots, San Antonio, Sharing Nature's Garden, sun, xeric, yucca|0 Comments

Old-world patina of New Orleans style captured in inviting Houston tour garden…

Last weekend, my friend and fellow blogger, Pam Penick, traveled to Houston for the Garden Conservancy’s Open Day’s Tour. This was probably my favorite house on the tour.

Located in the posh River Oaks, the New Orleans-style theme of the home was carried throughout the multi-layered gardens surrounding it. The old brick, wrought iron and garden charm of plants typically found in old gardens really appealed to me.

Not only was the wisteria cascading down the front balcony beautiful, its heady scent helped to set the mood for the tour visitors.

This garden incorporated many different garden elements of style. There were several areas with cottage-style layering like this front bed.

Houston gets much more rain than we do here in Austin. While tour volunteers told us that they’d had temperatures down to 20* this winter, the gardens sure didn’t show it. Most of them were filled with stunning azaleas, one of the hallmarks of the tour, but we also saw gorgeous delphiniums in many of the gardens. Tall and majestic, and blue — they stood tall and proud — like exclamation points.

As ubiquitous as the azaleas, the sweet smell of citrus greeted us in almost every garden. Lush with blooms or fruit, they made me long for a more tropical climate — and an orange or a lime or a kumquat!

An amazing pool was the centerpiece of the back yard. With its palms, negative edge and geometric shape, it provided a different aesthetic in this part of the garden.

Several interesting statues and works of art were nestled around the grounds, like this camel carrying an obelisk.

This rhino was tucked into a far corner of the garden, down a long, winding path. He seemed oddly out of place to me, but perhaps he represents something special to the owners. That’s one of the joys of gardening – creating a space that reflects your personality and style, but also creating a space that is intentional and has meaning. So, I decided to embrace the rhino.

And then across the grounds, another area with that French quarter feel – the foliage covered brick wall and the dark iron fountain as a focal point from afar.

There weren’t as many people on the tour when we started – we’re always tour-eager early birds. These two volunteers had finished their work at another tour site and sat down to chat when they arrived to see this garden. It certainly was the kind of peaceful garden that invited you to sit and admire it.

On the side lawn, another vine-laden fence — this one serving as the backdrop for a piece of sculpture. The garden was so inviting, even the sculpture felt welcome to lounge on the grass.

Another view of the fountain – beautifully crafted space with layers of color, texture and contrast.

This is the view from the sculpture side of the garden across the pool – looking into an enclosed pavillion-like space for entertaining.

The garden was also filled with several lush, plant-lined paths, leading mysteriously to another garden nook.

Behind the wall and fountain is another treat — a more elaborately-designed space.

This aged king of the jungle was guarding the area – his mossy patina as inviting and interesting as the walls he was protecting.

A closer look at the fountain on the other side and its little orange occupants, who all seemed to be very happy with their home in this beautiful garden.

Back through another secret pathway, lined again with a mix of plants — including this striking and sculptural agave. It seemed to lure visitors in, while at the same time warning them not to get too close.

This bucking horse seemed to be ready to romp around the garden.

I love the look for old New Orleans gardens, with their old, mossy brick courtyards, fountains and wrought iron. Although this estate was huge, it was designed with inviting spaces and elements that gave it a more personal and intimate feel.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:11-06:00April 1st, 2014|Agave, agaves, Blog, fountain, garden art, Garden Conservancy 2014, garden tour, garden tour 2014, goldfish, Houston, New Orleans, paths, pool, sculpture, Sharing Nature's Garden, wisteria|0 Comments

Agaves – which ones were hardy enough to survive the surprise winter?

Have you been adding xeric agaves to your garden in an effort to be more water-wise in light of our extreme heat and drought?

Adding native and adapted xeric plants to the garden is the perfect solution to reducing your lawn and your water bill.

But, as with all plants, it’s important to do your research and know what you’re getting.

This cold and early winter weather had been hard on some agaves that can take the heat, but can’t handle the cold.

I’m always pushing the edge of the envelope (and not just in gardening, but we won’t talk about that here). So, that means I trial many plants in my garden that might not be a perfect match for our climate. And, sometimes it kicks me in the …trowel.

Here’s what did and didn’t make it at this winter’s current low in my garden:

The squid agave, pictured above, is always a tough cookie. They have survived for me down to 17 degrees in the icebox winter of 3 years ago.

The giant franzosini agave handled the cold with aplomb. It’s big and bold and still making way too many pups! Let me know if you want one! I’ll even ship! Seriously!

This was an experiment. This octopus agave is stunning when it’s alive. Trust me. However, I knew that experts report it hardy only to between 26 and 28 degrees. And that’s in the ground. Plants in a pot are much more tender because their roots get colder above ground faster. Sometimes it doesn’t even freeze here in the winter, so I was taking a calculated risk, knowing I might simply have to replace it when it warms up next spring. And I will replace it. I love the look and the sculptural shape so I will just take my chances and treat it like an annual in cold years.

This Arizona star agave looks pretty ugly now, but I think it will come back from the crown — it will just take a while to be big and beautiful again.

This standard weberii agave seems to be tolerating the cold just fine. It’s been scraped up by the deer, roaming around looking for places to rub their antlers, but that’s just a cosmetic problem for this agave.

I’m very surprised that this variegated agave Americana made it through. I’ve lost some in previous years’ freezes and I fully expected to lose this one at 24 degrees. There are a few ugly spots on the back side, but it’s doing great. Those that died in previous years were much younger, so I think this one did well because it’s well-established now.

This wicked sharkskin agave in the back xeric bed is hanging on just fine.

I think this sweet little quadricolor agave has struggle with some deer munching and the cold, but a little pruning will help it shine again in the spring.

You can see that the green goblet agave has some freeze damage on the lower leaves, but the rest of it looks healty. Another haircut and it will be pretty as a picture again.

And, finally, my whale’s tongue agave is hanging tough and looking good in the cold.

Just to set the record straight, I have learned some lessons from previous freezes. I have several desmettiana agaves in pots in my greenhouse – staying toasty warm for the winter. I use to have a nice one along the front walk and it died in a slight freeze. They are so pretty that I reserve those for pots now.

As long as this is as cold as it gets this winter, most of my agaves are safe. Hint, hint…. How are your agaves faring in the winter vortex this year?

Next post I’ll talk about how and when to prune out the rotting stuff.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:12-06:00January 10th, 2014|Agave, agave Americana, agave webberi, Arizona star agave, Blog, Franzosini agave, freeze, freeze damage, green goblet agave, octopus agave, Sharing Nature's Garden, squid agave, whales tongue agave, winter 2014|3 Comments

Toughing out the drought, agaves abound in my garden…

Like many Central Texas gardeners learning to cope with the drought, I have a growing collection of agaves in my garden.

The common misconception about agaves is that they are giant monsters and that they all die after they bloom. Most agaves are monocarpic, but a few of them are not. What many call a century plant – a common name often used for many different varieties, doesn’t actually live for 100 years before its first bloom. Most bloom at about 40 years old, primarily because of the soil, water and environmental conditions in which they are grown in landscapes.

This agave ‘Americana’ does get large – typically 5-7 feet tall by 8-12 feet wide (including its offsets, or pups).

There are many much smaller and manageable species that can be used as structural focal points in the landscape and beautiful potted plants. A few of the more compact agaves suitable for small gardens and containers that do well here include the squid agave, quadricolor agave, Parry’s agave and the regal Queen Victoria agave.

These agaves above are quadricolor agaves and they stay quite small. Mine is about 18 inches tall. It does create offsets, or pups — creating new plants through underground runners/roots. This variety makes a great potted plant.

I believe this is a Webberi – it will get very large and it’s growing in a very xeric bed outside of my back fence.

This beautiful, deep green agave is ‘green goblet,’ a passalong Pam of Digging shared with me. I love the uncommon color on this one, but be careful, the spines on this one are absolutely unforgiving!

This is an agave parryi truncata, which typically grows 2-3 feet tall and 2-4 feet wide – a very manageable size for a smaller garden.

This is what I believe to be agave ovatofolia, or ‘whale’s tongue’ agave. Frequently confused with parryi agaves, they are sometimes mislabeled. It is one of the agaves proported not to pup, and it grows to 3-4 feet tall and wide. Because of its neat and uniform growth, it makes a wonderful focal point in the garden.

This agave is called “blue glow” and it’s easy to see why.

This variegated agave has fine spines and is quite happy living in partial shade with very little water.

One of my favorites is the “squid agave” with it’s delicate tentacles curling out into the sky. After several years in this bed, this one is starting to produce quite a few pups.

These prolific pups belong to my Agave franzosinii — a beautiful and graceful piece of sculpture that is the centerpiece of the raised bed at the entrance to our home. They are a lot of work – removing them is a regular chore because I don’t want a mass tangle of unruly agaves, I just want the one focal point. But it’s worth it.

And here’s the mama Franzosinii from afar in its bed. The Spanish dagger in the foreground had to find a new home, though, because it was stealing the show from the blue agave! Can’t have that.

With the dire forecasts of this unbearable drought, I’m pleased with these xeric additions to my garden. There are many more wonderful varieties to try, and many of them are on my list.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:13-06:00October 7th, 2013|Agave, agave Americana, agave blue glow, agave parryii, agave webberi, agaves, Blog, Franzosini agave, green goblet agave, octopus agave, quadricolor agave, Sharing Nature's Garden, squid agave, whales tongue agave|0 Comments

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