Exploring Lori Daul's Foliage-filled Garden

While I was in Austin over the weekend to tour gardens as part of the Garden Conservancy Open Days Austin tour I spent some time Lori Daul's garden.  Lori's garden wasn't on tour that day but I jumped at the chance to get a peek at it while waiting for Diana of Sharing Nature's Garden who is also one of the organizers of the upcoming Garden Blogger's Fling 2018 in Austin.  Diana had generously offered to drive us on the tour route Saturday which I so appreciated since getting up early and driving to Austin is challenge enough.

I'd toured Lori's garden three years ago in the spring so I knew it would be fun to see the changes both time and fall weather bring.

While I enjoy garden tours, I especially enjoy touring fellow blogger's gardens.  Lori blogs (occasionally) at The Gardener of Good and Evil.  We'll start in the back by admiring the new tank pond which adds a great focal point just off the back patio.  Lori's artistry stands out right away with the placement of a lavender chair on the left repeating the color of the swing against the blue fence.

Lori's blog subtitle is "Lush Landscapes for Tough Climates" and the arrangement of pond plants which works beautifully here  is just one example of her skill.



A mesmerizing touch of fall color in Central Texas as Mexican Buckeye foliage contrasts against the deep blue fence with Crape Myrtle trunks for structure.  Lori painted the fence blue so it would fade into the background and it makes a great backdrop for foliage.

A bowl water feature which once sat here has been replaced with a bright blue jar and Lori has plans to add a copper spout.  The original clay bowl water feature lives on in many a shared photo but it had begun to deteriorate and had to be replaced.  Pink Flamingos originally in the front garden now echo pink flowers in the back garden.

Lori has a number of matching face pots in different sizes which she changes around.

One face pot is currently elevated with dreadlocks and curly bangs in the form of Foxtail fern and Manfreda 'Chocolate Chips" with a tradescantia crown.  Another idea to take away.

We all loved this bottle branch idea and I stole it for my own garden. Some of her bottles fell off during Hurricane Harvey but it still looks great.   Once I polish off a few more bottles during the holidays I'll share my version.

More of that fall color which seems so elusive to Texas gardens.  The Crape Myrtle trunks are perfect here.

Beautiful combination of Turk's Cap, Purple Heart and a ground cover with blooms similar to Baby's Breath.  I hadn't appreciated the fall color on Turk's Cap until now.  How did I miss this in my own garden?

Blue mistflower or Chromolaena odorata against the back of the house is a gigantic Monarch butterfly magnet.

Right on cue a Monarch shows up.

That's me in the mirror leaning in for a photo of another great container arrangement.  I don't remember the exact variety of lime green sedge there but was surprised to learn it will grow in our climate.  Thanks to Lori I'll give it a try next year.

Lori says maintenance on this impressive espalier is a lot of work.  I thought about doing this with a pomegranate several years ago but the plant has now grown into an unruly shrub.

Foliage vignette in the front courtyard garden.

Lori in the round mirror watching me enjoy her garden.



Want a garden this amazing?  Lori is a garden designer in Austin and you can contact her through her blog The Gardener of Good and Evil.