Shopping for Inspiration

When we moved home to Texas in 2008 our yard was a blank slate and I needed garden inspiration.  I went looking for a beautiful, regionally appropriate landscape that worked with the strict watering guidelines imposed by our city.  I began by checking out commercial landscapes as I was out running errands and started putting a few ideas together.  It wasn't long before I headed out to The Shops at La Cantera in northwest San Antonio and discovered one of the best spots for my landscape inspiration.

Beautifully landscaped with an emphasis on native plants and details that were unmistakably San Antonio, I was presented with possibilities that I was not even aware of.  I was fascinated from that first visit and returned again and again as I put together a plan for my own yard.

These photos are from a recent trip

Nursery Visit: Hill Country Gardens

It's been a while since I've visited Hill Country Gardens in New Braunfels and even longer since I posted about all the changes taking place there.  That it had been too long was confirmed last week when Andrea, the owner, commented "it's been a while since we've seen you" after I responded to her Facebook post on weekend sales and seminars.

Hill Country Gardens has been an important native plant resource for local gardeners for more than 20 years.  In 2011, Andrea Sanger acquired the nursery from the original owner and has made many improvements in the last two and a half years while maintaining the focus on native plants.  In October 2012, Andrea's first anniversary celebration event was one of my first posts on this blog.