Miguel’s Imports- home to delightful sleeping Mexicans and more.
28 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: austin nurseries, garden art, Miguel's Imports, sleeping mexicans
So in the spirit of shopping locally, here are photos from Miguel’s Imports located in central Austin. I bought my new tall raspberry pot at Miguel’s after shopping around at a few local nurseries; their prices were the best and their selection is impressive if not daunting.
An agave sun-dial shows the time…plus the weather forecast.
These green pots with their mottled pattern and the groovy hollowed tree planter were favorites of mine.
Giant hand-grenade planters, anyone?
Terra cotta is actually what I intended to buy, and they carry a wide selection, from classical to modern forms. This photo shows only about a third of the terra cotta area.
Miguel’s nursery has mostly cacti and succulents that are also competitively priced. I bought a trio of Agave parryi truncata.
These were large- maybe 3′ tall. What a great focal point for drama and ambiance.
This photo does not do these foot tall black clay bats justice. They are cool.
BONUS: Miguel’s has a healthy 50% off area….which is how I came to purchase a raspberry pot instead of terra cotta.
In the right setting….I love, love, love a classic “sleeping Mexican”….
….such as in the foyer of this Spanish Colonial home, the set for the Meg Ryan movie ”Hanging Up”; more on this fabulous house can be found at the Hooked on Houses blog.
From the Laguna Dirt blog- Sleeping Mexicans used as bookends…
But, I digress….back to Miguel’s Imports~ my photos show a small sample of their stock located on Burnet Rd. near the North Loop cross street. It’s huge, locally owned, and the staff was very friendly and helpful to me.
Spring entry garden update~ structure and foliage
06 May 2012 6 Comments
in Purple Haze Garden Tags: chinese fringe flower, clumping bamboo screen, culvert pipe, dwarf loropetalum, featherleaf bamboo, focal point, horozontal fence, Loropetalum chinensis, Nassella tenuissima, potatorum agave, purple pixie
I resisted spring’s garden fever because I didn’t want to plant or move anything till the deck and fence were stained. That was done three weeks ago, and we’re completely happy with the results.
Here’s before~ 
And after~
Obviously the plantings have also changed in the after photo; which brings me to some of what I’ve been up to these past two weekends, during my own “Hurry! Spring-is-almost-over fever”…..
We added five Featherleaf clumping bamboos (bambusa multiplex) along the property line fence. These should green-up as they become established and grow up to about eight feet. They already give nice movement. If they begin to arch over into the path, I’ll use this cool fix I saw on the Digging garden blog.
I added two more culvert pipes to the driveway/entry bed, bringing the total to five culvert pipes in the front (three shown above). Perhaps that’s enough salvaged drain pipe in the front garden. Probably.
Purple Pixie loropetalum (or dwarf chinese fringe flower) is in the tallest pipe, and a manicured Mexican Feather grass is in the smallest pipe. The Butterfly agave has definitely grown since being transplanted in August. Here’s the bed in harsh mid-day sun~ 
On the other side of the garden, at the end of the fence is also where two paths meet. It’s a natural focal point, so I added a tall raspberry glazed pot planted again with Purple Pixie loropetalum. I like how this relates with the Brake Light yuccas’ spike blooms. 
So the garden structure is coming together- hardscape, shrubs and focal points. When the soil is dry enough (more rain possibly this week!)…I have perennial flowers and groundcover to plant- some might say ”the fun stuff”, but it’s all fun; and moving from structure and foliage is definitely a departure from my narrow gardening comfort zone.
Footprints in the garden~ an idea for Mother’s Day
01 May 2012 2 Comments
in DIY / Crafts Tags: craft, diy, gift, mother's day, painted pots, simple, sweet, terra cotta
We decorated this clay pot in 1998 when he was two years old. The idea came when we were finger painting on the patio…and that’s the paint we used fourteen years ago on an 8” pot. We made two more for his grandmother and great-grandmother and added cheery flowers for their Mother’s Day gifts.
It’s a treasured memento for me today – thought I’d pass this simple idea along.
Bloom Day~ look, then look closer
16 Nov 2011 12 Comments
in Garden Blooms, Uncategorized Tags: Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, GBBD, Heartleaf, Ice Plant, Mexican bush sage, Salvia leucantha
An Indiana garden blogger, Carol of May Dreams Gardens, hosts a “Bloom Day” each month and invites bloggers everywhere to share what’s blooming in their gardens; this is my first time to take part, and I’m a day late in posting.
Taking time to look….then look closer…..was time well spent for me~ thank you, Carol, for the inspiration and invitation!
A look (above) at a mixed container with tall Russian Sage Mexican bush sage /Salvia leucantha. I like the natural upright, leggy look of it - this container isn’t showy, but I appreciate its honesty.
- A closer look at the fuzzy pods.
A look at the super hardy Red Yucca….actually in the Agave family I read recently at LaptopGardener.com
A closer look at the forming bloom.
A look at the Heartleaf Ice Plant~ just again blooming in November after September’s serious chomping by a deer; a pointy agave now stands guard next to this pot to detere deer.
I didn’t include all my blooms – like the 5′ and still showy Mexican Petunias or the still going strong Plumbago. They’ll surely not be blooming for the next Bloom Day in December, but then again….around here one never knows.
Must Have No-Fuss Moss Indoors?
10 Nov 2011 9 Comments
in Plant Crushes Tags: decorating, dicranum, indoor moss, mood moss, moss, moss rock, stone, zen
I’ve been mossing around lately after a fellow Austin garden blogger, Pam at the fabulous Digging, introduced me to these decorative puffs called “moss rocks”. To save on shipping, we considered going in together on an order. They are not cheap but worth it in my opinion if they are truly as sustainable and easy-care as the website describes.
BUT then the question was raised if the moss really would be so easy to maintain indoors in Austin. Was my $eramic ”rock” (designed specifically to hold moss) destined for the local Goodwill shelf where shoppers would pick it up and think ‘Pretty color, but…what is it?’
Was I essentially tossing $50 out the window for a high-end Chia Pet?
So we ended up not placing the order…. but I remained hooked on wanting my very own Muppet-like zen oasis.
I called local nurseries looking for moss….the common name for this type of moss is “mood moss”, but all they had were pre-packaged mosses- most were artificially colored. I wanted real live fresh moss and…..
I found it on eBay- about a square foot for $10 including shipping! When it arrived from Pennsylvania a few days later, I poked around the house for what to pair it with and came up with a miniature pot, a shell and a piece of raku pottery.
Experimenting with what surface puts mood moss in a happy state; dirt vs. a slick shell surface
A thrift store find raku shell dish- I like the organic shape and texture paired with moss
My mosses are in sunny locations but no direct sun, and I’m misting them liberally bi-weekly. I may still order the more elegant designer moss rock; I especially like the lichen shade, the largest of the three in the first photo.
Dicranum moss, often called mood moss
In the past I’ve used dicranum moss for lining Easter baskets and for covering the dirt of potted indoor bulbs. Here are some useful facts and clever ideas about moss….
A Natural Fashion Sense
01 Nov 2011 2 Comments
in Garden Blooms Tags: bloom, blooming out of season, crape myrtle, fall, large crape myrtle, loropetalum
According to my favorite fashion blog, The Sartorialist- jewel tones are IN this season a la Pucci, Gucci and Missoni….and my front yard.
Crape myrtles typically begin to bloom in early summer and linger through early fall. Here it is November and the 25′ tree in my front yard is just beginning to bloom – extra heavy buds bursting with tissue paper flowers! How unexpected – how fabulous - how vogue!
The leaves show stress from the tough summer….but look at those ruby buds!
Since July I’ve been watering all my trees using pierced buckets along the drip line- an easy method I first read about online at The City of Austin Arborist Program.
The loropetalum [chinese fringe shrub] (below) gets a nod for best effort. It’s at least 1o years old I’m guessing and it sits in full sun on the narrow edge of the house - it would be happier with some shade. It typically blooms in the fall so it’s on schedule - but it’s a pretty weak show. 
Tiny confetti streamer like blooms seem to celebrate just being alive – with a weak fist-pump and a thin “hooray!”
Roll the Music, We Have a Winner….
27 Oct 2011 2 Comments
in Austin Nurseries Tags: austin, Berkeley Sedge, carex, divulsa, local nurseries, ornamental grass shade, sea oats
But first I’d like to thank everyone who stopped by to leave a comment and show their enthusiasm for buying local and their appreciation toward The Natural Gardener.
….the winner is LisaH of Austin! Lisa, Congratulations! I’ll send you an email with info. for redeeming your gift. Thank you Natural Gardener for the donated certificate!
I’m grateful to the very active Austin garden blogging community for introducing me to some independent nurseries that I am eager to visit soon…and for reminding me of the VALUE of shopping locally. While shopping at local nurseries this past weekend I purchased….
Inland Sea Oats (chasmanthium latifolium) - (below) shade-loving, graceful and looks like a cross between bamboo and prairie grass; I’m planting it in a strip between a fence and a walkway to soften the parallel edges of the space; it has great rustling movement in the lightest of breezes- nice to include nature’s music in a garden. (photos provided by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Gardener of Good and Evil Blog)
Berkeley Sedge (carex divulsa) – (below) an evergreen carex that is clumping, grass like and floppy like rabbit ears, love it; I’m planting twenty of these in a portion of my garden that is part sun/shade where way-too-thirsty bermuda grass once was. (photo provided by The New York Times / garden design by Mark Word; Annie’s Annuals
Devil’s Shoestring (nolina texana) – (below) an evergreen uber hardy Texas native; I’m adding this amongst my boulders for year-round green and a truly authentic Texas Hill Country look. (photo provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center)
I’ve never seen any of the above lovely xeric plants at the big box stores. Now, I’ve got to go get planting! I’ll post photos soon…..
And, again, below are some of the fabulous central Texas garden blogs that participated in Support Your Local Independent Nursery Month – brainchild of Pam Penick of Digging. I visit these blogs often for inspiration and know-how.
Austin Nurseries Giveaway:The Natural Gardener
20 Oct 2011 25 Comments
in Austin Nurseries Tags: buy local, central texas garden bloggers, fall planting, local austin nurseries, organic gardening Austin, The Natural Gardener
I am thrilled to offer you an opportunity to win a $25 gift certificate from The Natural Gardener- a large, diverse and locally-owned nursery and all around cool place to hang out in Austin. And what timing, since fall is perfect for planting in Austin. It’s true – check it out! Leave a comment on this post (click to your left) and voila! You just entered. I’ll draw a name from entries here and announce the winner in one week, on October 27th.
Check out The Natural Gardener’s website for great information on gardening and landscaping in Austin, such as monthly “To Do Lists” and “Tips” specific to Central Texas – so perfect for newbie me. It’s also helpful to keep tabs on their ”Weekly” page on the website for specials, events and coupons; for instance, this week there is a coupon for 25% off any one item.
And there’s more…..
As part of Support Your Independent Nursery Month, Austin garden bloggers are featuring local nurseries and giveaways, with an aim to encourage shopping local. These nurseries need our support just as much as we need their knowledge and inventory of garden goodies that are specific to Austin’s diverse and extreme conditions….
Native Plants + Local Know-How =
Lovely, Low-Cost, Low-Fuss Landscapes!
To encourage you to get to know and spend your dollars at one of our fine local nurseries, the following blog sites have teamed up with our home-grown nurseries to spread awareness and some gift-certificate love! To enter each of the separate giveaways listed below, click on the blog’s name, enjoy the virtual nursery tour and simply leave a comment that will enter you to win that site’s prize that was generously donated from the featured local nursery~
Sharing Nature’s Garden: $50 gift certificate from Emerald Garden
J Peterson Garden Design: $50 gift certificate from The Great Outdoors
Go Away, I’m Gardening!: $100 gift certificate from Sunshine Landscape & Garden Center
Great Stems: $50 gift certificate from Hill Country Water Gardens & Nursery
The Whimsical Gardener: $25 gift certificate from It’s About Thyme
Rock Rose: $50 gift certificate from Shoal Creek Nursery
Digging: $100 gift certificate & a Fall Power Package (valued at $50) from Barton Springs Nursery
I know – quite a line-up, right?
I hope you’ll visit The Natural Gardener soon- you’re in for a treat!
Rules for the giveaways-
- You must leave a comment on this post to enter.
- Each participating blog will hold its own random drawing, so leave a comment on each blog to enter all the giveaways.
- Only one comment per person per giveaway.
- Participating bloggers and their families are ineligible to win.
- Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on 10/26.
- Winners will be announced on each blog on 10/27.
- Winners must pick up the prize with a photo ID in person within two weeks of winning. Prizes will not be mailed.
I’ll follow the sun…
19 Oct 2011 6 Comments
I’ve been following the light and shadows in my garden. A late afternoon peachy glow projects along our long entry wall – “Showtime!” says the crepe myrtle.
(above) I’d like to plant something that will be sculptural against the wood step enclosure (on the right)…any ideas?
(below) I also love how the afternoon sun skims across the barrel cactus near the driveway; the yellow spines glow a welcome home kiss to us as sweet as any showy bloom. This actually doesn’t do the (lower) barrel cactus justice; I need to capture that moment.
(below) My agave looks dewy in the morning light – even during a summer drought; light filters through a huge oak tree from nine till about ten, and the sharp-edged butterfly agave has a soft watercolor moment each day.
Where do shadows bloom in your world?
Oh, and here’s a link to a fabulous, short shadow-puppet show (seriously!!) on YouTube…worth the click I promise~
It’s fall and I’m freezing
11 Oct 2011 4 Comments
I’m eager to plant and create and enjoy in my gardens, but it’s difficult to decide on what to actually plant and where. I am frozen in indecision, annoyed with my lack of knowledge and newly dissatisfied with my home’s lot. Oh, and I want to move half of the fourty plantings put in just a short month ago.
When designing, it’s necessary to consider the task with a critical eye, right? What are the issues and limitations? I have this initial step down pat, I can see what is not working – lately this is ALL I see- the slopes, the hungry deer, the view of the neighbor’s driveway and on and on. This is where I’m stuck; I don’t have the tools to solve the problem; such as (A) I don’t have an inventory of solutions to consider because I’m an utter novice at gardening (and dare I say, landscape design), and (B) I don’t have an inspiration or clear vision to drive the process.
I fancy myself a problem solver, an idea person, and if NOTHING else- a girl with a vision….and definately a DIYer. In my garden currently, I find myself tugging at a new collar of confusion and scratching at this itchy cloak of cluelessness I wear. Urrrhh!
On the other hand, I was driving through a neighborhood (which also has a lot of deer) looking for inspiration – and realized that I can increasingly identify the more common plants and shrubs. So I have this going for me; I’m picking up the language – I can essentially ask where the bathroom is and say hello in a stiff formal way.
I AM very grateful for the sunset view from my front garden.
Gazing beyond my neighbor’s driveway…..
Oh, and this cyberspace nugget grabbed my attention~
Fertilizing plants makes them more tempting to deer- (“Like seasoning?” my hubby asked) especially nitrogen I read. Really?!
