February 11, 2026
Final November, panorama architect Curt Arnette and I visited one other of his Sitio Design landscapes. Situated in southwest Austin, this backyard options low-maintenance grasses and waterwise crops like agave, prickly pear, and sotol.
Limestone boulders play a hefty position within the backyard. Curt used them to raise naturalistic planting beds…
…add separation between garden and backyard…
…and create a way of enclosure. Discover how the curving line of stone appears to ripple out from the curve of the entry stroll.
The boulders stay harmoniously with prickly pear, woolly stemodia, and Lindheimer muhly — a “gardened up” model of uncovered limestone and native crops within the wild.
Close to the entrance door, I appreciated cotton-candy clouds of Gulf muhly in full bloom.
The rosy-pink inflorescence of Gulf muhly stands out towards a gray-green backdrop of woolly stemodia, Wheeler’s sotol, and cenizo — all native to Texas.
Facet view: zoysia garden (“left lengthy to mound,” Curt says), limestone, and entry backyard
One among my favourite moments: woolly stemodia, Wheeler’s sotol, Gulf muhly, and skeleton-leaf goldeneye
Woolly stemodia waterfalls throughout rock, softening the scene.
A whale’s tongue agave perches amid Berkeley sedge on the opposite facet of the entrance porch.
Past, a big raised mattress constructed up with boulders extends the muse backyard into the garden. This peninsula creates a way of enclosure close to the entrance door.
The rusty grasses in again are exuberant little bluestem.
Trying outward from the porch, your eye is led by a stepping-stone path to a big hearth pit.
The fireplace pit patio, sited on the fringe of a pure bluff, overlooks timber and the neighborhood beneath. Little bluestem grasses in fall coloration stand round like pregamers warming their palms.
Trying again towards the home, with a sunlit bluestem
Right here you possibly can see how the property falls away to the left of the entrance door, and the way Curt constructed it up with boulders and crops to maintain all the things in scale.
Facet view with woolly stemodia, spineless prickly pear, little bluestem, and Wheeler’s sotol
Gulf muhly displaying off in fall bloom
Woolly stemodia, prickly pear, and Gulf muhly grass
Within the sloping yard, I admired a naturalistic limestone retaining wall, positioned to evoke an uncovered ledge of stone. A pink yucca tucks right into a nook behind it. Skeleton-leaf goldeneye, Wheeler’s sotol, and Gulf muhly add coloration and texture towards a shadowy belt of cedars.
Gulf muhly, Wheeler’s sotol, and woolly stemodia absorb the solar.
When Gulf muhly is backlit — shazam!
A row of Gulf muhly edges the driveway too. I think about it quietly biding its time all 12 months till fall, after which — poof! An explosion of coloration and swaying texture.
‘Heavenly Cloud’ cenizo in violet flower
And I’ll finish on a wonderful haze of Gulf muhly.
My because of Curt and the house owners for permitting me to share the backyard. For a glance again at one other of Curt’s designs, the Piano Rock backyard, click on right here. Up subsequent: A yard retreat and meadowy entry backyard in central Austin.
Heading to Houston
A fast word to say I’m heading to Houston subsequent week for 2 occasions, each open to the general public. For those who’re within the space, I’ll hope you’ll be a part of me. And in case you have garden-loving buddies in House Metropolis, please share the phrase!
February 18, 6-8 pm – Meet the Creator: Rice College
Free and open to the general public. This can be a hybrid occasion: when registering, you possibly can select to take part in particular person or by means of Zoom. You’re invited to attend a conversation-style dialogue at Rice College, my alma mater, moderated by one of many gardeners featured in Gardens of Texas, who’s additionally a Rice alumna. I’ll speak about my background at Rice, how I turned a author, and the way my new e book took place. After the dialogue, in-person attendees are invited to a reception with heavy appetizers and drinks. Offered by the Workplace of Alumni Relations and Associates of Fondren Library. Register right here.
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February 19, 6:00-9:30 pm – Houston Botanic Backyard
“Gardens of Texas: In Dialog with Houston Gardeners”: In a panel dialog moderated by me, Houston gardeners featured in Gardens of Texas will be a part of me on-stage to share what they’ve realized about making inviting outside areas, selecting crops, supporting wildlife, and tending gardens which can be each resilient and deeply private. Anticipate sensible insights, native views, and a detailed take a look at the fantastic thing about gardens grown in concord with place. I’ll have books on the market and signing earlier than and after the dialogue. Register right here; tickets are $30 for members of the Backyard, $40 for non-members.
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Digging Deeper
My new e book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, is right here! Discover it on Amazon, different on-line e book sellers, and in shops all over the place. It’s for anybody who loves gardens or the pure great thing about Texas. Extra data right here.
Come see me on tour! I’ll be talking and internet hosting e book occasions throughout Texas this spring to have fun the discharge of Gardens of Texas. Be a part of me to be taught, get impressed, and say hi there!
Study backyard design and ecology at Backyard Spark! I arrange in-person talks by designers, panorama architects, authors, and gardeners a number of occasions a 12 months in Austin. Subscribe to Backyard Spark by clicking right here to e-mail — topic line: SUBSCRIBE.
All materials © 2026 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized replica prohibited.
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