Drive-By Gardens: Waterwise front yard on Castle Hill

A Castle Hill charmer with a sky-blue door and modern front yard of native and adapted plants made me hit the brakes for a closer look.… Read More The post Drive-By Gardens: Waterwise front yard on Castle Hill appeared first on Digging. July 11, 2023 Cruising through the Castle Hill area of Old West Austin recently, I spotted this beautiful 1910 home with a sky-blue door and modern landscaping. I hit the brakes for a closer look. The house sits atop a front yard terraced with Corten steel and board-formed concrete walls. A deep hellstrip mulched with gravel contains a grassy planting of bulletproof red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora), Mexican feathergrass (Nassella tenuissima), woolly stemodia (Stemodia lanata), and whale’s tongue agave (Agave ovatifolia). That whale’s tongue agave is a stunner, and harmoniously set off with woolly stemodia groundcover. No deer in this neighborhood, so the red yuccas look gorgeous with arched wands of coral flowers. And what a view! An artfully pruned heritage live oak frames the dome of the Texas Capitol. Hummingbirds were darting from flower to flower, stealing sips of nectar and chasing each other off. I love how the whale’s tongue agave echoes the soft blue of the front door. Floating steps make a right turn at a steel planter box dotted with small golden barrel cacti. Along the foundation, a steel terraced bed contains a frothy planting of sedge and palmetto — maybe silver saw? The sedge continues across the right side of the yard. No traditional lawn at all, I think. The house faces southwest, which means the sedge receives pretty much a full day of sun. I’d love to know which variety it is. I think this front yard is very well designed and appealing with a restrained palette of native and adapted plants. Plus the house itself is a Texas charmer. Bravo! I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox! __________________________ Digging Deeper Come learn about garden design from the experts at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, and authors a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance. Simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 7 starts in August. Stay tuned for the lineup! All material © 2023 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. The post Drive-By Gardens: Waterwise front yard on Castle Hill appeared first on Digging.