WEDNESDAY GARDEN VISITS

When Pam, Digging, invited me to go over and see her garden this past Wednesday it was not an opportunity I was about to miss. I know everyone who follows Austin garden blogs has seen the many wonderful photographs she has taken of her new garden over the past year. I was undecided as to whether I should take some myself and in the end I decided, with later regret, not to. Just this one of succulents in a bowl, as we walked out onto the patio. Pam has done wonders with her new garden in such a short time. Her post of before and after photos is a credit to this.

We soon became absorbed in discussing the merits of different plants. Pam has been a test garden for some Proven Winners plants this year and stand out was the cleome, "Senorita rosalita". The agastache which also proved to be a success in her garden were from High Country Gardens, her prize for winning the "picture this" photo contest. It will be interesting to see how these plants do in their second year. I asked where the yellow knockout rose was and it was hiding underneath the long spikes of cleome flowers. This plant certainly has found a good spot to grow.

I got to see the famous Whale's Tongue agave, A. ovatifolia, which has settled in very nicely to its new home. It is a stand out feature plant. I certainly hope the one in question in my garden does turn out to be a Whale's tongue.

Who wouldn't love the new tank she has installed in her garden. I loved the reflection of the overhanging trees on the surface of the water. Unfortunately I was not to see a water lily in bloom as the season is over but her plants have grown with amazing vigor in such a short period of time. Pam has great plans for a walkway around the tank and removal of much of her St Augustine grass. I am quite aware of the work she faces in doing these projects but it will look wonderful when she is finished.

We walked out into the front garden where Pam faces some drainage issues. We had that same problem in our front and have managed to solve it by creating a dry creek. We tried to visualize how this treatment might work in her garden.

We had just planned to go out for lunch afterwards but Lucinda Hutson had invited Pam over to visit her garden and I was to go along with her.

I had been Lucinda's garden many years ago when the Newcomer's garden club arranged a visit. This was long before I had a digital camera or even thought of taking photographs. Lucinda greeted us out in the street and took us into her house. Rather like her garden, her house is a feast for the eyes. Wonderful Mexican crafts fill every nook and cranny in each room.

Lucinda is well know in both gardening and cooking circles. Her book The Herb Garden Cookbook, not only includes tips on growing the herbs and using them in the kitchen but anecdotes of her travels. A colorful and mouthwatering addition to any library. We began our tour of the garden in the front. Mixed in with the traditional planting are the herb plants that Lucinda uses in her cooking. She bent down to pinch of a leaf, crushing it and inviting us to smell herbs and plants I had never even heard of.

Even her roses have culinary names, like "Julia Child", and although not in flower at the time, this unnamed rose caught our eye for its delicate peach and yellow combination.

This ornamental, multi colored pepper literally shouts "fiesta". Lucinda' house and garden are just one big Fiesta. I can just imagine all the fun parties that have been held in her wonderful home and spilling over into her many garden rooms.

Thank you Pam and Lucinda for inviting me to do one of the most fun things to do in the whole world- visiting gardens.

For many more photos of this visit go to Pam's posting.