A GARDEN TEA PARTY

To follow our Saturday, San Antonio garden tour Pam and I had received an invitation for a return visit to the garden of Linda Peterson. Linda's garden had been on a previous SAWS garden tour as well as Central Texas Gardener.
I had visited last year when a steady rain meant holding an umbrella in one hand and a camera in the other. That doesn't work too well.

A visit with umbrellas last October.

 This time the weather was more favorable as we arrived at her home. The house itself lies behind a walled courtyard but with ample planting areas outside the walls which face the street on two sides (the house is on a corner lot). This has made it possible to create a meandering pathway through the area and still leave room for plantings on either side.

This pathway to the right of the gate just invites you to see what is around that bend. One technique to add interest to an area is to create berms so that the plantings are on a higher level from the path.

Don't you just want to go and sit down on this simple bench?

One of Linda's guests did just that.

Notice the swath of bamboo muhly grass, Muhlembergia dumosa, which creates privacy from the neighboring house. And the Texas sage, Leucophyllum frutescens, on the right, which has been limbed up to create a space for an under planting of lantana. Linda has done much limbing up of plants in her garden to great effect.
Here a line of variegated pittosporum has been given the same treatment. Linda's motive here was to create a safer place for birds visiting the close-by bird bath.

This faux bois birdbath has a tiny recirculating pump hidden under a stone. Moving water will prevent mosquitoes from breeding here.

Artfully placed pots hide this area of utility meters.

There is an amazing view of the garden and courtyard from the roof. Yes! we climbed up the spiral staircase onto the flat roof.

There are a couple of loungers up there and under the shade of the large oak tree it must make a wonderful place to sit.
Returning to ground level there are plenty of garden ornaments to catch one's attention. These beautiful barrel cactus.

 In a corner of the garden Linda's innovative use of left over copper tubing.

And left over panels of roofing material cut to make a screen.

Are you ready for tea? We were, and what a tea it was. A truly Royal (champagne) High ( table seated) tea.

I soon found my place.

We were served by Linda's daughters, Demi and Same.

Then came the desserts.

Absolutely scrumptious. Thank you Linda, Demi and Same for a truly splendesto afternoon tea.