Inside Austin Gardens Tour
A Tour of Four Select Austin Gardens
May 11, 2024
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
For Gardeners
By Gardeners
What
A rare, behind-the-scenes look at four private Central Texas gardens.
Each garden is created and cared for by a Travis County Master Gardener.
Why
Tour gardens demonstrate realistic gardening practices that inform and inspire. The tour focuses on beautiful native and well-adapted plants available for use in any Central Texas garden.
What You'll See
The Suburban Farm
Katie Bird Farm is home to five chickens; two miniature donkeys; a rescue chocolate Lab, Sarge; a rescue tabby, Jax and 35 different gardens on three acres. It wasn’t that way when Kay Angermann and Julie Nelson bought the raw, undeveloped property in 2011.
The Woodland Escape
Gardening in a forest can be magical but challenging. Sandy Stone’s two acres include 65+ mature live oaks, numerous cedar elms, and ash junipers. Practically all the property is shaded which dictates a palate of native and adapted plants like frostweed, inland sea oats, Turk’s cap, mountain laurel and more!
The Elevated Garden
Austin’s rocky limestone-laced soil is notorious. But what if your garden sits directly on top of the solid rock of an old stone quarry? That’s what Teresa Garcia faced when she and her husband Donnie bought the place in 2012. Together, they rose to the challenge, literally…every garden bed is elevated!
The Work-In-Progress
How long does a “work-in-progress” go on? If it’s the suburban garden of Daphne Richards, Travis County Extension Agent – Horticulture, it’s 15 years and counting. Partly, that’s because Daphne did all the work on the property herself, and partly because she loves to experiment!
What You'll Learn
Gardens Tolerant of Drought and Deluge
Spring can bring excessive rainfall in Central Texas, and summer often brings brutal heat. Either condition can challenge your landscape, but the right plant choices will help your landscape survive and thrive.
Gardens for Any Type of Soil
Rich blackland prairie, seemingly impossible clay, limestone with a thin layer of topsoil, or no soil at all? Central Texas gardeners can find themselves wrestling with several different soil types. So have the gardeners on our tour. Come see what is possible no matter where you plant your garden!
Gardens for Beauty, Eating, and More
Gardens are for almost anywhere. Full sun, some sun, some shade, all shade, containers, in-ground beds, raised beds, and more. Our tour gardens will help you learn how to match the right plants to the right home!
Rainwater Collection and Runoff Control
Spring showers are nice…until they’re not, and summer heat can ratchet up water use. Come see how rainwater collection systems or modest revisions to your topography can help balance too much and too little.
Diverse Gardens
Volunteers to Answer Your Questions
Different Species of Plants
A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
