Sharing Nature's Garden: Blogging Buddies....

It was so ... zen. It was simple and elegant and peaceful. The clean lines drew my attention from one interesting feature to the next. From the cut limestone linear path to the bench and unique wooden screen in front of the AC and then onto a little cedar fence (all of those features hand made) on either side of a rustic pathway and garden.

I just loved the tiny split rail-like fence -- it was delicate and rustic at the same time. I don't have more photos to show because I just got busy visiting and learning about the garden. And even though I don't have a photo of it, I loved the brick decorative patio area with pea gravel. I hope some of the other Austin bloggers got photos of it.

Then we moved onto Phillip's garden of East Side Patch

Jam-packed with beds and paths and nooks and crannies and stock tanks and water features, this garden was a lush Utopia of unique plants and interesting combinations. Not a patch of grass in sight! Just an endless creative cosmos -- which, if you've read Phillip's blog, is an appropriate analogy! (He's got the wildest, most creative stuff on this blog -- it's gardening and oh-so-much more.)

We were all enthralled with this relatively new garden bed and its unique succulents. We were particularly taken with the Donkey's Ears Kalanchoe on the right side with it's long leaves (are they leaves?) and its speckles.

Lots of Agaves and tropicals side by side. And then a huge tank with goldfish, lilypads, and a Cypress Tree -- yes, that's right, a Cypress tree.

And this beautiful squash plant was tucked right in with flowering perennials. I love those little surprises!

Lee and Phillip, our two hosts, stop to pontificate over critical gardening information...or maybe they were talking about the Sangria - I'm not sure.

The garden had several beautiful towering Amaranths -- a stunning fuchsia.

Mexican Bush Sage, Firecracker bush, grasses and a treasure trove of other perennials call this garden home.

So, this is the story of the day. Apparently Phillip had a Century Plant flower and produce a 6-8 foot bloom - full of THOUSANDS of Agave pups, and he put our names on paper spread down the length of the bloom for each of us to take a handful, or two, or three! I know how it works, the mother plant dies and this is how they go on, but I'd never seen it up close and there are almost no words to describe how amazing it is.

THANK YOU to Lee and Phillip and their families for inviting us into their homes and gardens. They were all delightful hosts, dogs and kids included, too.