Gardens on Tour 2014: Tait Moring's Garden

A week or so ago on Saturday I headed up to Austin with Heather of Xericstyle along with my friend and garden designer Linda Higby to meet up with the Austin bloggers for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Gardens on Tour event.  Our first stop was Landscape Architect Tait Moring's south Austin garden.  Pam Penick had arranged early entry so we could get our photos ahead of the crowds and before the death star turned on full blast.  So thank Pam for the good light in these photos.

This was a great way to start off our tour.  I remembered this garden from Pam's previous posts and reread them in advance, yet I was still surprised by how wonderful it was to visit this garden.  The property is 22 acres along a busy road which fades away at first sight of garden spaces like this circular lawn visible from the driveway and bounded by bamboo to screen the traffic.

The Habiturf lawn of native grasses planted to one side of the house.  Habiturf was developed by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center as a way to save on water in the summer.



Wildflowers border the edges and we get a glimpse of the view behind the house.



The house and porch with matching peaked hedge.



A water feature near the front door blends just right with the architecture of the house.

Yellow hesperaloe blooming in structural pots set against side of the house.  Very architectural.  At this point it becomes clear that Tait Moring is a plantsman.

Tait's office is attached to the house so he has a large decomposed granite parking area out front which blends beautifully with the gardens.  Potted yucca on stone plinth marks one corner and gives a hint of the fantastic stonework throughout the gardens.

The gateway reveals the circle lawn set with a single pot.  Simple and serene.

A mosaic of collected pavers and bricks.

A blue wash on the back side of the gate frames our view out to the drive.

Across the drive an artful metal gate sections off the storage area for his business.

An arched gate beckons.

The nicho set with found objects invites closer inspection.  The metal nameplate belonged to the previous owners of the property.



Inside the gate a mix of Asian style pots against a stone wall featuring rocks Tait has been collecting since childhood.

A perfect spot for Hydrangea which can be tricky to grow in hot Central Texas.

Ivy covered columns set with a few more objects.

Beyond the rustic arch is a large lawn set with agave-topped columns.  They almost appear to be torches on fire.

The pool comes into view at the base of a beautiful rock wall



So natural set into the lawn this way it evokes the feeling of a spring-fed pool.

Tropical plants along the edge with bromeliads set into the wall.  I love the grass-topped tiki head.

This metalwork gate is similar to the one across the drive which is just to the left over the fence.

Pebbles between the stones.  So many ideas to capture.

A clever and artistic way to display squid agave.  Doesn't that opuntia look like a coral reef?  

Ivy covered stone bench with silvery blue gopher plant.



Around the corner a purple sphere afloat in a bed of silvery dichondra.



The deck on the back of the house overlooks a canyon.  Lots of great container plants on display here too.

An alligator lurks among the pebbles on the other side.

Old roofing tiles make a planting ring.

Heather stalking wildflowers in the meadow just below the deck.



A look through the fence and back up the driveway.  I noted that Tait left the juniper fence posts tall just as we did.  You can always cut more off but you can't add!

A veggie garden with the beds surrounded by rock walls.  The designs in the wall are abstract but Heather pointed out this looks like a woman and we agreed.  On further review she is pouring an old man cup of coffee.  Is that a recycling bin on the right?  What do you see?

The watering can picks up the red of the poppies in the meadow.

A caterpillar enjoying a snack.

A spot of bright blue at the end of the garden.

Artichokes are so pretty, and pick up the shapes of agaves in the garden.

Down into the meadow of wildflowers below the house.



Indian Blankets, Bee Balm, Larkspur.

Traversing the hill on a natural rock bed.

Native Yucca and wildflowers along the steps to a wooded pathway.

A hammock placed in the shade to enjoy a nap.

Nearby is a seating area with blooming prickly pear over the ledge.

Following where the path leads past a stand of beargrass. 

We are rewarded with a view of the canyon.

A special pause to admire the Madrone tree with its terracotta colors and peeling bark.

Distinctly smooth curving branches.



A firepit and council ring for those cool evenings.

Native twist-leaf yucca growing nearby.

Back up the hill to the house and a pond also ringed by the great rockwork featured throughout the gardens.

Another view of the canyon alongside a big fig tree.

Looking back down the hill, you can just see the hammock over the pond.
 

Tait (L) talking with Heather (C) and Linda (R) about his gardens.

Exiting the lawn I paused to take in a few more details.

A peek through the office area shows he has a great view of the canyon while working.

A look back up the drive at the giant coyote fence marking the entrance.  Coyote fences are common in Central Texas but this one is enormous!

 Designed to be serene and relaxing, the personal touches also make this garden so enjoyable to visit.  Tait's garden is a special place not only because it is well-designed but more so because it is also at the same time a welcoming space.

To see Pam's tour with links to her previous posts on Tait's gardens go here.

Diana of Sharing Nature's Garden joined us and posted her tour here.