June 09, 2026
Y’all, the cactus collection at SummerHome Garden is awash in ruffled, jewel-toned flowers. I visited a few days ago and spent two hours photographing the garden in morning light.
Yep, two hours. I simply couldn’t tear myself away from backlit flowers of prickly pear, claret cup, and other spiny beauties.
They grow in a crevice garden against the sun-blasted, south-facing wall of a garage, backed by an upright slab of rock that evokes the nearby Rocky Mountains.
Hot-pink prickly pear flowers and pale-pink penstemon harmonize nicely.
A closer look at a purple prickly pear with Derby-hat flowers
Shazam!
The red one is claret cup cactus.
A closer look
One sprawling prickly pear with orange spines is erupting with yellow-orange flowers.
I can’t remember what this pink-flowering cactus is called. Some type of hedgehog?
Pollinators were zooming in for the bonanza.
I was zooming in too.
One more — a peachy-pink prickly pear
Here’s a wide view from the very back of the garden.
Plenty of other flowers beside cactus are in bloom too, like blue flax.
And Palmer’s penstemon (Penstemon palmeri)
Pretty pink pennants
Apache plume with a honeybee
Cupid’s dart (Catananche caerulea) and a green sweat bee
Rocky Mountain penstemon (Penstemon strictus)
I spotted a ladybug hunting for aphids.
Bees appreciate the penstemon flowers too.
I’m always drawn to this beautiful yucca bell by Cosanti Originals.
The garden features several “bug snug” tepees, which shelter overwintering insects.
A furry visitor (leashed dogs are welcome) gets a pat from garden owner Lisa Negri.
A trough of pretty succulents Lisa rescued from a nearby home that was being torn down
Cupid’s dart seedheads, I think
Lisa is passionate about helping pollinators. A large bee hotel provides nesting cavities for solitary bees and other insects.
A few small ‘Sucker Punch’ chokecherries add verticality and burgundy foliage, a nice contrast with all the silvers.
Chokecherries and backlit Mount Olympus sage (Salvia ringens)
Mount Olympus sage (Salvia ringens)
One more
There’s always something to see at SummerHome Garden, and this Saturday, June 13th, it’ll be featured on the Garden Conservancy‘s Open Days Tour. Get your ticket here and check out the garden — you’ll be inspired to add a few pollinator and waterwise plants to your own garden.
Lisa is such a great advocate for gardens that work with nature instead of against it, and so I’m especially honored that she has a copy of my new book, Gardens of Texas. It shows how gardeners across the Lone Star State are designing and growing with sustainability in mind for our changing climate. No matter where you live, you’ll find the gardens to be beautiful and inspirational, with relatable takeaway ideas to bring home to your garden. You can get your copy at bookstores and online. 😉
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Digging Deeper
My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, is here! Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. More info here.
All material © 2026 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
