AUSTIN GARDENS ON TOUR, 3202 HIGHLAND TERRACE WEST

This past weekend The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center hosted a garden tour of 5 private gardens. As a volunteer I was delighted to spend 4 hours in the garden at 3202, Highland Terrace. Under large shade trees the homeowners Colleen Jamison and Bruce Baldwin have created a lovely garden which showcases native and adapted plants.

I think of all the gardens on tour visitors who were searching for ideas would find a wealth of manageable ideas in this garden.

A combination of Colleen's plant knowledge and Bruce's woodworking skills had cameras clicking as visitors took the tour. Wouldn't you like to spend time sitting out on their front porch? Bruce made the rocking chair in the left of the photo.

On the left side of the house a recycled exterior door serves as a garden gate. Do you see the garden fork which has been used as a handle? Recycling is a major part of their garden style.

A generous-sized patio nestled into the side garden with blue and lime green accents.
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The granite path then continues past a fountain. Condensate from the air conditioner replaces water lost to evaporation in the fountain.

A bejeweled pot makes a focal point among the lush green planting when viewed from the side terrace.
There is something to stop and look at from every turn.

The birds had to take their chances flying in to the feeders.

The arbor with cross vine. Recently, the hosts held a wedding out here with the bride and groom under the gazebo and guests on the grass. Corkscrew rush, Juncus effusus,  surrounded with narrow leaf zinnia, Zinnia linearis,  and native prairie verbena, Verbena bifinnatifida.

The sound of water everywhere.

A small square-foot vegetable with artistic design.

This was one of my favorite features. As you leave the garden to return down the right side of the house, and angled archway with dangling jewels. Surely the bride and groom must have walked in through here.

A beaded chameleon sits atop of the metal supports.

There is even a chandelier.

AN upside down planter with periwinkle.

A free standing potting shed with sink and water supply. All made from recycled house parts.

I might take this idea myself. I had already seen a similar one in a magazine and was planning on something like it with succulents but the idea of using different pots is very attractive. Almost everyone that came by with camera took a photograph of this. They'll be popping up in gardens all over Austin.

I probably won't have time to blog about the other gardens I visited, although I enjoyed them all, but you can catch reviews if you check Pam at Digging, Cat at Whimsical Garden, David Christiani at Desert Edge, and Shirley at RockOakDeer.