The Seasoned Homemaker: I {Heart} Gardens

A couple of weekends back, Mr. Seasoned Homemaker and I took a day trip to San Antonio. It’s a little over an hour away and we wanted to get away for few hours.

Rather than visit this uber-crowded-been-there-done-that San Antonio place…

…we opted for the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, which is proof that you CAN grow a beautiful garden in a stinkin’ hot place.

{brugmansia}

I have actually visited some pretty spectacular gardens…The Buchart Gardens in Victoria, BC and the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival in Orlando, FL.

So, I have pretty high expectations when I pay to visit a garden. All that to say that the San Antonio Botanical Gardens really deliver.

When entering the garden, you can go either left or right. There are lots of colors and textures. Everywhere you look. I’ve always gone right because there is a wisteria arbor and a fountain that draw you in. {no arbor picture because there was a bride and photographer in the arbor}

But, I love the fountain. So refreshing in the heat.

There is a Japanese garden, but it really isn’t that impressive. No picture. The Japanese Garden at Hermann Park in Houston is actually much better. It’s also free.

{Houston Japanese Garden}

One of my favorite areas at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens is the Conservatory which is full of tropicals. Which I love.

Who doesn’t love anthuriums?

Or hibiscus. I used to have a yard full of these back in Corpus. Anytime I needed a flower arrangement, I’d go and cut a few. I really miss them.

While I’m not a huge fan of desert plants, I am always interested in ways to landscape with them because Central Texas is so hot and dry. I love the bluish color of the cactus paired with the pinkish sandstone boulders.

Doesn't it feel cool and inviting?

On the other side of the gardens is a short trip through Texas’ eco systems, complete with original buildings that have been moved to the gardens.

This is the Auld House surrounded by plants native to Central Texas. Reminiscent of German settlers who tamed the Hill Country.

You gotta admire anyone who traipsed across an ocean and landed in Central Texas. I’m betting it wasn’t what they expected.

Still, these hard working German settlers made the most with what they had.

Mr. Seasoned Homemaker loves the the East Texas Piney Woods. It really does look like this in East Texas. You should see the real thing when the dogwoods are blooming.

I, on the other hand, was watching my toes. You never know when a copperhead is going to crawl out of the East Texas Piney Woods.

Way in the back of the gardens is South Texas. There is a ti-ny adobe house surrounded a bunch of cacti.

I’m a little on the fence about this plant. We lived in South Texas for 28 years. Upon returning from a trip north of the Nueces, I knew I was almost home when I would see these cacti on the roadside. The closer we got to Corpus, the larger they got.

It’s a real love-hate plant relationship that still stirs up memories.

It’s even possible to make desert plants look good. The blue agave is a spectacular plant.

This grouping perfectly reflects the South Texas landscape: a retama tree in the back, blue agave, spanish dagger, and prickly cactus.

I'm telling you, it does not get any more South Texas that this. The only thing missing is a diamondback rattler.

One of my favorite South Texas trees is the wild olive. I really miss it living here in Austin. It is covered in these beautiful white flowers.

We may not have cherry blossoms or dogwoods in South Texas, but the wild olive fills in nicely.

I’ve saved the best for last. My favorite, favorite, favorite part of the gardens is Watersaver Lane. It is a lane of different landscapes where I always find inspiration.

Butterfly Garden

Notice the artemesia, now you know where I got all of my ideas for the side bed at my house.

Suburban Garden

I call this a ‘mustache’ landscape because the boxwoods look like a mustache {and I need another excuse to use the word mustache} on the front of the house. Avoid this type of landscape if at all possible.

Xeriscape Landscape

This is perfect for Central Texas. Low maintenance, low water, no mowing. What's not to love.

Cottage Garden {Texas Style}

When I think of cottage gardens, I don't think of Central Texas. But it's still possible. Who knew?

Native Landscape

Believe it or not, there are things that grow wild and natural here. This garden is evidence of that.

Desert Landscape

While this isn't my favorite, there is such a practical side to it. No water-sucking grass lawn...it is something to consider.

Of course, every botanical garden I’ve ever visited has a rose garden. They all smell wonderful, are beautifully pruned, and most pleasant to stroll through, except when the temperatures are in the mid-90’s.