January 12, 2022
Again in late October, when Loree of Hazard Backyard was visiting, Cat Jones invited us over for a backyard go to. Her lipstick-pink anemones, a passalong from Rock Rose‘s Jenny Stocker (who’s since departed Austin for Arizona), have been blooming. We each adore these fall flowers, which Jenny kindly handed alongside to me too, however they burned up in my backyard as a consequence of poor placement. Cat has discovered simply the best spot, with morning solar and afternoon shade, and the place their roots have entry to a gravelly dry creek that funnels runoff, giving them additional water with good drainage through the blistering warmth of summer time.
Pale pink roses have been hanging on in that romantic approach.
Like all of us in Central Texas, Cat misplaced quite a lot of shrubby construction through the Freezepocalypse of Februrary 2021, together with, right here in her entrance backyard, ‘Pringles’ yew, ‘Delicate Caress’ mahonia, and ‘Cream de Mint’ pittosporum. However because of lush perennial and annual development through the comparatively gentle summer time that adopted, the informal customer would by no means discover what was lacking. All was full and wonderful.
‘Princess Diana’ clematis climbs a trellis on a stone pillar by the entrance porch.
A Celtic St. Francis holding a bowl of blue glass and a stone coronary heart is my favourite of the various stunning issues in Cat’s backyard.
A number of water options, virtually at all times in chocolately hues like this one, bubble or placidly mirror the sky in Cat’s backyard. Behind it, Philippine violet reveals off its late-season purple flowers.
Cowpen daisy and ‘Princess Caroline’ pennisetum make a reasonably autumnal pairing.
‘Nation Woman’ mums in full bloom crowd round a hose guard Cat constructed from a turquoise glass insulator atop a rebar stake — a intelligent concept I’ve copied in my very own backyard. Yow will discover previous insulators at vintage shops and on-line.
The view throughout the entrance backyard. The depressed, S-shaped line within the heart, carpeted with silver ponyfoot, is a dry creek that funnels runoff from the elevated entrance garden away from the porch. Regardless of backing as much as a canyon in west Austin’s Steiner Ranch neighborhood, Cat’s backyard is basically untroubled by deer. A reality I’m not envious of AT ALL.
Autumn’s embrace
In Cat’s facet backyard, American beautyberry displayed tight clusters of purple berries, a favourite of mockingbirds.
A ceramic lady Cat made in an artwork class stands watch below a cedar tepee, with ‘Everillo’ sedge and hymenocallis tropical spider lily within the foreground.
A rusty metallic water vessel displays the sky as a number of orbs bob on its floor. Extra ‘Everillo’ sedge contrasts with the chocolate-colored bowl. I imagine that’s ‘Chocolate Chip’ ajuga at left, with large leopard plant (Farfugium japonicum ‘Gigantea’) throughout one other dry creek.
That dry creek — which suggests enterprise, as you possibly can see from its depth — winds previous Cat’s greatest stock-tank pond, the point of interest of her again backyard. A flexible dwell oak, one in all dozens clustering on the sting of the canyon, provides Central Texas taste.
Her pond is a delight and brings again fond recollections of my very own. Wish to make your personal stock-tank pond this summer time? Right here’s how.
An elevated deck (at left) overlooks the backyard and canyon past. At its base, a border of lamb’s ear, sedge, and ‘Nation Woman’ mums stays low. Extra flexible dwell oaks dance beside the principle patio on the finish of a stone path.
Cat loves Japanese maples and has a petite one rising on this shady border, surrounded by lamb’s ear, dwarf mondo grass, and ‘Chocolate Chip’ ajuga.
A tall ceramic disappearing fountain bubbles quietly right here, with a skirt of contrasting ‘Everillo’ sedge, ‘Sparkler’ sedge, tropical spider lily, lamb’s ear, and dwarf mondo grass.
The loropetalum behind the fountain would usually be a wealthy shade of burgundy. However, like my very own, hers sustained freeze injury final February, and though it grew again the leaves look chlorotic. I’m nonetheless ready to see if mine will get well absolutely.
Past the patio backyard, the land falls away right into a canyon. Cat flippantly maintains a meadow of native grasses, wildflowers, prickly pear, and yuccas on this sunny, open area. Within the heart, a stone patio with wooden posts for benches invitations sundown watchers to return sit.
Loree and Cat chat on the fringe of the canyon meadow. The swinging bench is Cat’s late-afternoon spot for watching the solar go down past the hills.
As a result of our go to was simply earlier than Halloween, a scarecrow Jack-o’-lantern was standing vigil within the little bluestem.
Cat not too long ago eliminated an higher deck, which they by no means used, from the again of the home. She had her carpenter minimize down the massive cedar posts to make this excellent, chunky porch desk.
On her outside eating desk, a inexperienced cat pot is completely planted with a single succulent stem for a brushy tail.
Inside, Papillon and Ollie, two kittens Cat not too long ago adopted, rule the roost. That is Pappi.
A fast journey to the lavatory revealed one other cute kitty — a tiny cat vase with yellow flowers.
It’s at all times a deal with to go to Cat’s backyard, particularly throughout my favourite month of the gardening season in Austin. Thanks for having us over, Cat!
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