Got Brown, Crispy Plants? Put Down Your Pruners!

Arizona garden, desert gardening, Pruning, Southwest garden

Got brown and crispy plants? Put down your pruners if winter has not ended yet!

Are you having a hard time ignoring them the ugliness of the frost-damaged leaves? Or perhaps you have no problem with some brown spots in your garden.

There has been some discussion on my social media pages from people asking if they can safely prune back their plants now and I know that some of you are just itching to get outside with either your hedge-trimmers, loppers or hand pruners.

Well, before you pick up your pruning tool of choice – I have some important advice for you.

DON’T!!!

Okay, was that obvious enough? You may be asking why you can’t go outside and prune away that brown ugly stuff in your garden.

Well, the answer is that you can eventually prune it away, just not now.

There are three very good reasons not to prune back your frost-damaged plants during the winter.

1. Oftentimes, the brown, dead looking branches are not dead on the inside. The warm temperatures of spring will stimulate new growth in much of the dead-looking branches. If you prune your plants too early, you may be removing live branches.

New growth in March.

2. In general, pruning stimulates plants to produce new growth. Many gardeners make the mistake of pruning too early before the threat of cold temperatures has passed and then a period of freezing temperatures occurs, which not only kills the new growth but can even result in the death of your plant.

3. The brown and crispy stuff actually protects the interior and sometimes the lower foliage of your plant from further cold damage.

So, I hope these reasons help to convince you to turn a blind eye to your brown and crispy plants for a little while.

Once the threat of frost is over, you can go ahead and prune away to your heart’s content 🙂

But, beware of giving in to the temptation to start pruning a little early. You never know when a late frost will hit. Sometimes just when you think that there is nothing but warm weather ahead, a late frost can sneak up on you. If you aren’t sure you can keep yourself from pruning your plants too early, ask someone you trust to lock up your pruners until the threat of frost is over 😉

Salmon-colored geraniums

I learned this lesson the hard way. Years ago, I was in charge of decorating with plants for a large event. I purchased 100 potted geraniums and arranged them expertly with my crew in late February. The night before the event, we had a late frost that damaged every single geranium and we have to rapidly replace them. I should have used a plant that was more cold hardy.

So, maybe you can’t stand having frost-damaged plants in your garden anymore. If that is the case, I have an assignment for you…..

Take a drive through your neighborhood and those close by as well. Look at your neighbor’s front landscapes and see what plants are still green and did not suffer any frost-damage.

The yucca, desert spoon, and pygmy date palm all did well while the trailing lantana did not.

The ficus tree fared poorly while the tipu tree did well.

When looking around, you will find exceptions. Some plants that normally would suffer frost damage look healthy and green.

As you can see, there is a large blue palo verde tree with a ‘Torch Glow’ bougainvillea underneath to the right. You may note that this bougainvillea did not suffer frost damage.

Why?

The overhanging branches of the palo verde tree provided some protection from the cold temperatures.

This knowledge can be quite helpful to you if you like having frost-tender plants in your garden but don’t like the brown and crispy winter look. By placing plants such as lantana and bougainvillea underneath a tree with filtered shade, you can oftentimes skip the ugly, winter stage.

Before you know it, winter will have passed and you can grab your pruners and get busy in the garden!

Progress! One-Year Post Desert Landscape Renovation

Agave, Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Drought Tolerant, Landscape Design, Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting, Southwest garden

Revitalizing a Desert Landscape An Outdoor Renovation Story

Desert landscape beauty? Yes please! Have you ever renovated the interior of your house? Seeing the old, outdated elements peeled away and replaced with new paint, flooring, etc. can leave you feeling refreshed and even excited. Well, I get to do that with outdoor spaces, assisting clients with already established desert landscapes, create an updated look. The key to this is NOT to tear everything out and begin from scratch. Deciding what should stay and what we should remove and replace is a delightful puzzle.

There is immense satisfaction from assisting people in crafting an appealing desert landscape, especially when I have the opportunity to revisit the site several months later to witness the plants’ growth. I recently had the chance to return to a desert landscape I designed, precisely one year after its completion, and I was thoroughly pleased with the outcomes.

The Desert Landscape ‘Before Picture’

I’d love to show you photos of the finished product. Here is what it first looked like.

Desert Landscape Renovation before photo

Crafting a New Desert Landscape

The interior of the house is also undergoing renovation when I first visited. The front yard consists of two palm tree stumps, a few agave, overgrown gold lantana, and boulders.

The landscape rock was thinning and mixed in with the river rock. Unfortunately the asphalt from the street was crumbling away.

I identified the parts of the landscape that I could reuse, including the boulders and the gold lantana. Clearly, there is potential for re-purposing the river rock. We removed everything else.

Combining Old and New

To establish the framework for the new desert landscape elements, we added extra boulders. We improved the existing contouring by raising the height of the mound and creating a swale in the front center. The circular collection of rip-rap rock serves to mask the opening of the end of a French drain which helps to channel water from the patio.

Simple Yet Impactful

We placed a saguaro cactus and a totem pole ‘Monstrose’ (Lophocereus schottii ‘Monstrose’). This placement creates vertical interest. Next we pruned the existing gold lantana severely to rejuvenate them and added others to establish visual continuity. We incorporate other succulents like artichoke agave (Agave parrying var. truncata) and gopher plant (Euphorbia biglandulosa) to introduce texture through their unique shapes.

Removing the existing river rock, we then washed it off, and replaced it, along with fixing the crumbling edge of the street. This helped the landscape blend seamlessly with the natural curves of the desert.

Anchoring Corners for Desert Landscape Curb Appeal

Anchoring the corners with a grouping of plants is a very simple way to enhance the curb appeal of a home. This collection of volunteer agave and old palm tree stumps weren’t doing this area any favors.

We elevate this corner slightly, forming a gentle rise in elevation. We added a large boulder to the existing one, and we transplanted a beautiful, specimen artichoke agave from the owner’s previous residence to this spot. Angelita daisies (Tetraneuris acaulis) will provide year-round color as they fill in, and we planted ‘Blue Elf’ aloes to introduce a delightful splash of color.

A Welcoming Front Entry

Entering the front courtyard, you’ll notice the corner occupied by an overgrown rosemary shrub. We removed the dwarf oleander shrubs because they were too large for the smaller scale of this area..

Mexican fence post cactus (Pachycereus marginatus) helps to anchor the corner and will grow at a moderate rate, adding more height as it grows.

We can guarantee year-round color with angelita daisies and ‘Blue Elf’ aloe. These plants won’t outgrow this area.

Transforming a Lackluster Space

Moving toward the front entry, this area is somewhat underwhelming. The natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa) adds a pleasant green backdrop. It is thriving in the shade. The Dasylirion succulent should never have been planted here. It needs full sun to look its best.

beautiful flowers in the desert landscape

The solution in this area is quite simple. Pruning back the natal plum to a more attractive shape makes them an asset. A lady’s slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus) adds height and texture contrast and will grow in the bright shade. We kept the trailing purple lantana (Lantana montevidensis), for the color that it provides. Rip rap rock is placed to add some interest at the ground level.

Tying Together Separate Spaces

In the backyard another old rosemary shrub was removed from the corner. It is replaced with ‘Blue Elf’ aloe and angelita daisy, repeating the same planting from the corner area in the courtyard, helping to tie these separate areas together.

Creating Cohesion

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) are along the shady side of the house where their spiky shape creates interesting shapes. The key to keeping them attractive is to remove new growth around the base as it occurs.

A Backyard Transformation

The corner of the backyard is a very high-profile spot and faces the golf course. The homeowner’s wanted to get rid of the dwarf oleander hedge to improve their view. Clumps of agave look slightly unkempt. Volunteer agave remain and grow. The gold lantana adds ornamental value. Same for the small ‘Firesticks’ (Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’).

One of the clumps of agave was removed. This opened up this area and allowed us to add two aloe vera, which will decorate this corner with yellow blooms in winter and spring. The existing gold lantana provides beautiful color spring through fall. The centerpiece of this group of plants is the water feature.

Enhancing Views and Aesthetics

It’s been over 20 years that I’ve been working on landscapes. Watching the transformation is a joy. I love being a part of it and combining the old with the new for a seamless design.

Thank you for allowing me to share this particular project with you!

Looking for Inspiration: Low-Maintenance Desert Landscapes

Using Plants In Place of Curtains

Arizona garden, Landscape Design, Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting, Shrubs, Southwest garden

Leafy green plants make great window coverings

Do you have windows that face outward toward a view that you would rather not see? Perhaps it is the view of the house next door. Or you have a bare wall. Maybe you need some protection from the sun. To solve these problems, have you ever considered using plants in place of curtains?

Green Window Coverings in My Garden

In my garden, I have east-facing windows, which heat the house early in the day. When our home was being built, I designed the landscape so that there were plants placed in front of those windows.

Why would I put plants in front of these windows you may wonder? I needed some sort of shelter from the sun. But I didn’t want curtains that would block my view of the garden, so I chose to add Mexican bird-of-paradise. This yellow-flowering shrub can be pruned into a small tree. This is what I have done, which still allows me to view the garden beyond while providing some protection from the sun’s rays.

Natural, Green Window Coverings – A Designer’s Perspective

A few years ago, I was working with a client who was an interior designer . She had employed this same strategy for adding beauty while shielding her windows from the sun. She had decided that instead of curtains for her windows, she wanted ‘natural, green’ window coverings.

Orange Jubilee Shrubs as Window Shields

This is the view from her living room. You can see the lush green foliage from the ‘Orange Jubilee’ creates interesting shadows inside and she can enjoy the feeling of being surrounded by beautiful plants, even while indoors.

using Orange Jubilee' (Tecoma x 'Orange Jubilee') shrubs In Place of Curtains

To achieve this, she planted a row of ‘Orange Jubilee’ (Tecoma x ‘Orange Jubilee’) shrubs in front of her windows.

using single hop bush In Place of Curtains

Single Hop Bush – An Alternative to Curtains

Here is another example of using plants in place of curtains. A single hop bush shrub creates a lovely green screen that protects this west-facing window from the blistering afternoon sun.

Have you ever tried using plants instead of curtains? Beyond functioning as a curtain they also work to increase shade and reduce heat islands in neighborhoods. This helps keep homes cooler.

Design Notes From the Field: A New Build, Metal Art, Weeds, and Shade

Arizona garden, AZ Plant Lady, Landscape Design, Landscape Problems, Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting, Southwest garden, Trees

Design Notes from the Field – Landscape Insights

I’m back with design notes from the field, where I share observations and recommendations from my work as a landscape consultant. This edition features a new build, metal art, weeds, and shade. I hope that you can pick out helpful tips that you can use in your landscape.

Designing a Modern Landscape for a New Build

Up first, is a new house that is being constructed in east-central Phoenix. The home that used to stand on this lot was taken down to the foundation. An energy-efficient home is coming up in its place. I was hired by the architect to design a landscape that will fit its clean, modern lines.

Adding Artistic Flair with Metal Garden Art

Several years ago, I solely worked as a landscape designer. I worked with homebuilders, creating new landscapes from scratch with a blank palette. Nowadays, as a landscape consultant, design is just one aspect of what I do. I have an overall plan within an existing landscape, which also includes maintenance recommendations. Now and then, I create one for new homes, and this one has some fun challenges.

The look the architect wants is simple and uncluttered. This gives the new homeowner room to add to it if desired. So, I am concentrating on using plants to create a framework. This includes two trees in the front. Then there will be two along the west-facing side to provide screening from the road and protection from afternoon sun.

Foundation Plants and Color

Foundation plants will soften the base of the house while taller shrubs will soften the corners. Ground covers will add low-level interest along with a few agave and cactuses for an accent.

A splash of color will be added by the front entry with the placement of a large, colorful pot. Fill it with an easy to care for succulent.

Design Notes Landscape Barbecue Area Solutions

what to do with a blackened barbecue wall in the garden

Often, I am asked for advice on what to do in somewhat unique situations. In this case, the homeowner needed advice for what to do for the wall behind the BBQ. It regularly turns black after grilling.

I tend to look at problems like this as opportunities for adding more interest to the outdoor space. In this case, I recommended adding garden art in the form of rusted metal botanical panels. There is a local artist in Phoenix who creates metal panels with plant shapes cut out of them. He offers standard pieces but also does custom work.

The rusted metal garden art will add welcome interest and design notes landscape touches behind the BBQ as well as disguise any blackened area on the wall.

Botanical Panels Add Beauty

Here is an example of the metal botanical panels from another client’s home. This is where I first encountered the work of this artist. You can learn more about this metal artist here.

Battling Weeds and Embracing the Beauty of Shade

Weeds will always be a problem in the landscape. Like these I saw at a client’s home growing through the patio. The solution to this area is to slowly pour boiling water on weeds growing through the cracks. This will kill them. For travertine, only do this if the stone is sealed.

design notes landscape trees and shadows are important for design

Leveraging Shade and Tree Patterns in Landscape Design

To wrap our design notes, here is a landscape. The homeowner wants to concentrate on plants up close to the house and not add any further out. If this front yard didn’t have any trees, the absence of plants would cause it to look barren and washed out. However, the patterns from the branches of the ‘Desert Museum’ palo verde add beautiful patterns on the ground here. So you can get away with leaving it bare, which draws attention to the lovely shadows of the branches.

I hope you have enjoyed this latest session of design notes. I’ll have more for you in the future.

**Stay tuned for a special announcement that I’ll be making the beginning of September. I’m working on a new project that will enable me to help you even more to create, grow, and maintain a beautiful outdoor space in the desert. I’ve been working on it for a while and am so excited to share it with you soon!

Side Gardens (or Yards)

Arizona garden, California desert garden, desert gardening, Landscape Design, Las Vegas gardening, Shrubs, Southwest garden

Transforming Side Yards into Side Gardens

Sometimes, one area that many homeowners struggle with is what to plant in their side yards. It can be an awkward place with little sun and not much room for plants to grow. Most of these narrow spaces along the side of our home are little more than “yards,” but there is potential to turn them into “gardens.” On a visit to a client’s house, I saw a great example of this, where the homeowner had created side gardens.

Symmetry and Blooms: A Closer Look at the First Side Garden

Bougainvillea with Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) in side garden

First, her first side garden was planted with upright Bougainvillea shrubs against the wall with Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) planted in between. I liked the symmetry of the alternating plants. They covered the wall so well – I’m not a fan of a view of a bare wall outside my window.

Lush Green Backdrops: The Other Side of the Side Garden

Most of the time the star jasmine produces small white fragrant flowers in spring. The bougainvillea produces vibrant blooms spring through fall. What is interesting about this plant combination. is that the base of the wall in a narrow side garden rarely gets much sun. The star jasmine does well in the shade. After all, bougainvillea does best in sunny spots. The top part of them gets just enough sun to promote blooms.

Yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) and 'Orange Jubilee' (Tecoma x 'Orange Jubilee') in side garden

In the other side of the garden, Yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) trees grew along the wall toward the back. ‘Orange Jubilee’ (Tecoma x ‘Orange Jubilee’) shrubs covered the wall closer up creating a lush green backdrop.

Enhancing Your Side Garden’s Aesthetics

I did make two suggestions in regards to this side garden. Remove the ‘Orange Jubilee’ shrubs growing in-between the yellow oleander trees. Right now, they make that area look overcrowded. You cannot see the beauty and symmetry of the tree trunks against the wall.

Brightening Your View: The Importance of Plants in Side Gardens

If you never see your side garden or it serves as your utility area, you may not want to spend time and money on adding plants. However, I do recommend focusing on placing plants directly across from any windows. For the windows that face into that area, because who wants to look out onto a bare wall?

Want to add art and creativity to your desert side yard? Try these three inspiring ideas.

What do you have growing in your side garden?

A Repurposed Wall Finds New Life

AZ Plant Lady, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Landscape Design, Southwest garden, Vines

Repurposing Masonry Blocks for an Eco-Friendly Garden Wall

I am always on the lookout for new and different garden design discoveries. Using interesting materials can make a huge difference. Recently, I was teaching a class at the Desert Botanical Garden. As I headed toward the classroom, I admired the modern design of the building. It was the vine-covered wall that caught my interest.

A brilliant person created this unusual wall from broken masonry blocks. Like many other garden walls in the desert Southwest, this one is different. The broken blocks came from a wall that had been removed elsewhere. Instead of letting the blocks end up in a landfill, the person realized that they could be used to build a beautiful and functional garden wall.

Queen’s Wreath Vines and the Play of Shadows

The salvaged wall provides the perfect surface for queen’s wreath (Antigonon leptopus) vines. They crawl up on with their twining tendrils taking advantage of the nooks and crannies within the wall.

Harnessing the Beauty of Garden Shadows

The sprays of flowers, leaves, and stems create beautiful shadows along the pavement below. Shadows are an element of garden design. Do not underestimate the effect that the shapes of the shadows from cactuses, succulents, and even vines can add to a bare wall, fence, or even on the ground.

Years ago, I used to carry a small digital camera in my purse. All for the unexpected opportunity to take pictures of a particular plant, or design idea. Nowadays, this is just another reason that my smartphone is perhaps my most valued tool.

Book Review: Desert Landscaping and Maintenance

Making Peace With Weeds In My Lawn

Arizona garden, az plant lady family, desert gardening, Southwest garden

Embracing Weeds in Your Lawn: Surprising Results

Do you have a patch of lawn in your garden? It can be a cumbersome task to keep a grassy area green and healthy, not to mention weed-free. To keep it this way often means applications of “weed and feed” fertilizers. They feed the grass while killing the weeds. These are marginally effective. The chemicals contained within aren’t what I want to use in my back garden. Particularly not with my kids and animals using the grassy area. So, I have made peace with the weeds in my lawn with surprising results.

My Lawn Transformation: Weeds and All

Our backyard is relatively large. It is divided into three sections with the largest area taken up with a bermudagrass lawn area where my kids enjoy playing. A pet desert tortoise, Aesop, can often be found munching on the grass throughout the summer months. I like the cooling effect and beauty that the grass adds. I do have plans to replace my lawn in a year or two, but for now, it fills our needs.

The Key to Weed-Tolerant Lawn Beauty

This lawn is 19 years old, and as a result, there are weeds growing within it. Wind spreads weed seed. If you have a grassy area, it is just a matter of time before you see weeds coming up.

Weeds are all through this lawn and it is beautiful

Now, when I mention having weeds thriving in my grass, I’m not referring to the occasional stray plant here and there. Instead, I’m describing a lawn where an abundance of weeds has become an integral part of the landscape. The weeds are covering almost every inch. These resilient plants have truly made themselves at home in my once-pristine lawn.

You have to look very closely to spot any bermudagrass in this area. But you can see it is filled with bright green clover and some nutsedge growing above it. I must admit to being extremely frustrated at the sheer amount of weeds growing in my lawn. But something happened last year, which enabled me to make peace with these unwanted weeds.

Stop Worrying About Weeds in Lawn

We hosted a small wedding in our backyard last summer, and a lot of preparation went into having the garden looking its best. While I initially lamented the fact that weeds were growing in the lawn, I was surprised to see how pretty and green it looked. A few weeks after the wedding, as I looked at the wedding photos, I was struck by how healthy and beautiful the lawn looked.

I realize your focus may be on how pretty the bride is, but look at how good my grass looks 😉

My granddaughter and grandson – I couldn’t resist sharing this photo of them!

After the wedding was over and I had some time to reflect, I realized that my lawn looked great as it had the most important qualities that I wanted – lush green color, no bare spots, and healthy.

And so, I am now free to enjoy my lawn, and I am no longer upset over the weeds present. The key to keep it looking great and not bring attention to any weeds is to keep it regularly mowed. My teenage son mows ours weekly, and we fertilize it in spring and again in fall. At this point, I don’t know how much longer we will keep our lawn as I have a couple of ideas for this area instead, but in the meantime, I will enjoy the lush green of my backyard grass – weeds and all.

How about you? Have you interested in making peace with the weeds in your lawn?

Design Notes From the Field: A New Build, Metal Art, Weeds, and Shade

Beautiful Agave: A Fourth Generation Begins

Agave, Arizona garden, Cactus/Succulents, desert gardening, Southwest garden, Succulent Gardening

Growing Octopus Agave: A Testament to the Cycle of Life

My favorite type of succulent are agave. While there are many different species, I’ll never forget the first one I ever grew. It was an octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana) that planted years ago while in college studying for my horticulture degree. It has an unusual form and I love the plant. Even though that was long ago, I have a daily reminder of that first agave plant. Because its descendants are growing in my garden today.

The Grandbabies of the First Agave: Octopus Agave Life Cycle

This agave is the ‘grandbaby’ of the first one that I grew all those years ago. It was with a feeling of sadness when I noticed it sending up its flowering stalk late in winter. This is signalling that it was nearing the end of its life. At the same time, there was also a sense of excitement about new birth. There is the promise of a new generation of agave babies on their way.

Tall flowering spike of an octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana)

The Fascinating Flowering Process of Agave

The age that an agave is when it flowers varies between the different species. Some living for decades before they send up their towering spikes. With octopus agave, they generally live less than ten years before this wondrous process begins to take place.

Yellow flowers of the octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana) attract bees

Watching the rate of growth of the flowering stalk of an agave never ceases to amaze me. They grow several inches a day.

Propagating Octopus Agave: A Lesson in Patience

Golden yellow flowers began to open along the length of the giant stem. This is much to the delight of bees who happily pollinate the blooms.

Pollinated flowers soon gave way to tiny octopus agave along the stem.

hand picking the agave babies off the stem

And a few weeks later, they were ready to be picked. Definitely ready to create a new generation of octopus agave for my garden.

Nurturing Agave Offspring

octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana) babies

There are probably over a thousand small agave growing along the stalk. However, I selected only nine to represent the next generation. I’m not likely to plant all of them in my garden once they are rooted. But it’s a good idea to select a few more than you are planning for in case some don’t make it, or if you want to give a few away.

Each baby agave is called a ‘bulbil’. They don’t have any roots yet, but will soon appear when planted.

octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana) in containers

I filled three pots with a planting mix. This mix is specially formulated for cactus and succulents. That means it is well-drained, which is important when growing succulents. Three agave babies went into each pot. I placed in the backyard in an area that receives morning sun and filtered shade in the afternoon. Placing them in full sun all day would be too difficult for them at this stage as they still need to grow roots.

My job now is to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Roots will then form, which should take approximately 3-4 weeks. At that time, I can start to space out the watering to every five days or so. Eventually, I will move them out of the pot. Then transplant them into the garden or into a large container (2 1/2 feet tall and wide). There they can make their new home.

Continuing the Agave Legacy

I’m not sure where I will plant each new octopus agave. But I will transplant one to where the parent plant used to be, continuing the cycle of life.

The baby boom isn’t over. Soon, I will be welcoming another set of baby agave into my garden as my King Ferdinand agave has also sent up its flowering stalk. This species is somewhat rare in the landscape and takes a very long time before it flowers, so I am very excited to welcome its babies next month.

Vacation At Home: A Contemporary, Low-Maintenance Garden

Agave, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, Garden Travels, Landscape Design, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden

Embrace Modern Elegance with a Low Maintenance Garden

Discover the Beauty of B. Jane’s Contemporary Landscape

Is your landscape style more free-form and natural. Or do you embrace a more modern, contemporary kind of garden with straight lines and right angles? On a recent visit to Austin, I had the opportunity to visit the home of landscape designer, B. Jane, which looks as if it came straight from the pages of a magazine with its resort-style design. If you had a garden like this, why leave home? You can vacation at home in a contemporary, low maintenance garden?

A Front Yard Oasis

The front of B.’s garden has a large crepe myrtle. It is located between her two front windows. This helps to frame her view from the house. The flat pads of a prickly pear cactus add rich texture contrast among the softer shapes of perennials.

Stylish Groundcover Choices

An agave nestles between asparagus fern and silver ponyfoot (Dichondra argentea). Both plant are ground covers. I often saw at the gardens in Austin. This plant is a type of Dichondra. I liked it so much. Happily, I brought some home and now have it growing in one of my large containers by the front entry. Silver ponyfoot creeps along the ground. It can be used to trail over the sides of pots as well.

live oak tree (Quercus virginiana) with shady plantings

A Modern Twist with Natural Elements

A live oak tree (Quercus virginiana) is planted in a circular section. Decomposed granite works around the tree. Asparagus fern adds softness around the outer edges, again, creating nice texture contrast.

Striking Pathways and Stone Accents

As I walked toward the backyard, the square step stones caught my eye. The dark grey beach pebbles contrast nicely. This is a great design look.

Simplicity and Beauty in Low Maintenance

As you can see from the potted plants on the patio table, simplicity reigns in this garden. This garden is filled with native or adapted plants. They flourish with little fuss. Low maintenance doesn’t mean that a garden is dull. Often the truth is just the opposite as you will see as we continue on our tour.

Resort-Style Backyard Retreat

A rectangular pool runs along the center of the backyard. Colorful balls reflect the colors used throughout the landscape. This is a brilliant way to draw attention to the colors. A ‘Sticks on Fire’ succulent (Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’) basks in the sun. This is a plant that does beautifully in hot, arid climates.

A Garden Office with a View

Now, we are at the point in the tour where I became seriously envious. This is B.’s office. It is separate from her house. She simply walks by her beautiful pool on her way to work in the morning and enjoys a glorious view of her garden while she works. Have I ever mentioned that I work in my dining room. That is, until my kids leave home and I get my own office (room).

Creative Container Displays

A group of containers filled with a variety of plants including hibiscus, rosemary, and basil. This adds interest to this corner by the pool.

low-maintenance garden with bold plants in Austin, tx

Privacy and Color in the Low Maintenance Garden

Bamboo is used to help provide privacy from neighbors. The shrub roses add a welcome pop of color. It is an unlikely combination that really works.

Low-Maintenance Garden fire hydrant for a dog

A Garden for Every Family Member

Even the dog has its own space in B.’s garden with a patch of grass and his own fire hydrant!

Relax in Style in this Low Maintenance Garden

Isn’t this a lovely low maintenance seating area? I love the splash of red and the bamboo backdrop.

A Contemporary Low Maintenance Garden Oasis

Just the perfect spot to sit with my friend, Teresa Odle. I must admit that I am drawn more toward more naturalistic gardens. I enjoy curves and staggered plantings. My heart does love the contemporary lines of B. Jane’s garden and its resort-like vibe. You can find out more about B. Jane and her creations here.

A Shady, Colorful Garden Personifies The Uniqueness of Austin

Agave, Cactus/Succulents, Containers, Garden Travels, Landscape Design, Southwest garden, Southwest Texas garden

Texas capital Austin sign in front of a blue wall

Exploring Pam Penick’s Shady Colorful Garden in Austin, Texas

I like quirky things that are unexpected and outside the daily ‘normalness’ in our lives. That is why I have fallen in love with the city of Austin, Texas, which prides itself on being “weird.” Another reason this Texas capital city appeals to me is their beautiful gardens and rich gardening culture, and my friend, Pam Penick’s shady, colorful garden personifies the uniqueness that is found throughout Austin.

Meeting Pam Penick and Her Unique Garden for Garden Bloggers Fling

Pam Penick (facing front wearing a hat) greeting garden visitors.

On a recent visit to Austin, I took part in the Garden Bloggers Fling, where garden bloggers from the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain, gather and tour gardens within a particular city. This year’s Fling was held in Austin, and one of the gardens I was most excited to see was Pam’s.

As two long-time bloggers in the Southwest, Pam and I have been friends for several years and I was fortunate to have hosted her in Arizona four years ago, while she was researching for her latest book, “The Water-Saving Garden.” For years, I’ve wanted to visit her garden and now was my chance.

Creative Solutions for Shady Conditions

Pam’s garden flourishes underneath the filtered shade of beautiful oak trees. However, the shade does present some challenges in that there aren’t a lot of colorful plants that will flower in shady conditions. But, Pam expertly works around that obstacle, using her unique design style that she describes as mostly contemporary.

Bringing Color to the Shady Landscape

autumn sage (Salvia greggii) in front of a Whale's Tongue agave

Concentrating flowering plants in the few areas that receive bright sun is one way to add needed color to a shady landscape. Here, the bright colors of this autumn sage (Salvia greggii) contrast beautifully with the blue-gray leaves of a whale’s tongue agave (Agave ovatifolia). While both of these plants flourish in full sun in this Texas garden, they do best with filtered or afternoon shade in the low desert region.

A Splash of Blue in the Garden

Blue balls and agave decorate the front lawn garden bed in this shady colorful garden

When flowering plants are absent, we introduce texture by utilizing spiky agave and yucca plants. We incorporate elements of color into the garden through the inclusion of garden art, exemplified by these blue balls.

Blue containers filled with lovely plants in this Austin, TX shady colorful garden

I love blue pots, and I’ve found a kindred spirit in Pam, who has them scattered throughout her landscape.

A Shady, Colorful Garden Personifies The Uniqueness of Austin

As you walk through the garden, you need to pay attention as Pam adds lovely detail in unexpected places, like this rusted garden art.

Unique Garden Trends: Pocket Planters

There are garden trends that are unique to specific areas of the country, and I found several of what I call, ‘pocket planters’ hanging on walls. Right at eye-level, it is easy to explore the tiny detail of these small containers.

Bamboo Muhly and Dyckia: A Colorful Composition

bamboo muhly (Muhlenbergia dumosa) with a blue metal heart art

Walking along the driveway, toward the backyard, the soft shape of bamboo muhly (Muhlenbergia dumosa) adds a beautiful blue backdrop, and in front, a container filled with Dyckia and a blue heart adds interest.

A sage green garden gate led the way into the backyard.

A potting bench sits along the wall in the side garden where four “Moby Jr.” whale’s tongue agave are planted. They come from Pam’s original “Moby” agave – I have one of the babies growing in my front garden.

Succulent Beauty in Masonry Blocks

Masonry blocks are artfully arranged into a low wall. Each block is rich with a variety of succulents.

Austin TX shady colorful garden swimming pool

The garden sits on a slope. This provides a lovely view from the upper elevation. I love the blue wall that adds a welcome splash of color. It also adds a touch of whimsy with the “Austin” sign.

Shadows and Planters: Adding Colorful Elements

The shadows from an oak tree make delightful patterns along the wall while planters add a nice color element.

Blue Bottle Trees and Unique Ornaments

Gardening in Austin isn’t for wimps. They have to deal with thin soils that lie atop rock. This is quite evident along the back of the garden.

Blue bottle trees in the shady colorful garden

Blue bottle trees are a popular garden ornament throughout the South as well as other areas of the U.S. Here; they serve the same purpose as a flowering vine would.

A Whimsical Touch: Octopus Pots

As I got ready to leave, I walked along the deck that overlooked the pool. Here there are more examples of Pam’s unique garden style. Honestly, I can say that I’ve never seen octopus pots anywhere in my garden travels, until now.

I had a wonderful time exploring this shady oasis and the innovative ways that Pam has introduced colorful elements. Check out her blog, Digging, which is one of my favorites.

Garden Inspiration: Southwest Style

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