planters Archives | Diana's Designs Austin

Creative kid & adult garden projects during Corona virus

With Covid-19 virus protocols in place across the country, staying home for an undetermined length of time may be daunting. As time goes on, the walls may start to close in a little. Working, learning, and playing together at home can raise anxiety and frustrations for everyone.

If you need a respite, how about a mini-makeover for your backyard so you can relax and rejuvenate outdoors? Need a restorative garden project to engage the kids? We’re lucky to live in a part of the country where we can enjoy the outdoors many months of the year. Now, more than ever, the benefits of fresh air and a safe change of scenery can make a big difference.

Here are a few simple ideas to freshen up your outdoor space and engage your kids in interesting projects while you and your family are spending most or all of your time at home.

Shop in your own house and garden

Do you have empty pots sitting in your garage or your shed? With a little bit of soil, you may be able to create something new and pretty to set on the table. Other containers can also be used, as long as the plant is in a container with a hole in the bottom for adequate drainage.

Many of us have plants that produce pups or offshoots that can be planted into a new pot. Think airplane plants, succulents, agaves, pothos ivy among others. Walk out into the landscape and look for mini-me plants. Dig them up carefully and be sure to get as much of the root as possible.

This is a great time to engage your kids. Have them help with clipping and filling the pot with soil and ongoing watering. Have them do the research about the plant’s light and water needs. Once the plant takes root and starts to grow — voila — instant home science lesson!

Pillows and other decor

You don’t need fancy outdoor furniture, to perk up your patio or yard. Move a few indoor pillows outside (when it’s not raining) to add some cheer and make your space more inviting.

Add a little side table or t.v. tray or whatever you have sitting around inside — it can even be a crate with a tray on top of it and a placemat. Add a cup of coffee or a cocktail and take a deep breath.

Light up the night

No outdoor lighting? Not a problem. Chances are you have some holiday lights stuffed in a corner of the garage or up in your attic. Pull them out and tape or tack them around a few lawn chairs. A simple string or two of miniature lights draped from the ceiling or a pergola or even run along the fence can be very quaint and inviting. Or, find a few empty glass jars from the back of a kitchen cabinet and help the kids stuff most of the little lights into the jar and plug in the other end. Take the kids outside around dusk and tell stories sitting in the yard.

Make eating fun

If you don’t have marshmallows in the house, think about other goodies you could put on the end of a skewer or cleaned-up stick and pretend to roast marshmallows around a fire. Kids won’t care – they’d be just as happy playing make believe and eating a skewered cupcake or bite of banana bread. Heck, even a piece of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Creativity is key.

A little night music

What better to add to the calming effect of your new instant backyard paradise than the sound of bubbling water? Google meditation music with water sounds and sit together and listen to the sound of waves on the beach somewhere. Or, find some soothing music to provide background sound to sit and watch the stars

There are lots of ways to spruce up your yard and patio to create your own family retreat during these uncertain times.

Landscape Designer Diana Kirby provides landscaping tips on Facebook at Diana’s Designs and writes a gardening blog at www.dianasdesignsaustin.com where she is also available for social distance consulting via photos and phone. You can also sign up for quarterly email tips and online DIY workshops.

By Diana C. Kirby|2020-03-26T12:36:57-05:00March 26th, 2020|Agave, Articles, children, children's garden, planters, pots, projects, propagation, squid agave|1 Comment

Great garden memories from 2018

My garden brings me peace and serenity, and I needed a healthy dose of both in 2018.

I loved the countless hours I spent planning, prepping, and working in the garden. And sharing it with family and friends was just as wonderful. (Especially 92 of my closest friends – garden bloggers – who braved the terrifying elements on that miserable Friday in May!)

Hope you enjoy a few of my favorite pics of my garden in 2018. Looking forward to many more happy memories here in 2019.

By Diana C. Kirby|2018-12-28T20:35:22-06:00December 28th, 2018|2018, artichoke, beds, bird bath, cardinal, Cleome, coral honeysuckle, datura, garden art, garden decor, garden sculpture, greenhouse, Morning Glory, planters, roses, Sharing Nature's Garden, sky, succulents, wildlife, yucca, yucca rostrata|3 Comments

The spring garden…pots, pots and more pots!

Spring is usually pretty warm here in Central Texas, and this year is no exception. A few spring bloomers actually had a shorter lifespan because it got hot pretty quickly, but it’s been delightful to see Jerusalem sage, salvias and black foot daisies in bloom.

I’ve spent the last week or so working on clean-up chores and some planting. We had company for dinner outside last night and so Friday and Saturday were spent planting the pots on the back patio and scrubbing the oak pollen and blowing leaves. (It’s all back this morning – with a vengeance – but it’s a rite of passage and I know it won’t last forever.)

I had a great idea as I was trying to be efficient in crafting combinations for the outside pots — take a picture of each pot so I could see what was missing or what was already in a pot nearby so I could coordinate colors, textures, forms, etc. Wow. What a smart idea. And then I forgot to do it and I still found myself at the nursery buying annuals trying to remember and guess and buy enough. I always think of it like Thanksgiving dinner – you have to finish with that perfect combo of food on your last forkful, or you need more potatoes, or gravy… I need another filler, or another spiller… If you’re addicted to pots like I am, you get it.

And, yes, every year — EVERY year — I say …less pots, less pots…and then plants just jump into my nursery cart.

They’re all so pretty and bright.

I love all the hot, tropical color combinations.

Of course the dogs have to help!

It looks so inviting. I wanted to sit down, I really did, but there was pollen to blow!

This is my favorite spot. I’ll get to sit there soon — maybe tomorrow morning with a quick cup of tea before the week hits in full force.

By Diana C. Kirby|2019-07-15T19:14:42-05:00March 19th, 2017|container gardening, containers, Jerusalem sage, planters, pottery, seating, Sharing Nature's Garden, Uncategorized|2 Comments

Succulent planter filled with fun foliage…

When we put gutters on the cabana, I took down my rain chain and moved the large, smooth stone-filled terra cotta basin sitting at the bottom of it.

I rehung the rain chain (for decor only) from a tree, since we had no other place for it to channel rain. The basin sat in the woods, forgotten, for quite some time.

This weekend I decided to put it to good use, turning it into a lovely succulent planter. I collected several different kinds of succulents to provide interesting texture, form and color. I filled the basin with lots of large rocks at the bottom, then used decomposed granite mixed with soil for the fill and placed another layer of DG for the top.

Then came the dilemma – where to place it? I couldn’t really put it out front in an existing bed – the deer would eat it there. I didn’t have an appropriate sunny space in the back where I would get to see it.

So I decided I wouldn’t put it on the ground inside of a bed, I’d raise it up on a stand so it wouldn’t get lost.

After a trip to At Home (what used to be Garden Ridge – I think I’m doomed to call it Garden Ridge forever! Or at least “what used to be Garden Ridge!”), I found a stable enough plant table of a suitable height.

I’ve placed it by the front door. The deer DO come up to the door on rare occasions – I know I am taking a risk, but I like it here. And I can see it, especially now that we have created a kitchen and breakfast room in the entryway while our kitchen and family room are being remodeled.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:26:55-06:00May 31st, 2016|decomposed granite, planters, sedum, Sharing Nature's Garden, succulents|0 Comments

Inside Austin Gardens tour features delightful deer resistant garden…

Last week I got a preview of the wonderful gardens that will be on the popular Master Gardeners Inside Austin Gardens Tour 2015 on Saturday, October 17. The tour provides a rare look inside six private gardens and a public experimental garden.

With the theme of For Gardeners, By Gardeners, the tour showcases 7 gardens with distinctly different garden styles. Each garden focuses on practical beauty, plant variety, and native or well-adapted plants.

Tickets for all 7 gardens are $19 in advance or $20 at any garden location on the day of the tour. Single garden tickets for $5 can also be purchased at each garden. Purchase advance tickets here.

This is my sneak peek into the Oh Deer! – deer-resistant, not deer-proof garden at:
4503 Mountain Path Dr 78759

This is a garden I’ve had the pleasure of visiting many times. It belongs to my good friend, Pam Penick, author of the garden blog, Digging, and the book, Lawn Gone. I’ve watched her transform this deer-resistant garden from a pedestrian suburban space when she and her husband bought this house, to the magical creation it is today. She’s taken advantage of each of the garden’s unique spaces, adding interesting elements, a wonderful plant palette and a unique blend of styles. Her recent addition of brightly colored stucco walls makes a dramatic impact in her garden. Water features, eclectic art and a wonderful array of plants await you at this delightful garden. And the entire front garden frustrates Bambi and her family with its deer resistant variety of plants. You don’t want to miss it.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:00-06:00October 5th, 2015|agaves, Blog, bottle tree, containers, garden art, garden tour 2015, Inside Austin Garden Tour, Pam Penick, planters, seating, Sharing Nature's Garden, water features, whales tongue agave|0 Comments

Stunning L.A. garden’s lovely vignettes delight at every turn…

We discovered a rustic paradise among the gardens we visited in L.A. last weekend (you can see the other garden I’ve already blogged about here). We drove around and around to the top of a steep hill with spectacular views of the mountains, where our generous hosts, Joy and Roland, welcomed us.

A large, sleek kitchen, entertaining and living area became part of the outdoor experience, with huge floor-to-ceiling glass doors that opened entirely. As the inside intermingled with the outdoors, multiple seating and viewing vignettes were scattered around the fully cleared top of the hill.

After some wine and appetizers, we headed to the path to make our way down the hill.

Sumptuous succulents filled containers, nooks, and crannies at every turn.

A whole host of focal points shine at strategic places winding down the hill.

These succulents spill off of the hill as you approach the house from the driveway.

The Joy and Roland have added layers and pathways over many years, creating mini beds and spots to sit and appreciate the view different vantage points.

This is a collector’s garden – filled with a wide variety of succulents and other plants, adding interesting contrast, color and texure.

Carefully crafted stonework with unique designs defines the slope — a artful masterpiece in itself.

The attention to detail is so striking.

More nooks and crannies flank the entrance to the spectacular wine cellar.

Cut into the side of the earth, the cellar was mercifully cool on a 100+ degree day. I felt as if I had stepped back in time – with cool stone and rows of bottles inside – offering just enough room for an intimate wine party. A long hallway will soon be connected via tunnel to just outside the house, the next major project already planned and waiting to be implemented.

This would be my favorite seat in the garden. Close up and far away, both views equally enchanting.

Empty on the way down, but by the time we came by again, someone had taken up residence in my spot.

Fully content and unfazed by visitors to his garden, the dog, Domino, thinks this is a great spot, too.

In front of the bench, a delightful pond filled with koi provides entertainment as the Koi dart around under the shade of beautiful plants.

A statuesque heron stands guard over the koi, who also have many deep areas to hide for predators, just in case the heron falls asleep on the job!

Don’t forget to look up.

I could sit for hours and watch the fish and the view; electronic devices have nothing on this.

Another outdoor room awaits.

More vertical gardening — these mid-century modern hanging planters from Potted bring color and contrast to this magical hot tub oasis. (More posts to come, as we visited both Potted and the home of the store’s owner on this fabulous trip.)

Rustic and natural, this hideaway brings outdoor living to a new dimension.

I also saw these planters in the garden of a fellow blogger in Seattle who blogs at Danger Garden.

The echo of a subtle orange glow on the tips of these succulents is an artful planting design touch.

Another view up the hill, filled with interesting plants, containers and found garden art that Joy has collected over the years, like this sweet deer statue.

The mostly mild California climate yields big, beautiful plants like these aloes.

The repetition of these gorgeous anemones creates a dramatic ridge along the hillside.

I’ve tried to grow these in Austin with no success. But I’ve see them used as stunning elements in LA, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle gardens.

Nestled ear the top of the hill, this greenhouse is home to garden tools and pots now, and awaits more delicate plants as the weather cools.

By the end of our visit, Domino tired of us and went back to his own bed to take a break from the sweltering heat.

A huge thanks to Joy and Roland, for your hospitality and for opening your home and garden to us. The garden is magical, and masterfully crafted and I loved spending time in it and I’m pleased to be able to share a small part of it with others through this blog post.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:00-06:00September 29th, 2015|bench, Blog, dog, focal point, garden art, garden decor, garden tour, goldfish, hanging pots, hillside, hot tub, LA, paths, planters, pond, seating, Sharing Nature's Garden, slope, stone work, succulents, view, water features|0 Comments

planters

Creative kid & adult garden projects during Corona virus

Great garden memories from 2018

The spring garden…pots, pots and more pots!

Succulent planter filled with fun foliage…

Inside Austin Gardens tour features delightful deer resistant garden…

Stunning L.A. garden’s lovely vignettes delight at every turn…

Escape in the garden