September 07, 2025
All hail the queen! My biggest, most regal squid agave (Agave bracteosa) is a living fountain, arcing above her tall, pleated pot. Cascading at her feet are firecracker fern — the more shade-tolerant round-leaf variety (Russelia rotundifolia) — and a ‘Rooguchi’ clematis vine that refuses to climb the pot, as I’d envisioned.
The plants know best what they want to do. I enjoy this sparks-meets-bells combo.
‘Amistad’ salvia is a summer stalwart for bright shade and should bloom even better as we cool off this fall. The whale’s tongue agave (Agave ovatifolia) in the stock tank behind it is one of Moby’s pups.
Longtime readers, do you remember Moby, my beloved whale’s tongue? Moby bloomed and died back in 2016 — almost 10 years ago, unbelievably. In its final burst of energy, Moby produced clones of itself in the form of bulbils (baby agaves) on its bloom stalk, dozens of which I harvested and gave away to friends all over the country. The agave pictured here is one of Moby’s progeny, now about three feet across and looking as handsome as its parent was. How many of its siblings still survive, I wonder?
Chile pequin (Capsicum annuum), a Texas native pepper, is blushing red as its little round chiles ripen. A Galeana sage (Salvia darcyi) I planted a year or two ago finally took off this year and is coordinating with red-flowered bloom spikes.
Dark blue plumbago (Plumbago auriculata) is thriving in the heat of late summer, as usual.
Another whale’s tongue agave, this one with moonshine-yellow variegation, adds more blue alongside a bottle tree in the big stock-tank planter.
These are the plants that caught my eye this week in the back garden. With cooler temps expected this week, I’ll be curious to see what else starts popping.
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Digging Deeper
Want ideas for your yard besides lawn? Sure you do! I’m giving a talk called “Lawn Gone: 8 Great Ideas for Your Yard” on Saturday, September 13, at the Concho Valley Master Gardeners Fall Symposium in San Angelo, Texas. The cost for the all-day symposium with 4 speakers is $30 per person; refreshments and lunch included. Register by 9/10 at this link to attend. I hope to see you there, West Texas homeowners and gardeners!
My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, comes out October 14! It’s available for pre-order now on Amazon and other online book sellers. If you’d like to read it or give it as a holiday gift, please consider pre-ordering. (I’m happy to sign pre-ordered copies at my book events!) Early orders make a big difference in helping new books get noticed. More info about Gardens of Texas here — and thank you for your support!
Tour 5 Austin gardens on Saturday, November 8, on the Garden Conservancy’s Open Day tour for Travis County. Tickets must be purchased online in advance. Find full details here.
Come see me on tour! I’ll be speaking and hosting book events across Texas this fall and into next spring to celebrate the release of Gardens of Texas. Join me to learn, get inspired, and say hello!
Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events, so join the Garden Spark email list for notification when tickets go on sale: click this link and ask to SUBSCRIBE. Read all about the Season 9 lineup here!
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