Austin Pots

Last May, I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the 10th annual Garden Bloggers’ Fling, a group of enthusiastic garden bloggers and writers who travel to different cities and revel in the horticultural wonders of each city.  In 2018, we visited Austin, TX where I got to see unique gardens, reconnect with old friends, and meet people whom I only knew online.

Rather than give you a detailed garden-by-garden travelogue, I thought I would group my observations by theme.  You can view garden-specific walk-throughs well written by other bloggers.

Containers in Austin Gardens

One theme I saw throughout my visit is how gardeners used pots in the gardens to highlight special plants, or to give them extra attention, since sunshine is in abundance and water is scarce.  Even though we had a very wet May visit, containers were everywhere.

Containers for Color

Pots come in infinite colors and materials.  Lucinda Hutson’s  joyful purple house was enhanced by matching and contrasting containers.  If a container matched the house, it was filled with complementary foliage plants, and where a unified pot collection would disappear against the background, collections of pots with similar forms danced across tabletops and patios in abundance.

Empty and Non-planted Containers

Lucinda even delighted us with a complementary garden hose in a simple glazed container, nestled among the shady ferns.

I loved how Pam Penick left this gorgeous container empty and placed the complementary Abutilon next to it.

And empty pots are great focal points especially when they reflect sunlight on water, as in the McClurg garden.

And the architectural simplicity of spheres and cones always works for me, at the Mirador garden.

Leading Ladies

Containers are great for attracting your eye, and sending it through the garden.  I loved these glazed pool-side containers at the Kirby garden.

These glazed pots punctuate the geometric shape of the pool, and anchor the scene.  I surely could have splashed here all day.

And of course, pairs and collections of pots lead you through plantswoman Jenny Stocker‘s gate, and to the lush garden inside.

Collections of Pots

You can’t leave Jenny’s garden without extolling the wonderful collection of plant life, and of course, where else to display the diversity, than with a collection of pots?

Enjoy the whimsical collection of terrestrial sea-creatures containing plants that mimic their pots in the Penick garden.

You can enjoy matching collections of pots, as in the garden of Tait Moring.

And complementary blue and copper pots as in the Jamison garden:

Or, unify your containers in shades of white, black and grey, as in the garden of B. Jane.  Notice how they don’t have to be matchy-matchy to look put-together.

In Summary

Every gardener has their own eye, from formal to whimsical, and favorite colors from grey to vibrant.  Notice how it doesn’t matter what you choose, or even the plants you put in them – it’s the collection of similar or contrasting colors and shapes, that express your personality.

So get out there and plant something!