erygnium Archives | Diana's Designs Austin

Design definition and texture in new landscape garden bed

I’m on a roll. Gardening is good for the soul, and for the exercise and creative outlet it provides during this stressful time. My free time is often spent surfing the web for the perfect plant since I’ve been avoiding nurseries. As fast as they arrive in the mail, I’m expanding garden beds to contain them!

Since the move last summer, I’ve been lonely without my recommended daily allowance of blooms.

There were a handful of hastily pre-sale planted impatiens in the front of the house, but nary a flower anywhere else. I couldn’t even make a tiny posey for my desk.

It was sad.

Having filled the new beds that I created along the dry creek, I decided I needed some more plants.

I turned to my winter sources, searching for my favorite plants online. I’ve slowly been planting in front of the creek above of the sidewalk. I’ve been digging out multiple 6-inch circles to plant individual plants, leaving the grass right beyond that!

Having filled the new beds that I created along the dry creek, I decided I needed some more plants.

Last week, I finally got help to get the whole bed dug out with room for a lot more plants!

Here’s the before photo. When we moved in, there was little to no grass because of dense shade of over gown trees.

We pruned the trees heavily last summer and watered the grass, but this area is still a little shady, so it would be perfect for the part-shade and part-sun plants I love.

In the new bed I added salvia, rose campion, datura, daisies, lantana, gomphrena, iochroma, and eryngium. When the universe opens back up again, I’ll be in search of a very large turquoise pot to put on top of the large rocks at the top of the hill before the oak tree.

I can’t wait until all of these lovelies are in full bloom. I’m hoping it will be a bouquet of color, texture and form every single day!

Cistus nursery delights gardeners at Portland Fling…

Our third stop on the first day of the Portland Garden Bloggers Fling was Cistus Nursery. Coming from the Lan Su Chinese Garden, which was serene and peaceful, Cistus provided a bold contrast — it was chock full of plants – a sensory explosion for plant lovers.

There were many familiar plants at the nursery, like these Yucca rostrata, which grow happily at home in Austin, Texas.

I did say chock full, didn’t I?

But some of the Cistus family were uninterested in visiting bloggers.

“Yeah, I see you, but it’s hot and it feels good here on these cold bricks, so I hope you don’t mind if I don’t get up to greet you!”

Oh, so true! It should have said, “gaggle of plant nerds!”

I’m smitten with interesting tree bark and there were several great trees to photograph.

Love these Eryngium — their dramatic spiky blooms provide unique texture in any garden bed.

Dramatic grasses billowed in the breeze.

While it was easy to become engrossed in the plants on the ground and the tables, the impressive views extended to some of the majestic trees that love the Pacific Northwest.

There were many different species of Eucomis in the gardens and nurseries in Portland. I’ve been babying one in my own garden at home for some time. Forced to suffer the scorching heat and the periodic nibbling deer, it is tough as nails. Hmmmm…. and thus began the idea of taking another one home with me…

I saw this plant all over the Portland gardens — Melianthus major. Big, bold, textured and tough, it really caught my eye. I took several photos of it, fully intent on finding one for my garden at home. But after some research yesterday, I’ve decided it might be too invasive in my garden…but maybe I can keep one in a pot!

Another favorite in my garden, Euphorbia.

Flingers in search of treasure.

More interesting bark.

And these crocosmia were everywhere. Their beautiful strappy leaves combined with vibrant blooms add a real pop to any garden setting.

More amazing Erygnium.

Reaching for the sun.

Being a salvia collector, I’m going to have to try to find one of these in Austin for my garden — Salvia guar. ‘Argentine skies.’

Even the growing heat couldn’t keep us from fanning out across the nursery in search of garden goodies. Some bloggers left with plants. I left with something almost as good — ideas!

erygnium

Design definition and texture in new landscape garden bed

Cistus nursery delights gardeners at Portland Fling…

Escape in the garden