Garden 2

The Woodland Escape

An Oasis of Shade

Unique gardens among a forest of oak trees and natural habitat!

Garden Features

Rainwater collection system
Native and adapted plants that tolerate hot and dry conditions
Frostweed
Inland sea oats
Turk’s cap
Mountain laurel
American beautyberry
Welcome garden
Front door garden
Dry creek bed garden
Fairie garden
Natural rock hardscaping

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Pia the tabby cat watches over the backyard garden.

Garden History

Colorful wooden birds nestled among the backyard garden.

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 American beautyberry that also tolerate high heat and dry conditions. Turf grass is nowhere to be found.

Much of the land remains in a natural, wild state with a series of garden rooms nestled throughout the Welcome Garden, Front Door Garden, Mom’s Garden, Dry Creek Garden, Promenade, and a Fairie Garden and Secret Hideout for kiddos. Rocks large and small dug from the property or souvenirs from vacations line pathways and provide structure. Metal sculptures by Sandy’s partner complement the plantings. Miniature birdhouses dot tree branches.

A metal roadrunner sculpture in the garden.

A stone dragon sits among red shrimp plants.

Since moving to the property in 2007, dense underbrush has been cleared, mostly by deer and drought. Compacted clay soil is now covered by a foot of good topsoil amended with compost and mulch. A dry creek bed provides drainage and a focal point. A 7,500-gallon rainwater collection system helps with irrigation, though it ran dry last June.

Sandy’s is a place of natural beauty. Light filtering through the canopy of trees gives the entire acreage a serene and secluded aura. A garden plaque, gifted by a friend, sums it all up: “All gardeners live in beautiful places because they make them so.”

Directions

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Garden Address

10626 Creek View Drive
Austin, TX 78748

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Google Map

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Special Instuctions

Follow directional signs to the gardens.

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Garden Gallery

Stone Dragon Among Red Shrimp Plants

A stone dragon nestled among red shrimp plants provides good visual punctuation to this garden.

Peace Pole

Sunny and shaded areas can blend well. Here native and adapted plants like yucca. garden iris, and Mexican honeysuckle create a vibrant plantscape.

Painted Birdhouses

Painted birdhouses on poles placed among the trees along a wooded trail provide a tranquil setting for the birds.

Native Plants, Wind Chimes, and Peace Pole

Frostweed, variegated Caribbean aloes, garden iris and horse herb create a landscape, and wind chimes hanging from trees create an accompanying soundscape.

Metal Roadrunner

A metal roadrunner sculpture adds visual interest to a backdrop of Ashe juniper and helps create a peaceful place for seating and contemplation.

Birdhouses

Birdhouses provide visual interest and draw songbirds to the garden, helping create beautiful sound and sight.

Dragon Sculpture

A dragon sculpture among Mexican honeysuckle, Turks cap, garden iris, and pink skullcap. Native and adaptive plants like these are water-efficient and hardy.

Pia the Garden Tabby

Pia the tabby cat sits next to potted chrysanthemums and a backdrop of variegated Caribbean aloe.

Color and Shade Can Coexist

Gregg’s blue mistflower, variegated Caribbean aloes, plumbago, Carolina jasmine, flax lilies, amaryllis, lavender, and Navajo princess mangave can all provide color to a shaded area.

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Various native and adapted plants like lantanas, plumbago, salvia, Carolina jasmine, inland sea oats, yuccas, and lilies are hardy choices that provide color and texture to a garden.

Use Native and Adaptive Plants

Pia at Home

Pia the tabby cat has her own entrance to and from the house which mimics the main entrance of the home.

Turk's Cap and Wind Chimes

Red Turk’s cap plants will provide a nice pop of color to this heavily shaded area, and bell chimes provide a pleasant sound during a breeze.

Colorful Wooden Birds

Brightly colored wooden birds on stakes in a pot of variegated ginger add a colorful whimsy to the garden.

Dry Creek

A dry creek bed can direct water but also provide a nice setting for well-adapted plants like American beautyberry, Mexican honeysuckle, Turk’s cap, white mistflower, catmint, shrimp plant, and several varieties of aloes.

Garden Gate

This fun gate made with croquet mallets and balls marks the entrance to an herb and ornamental garden.