5/26/11 DALLAS OPEN DAYS pt.V

And here we are are at the last garden of the tour.  The eclectic mix in this garden made for a fun way to end the day.  OPEN DAYS described it this way:

Blue Lotus Gardens offers landscape concepts and unique plant material. The garden offers a rare approach to drought tolerant gardening which includes a rain water catchment system. The front garden is consumed with large five-foot specimen agaves and various sizes of cactus and yuccas. The garden emanates a great west Texas feel. The front landscape also includes a disappearing fountain that attracts many Texas native wild birds. As you approach the back garden the atmosphere becomes eclectic with vintage and modern touches. Nestled within is a quaint iron bed and a long modern hedge of the Holy Fire lotus flowers. The garden also includes honey bee hives and stucco turtle sanctuary.

And so this concludes the photographs for the 2011 OPEN DAYS in Dallas.  I hope I was able to capture some of the magnificence. 

I can't wait for the Fort Worth OPEN DAYS coming in October! 

05/25/11 DALLAS OPEN DAYS pt.IV

Our fourth excursion led us to this graceful garden.  OPEN DAYS described it this way

An unused backyard pool was filled in and replaced by a koi pond with multiple rills and streams. An intimate fireplace patio and tumbling waterways along changes in elevation create separate rooms with hidden walkways awaiting discovery. Beautiful gates add substance and mystery to the lushly planted entries. Successive waves of perennials enliven the seasons and feed the bees who live in two hives near the rear fence

Tomorrow brings us to our final destination.  You don't want to miss this fun and eclectic garden!

05/25/11 DALLAS OPEN DAYS pt. III

The third garden on our tour was a visual treat for sure.  The OPEN DAYS brochure said this about the garden: 

Hidden away in the middle of the city, this garden feels like it is almost anywhere but Dallas. After completing an addition to the original 1926 Tudor-style cottage, the passionate gardeners were able to purchase the lot next door. Landscape architect Susi Thompson worked closely with them to expand the garden and add two decorative and very useful buildings, the carriage house, which contains a garage, storage, and a work space; and the garden pavilion, a conservatory which houses their gardening library, a small kitchen, and a space for entertaining. The styles of the English-inspired garden and of the garden architecture, in particular the Arts-and-Crafts-style pavilion, are intended to complement each other as a unified whole. The three separate structures ensconce the garden into an intimate enclosure. The framework of the garden is very formal, with strong axial relationships between the architectural elements and a series of distinct garden rooms. However, exuberant planting softens the lines and adds texture, color, and interest at every turn, for this is a plant-lover’s garden. The hard scape elements are a rich mix of brick, cast stone, and natural stone both roughly squared and intricately cut to create formal medallions. In less than one third of an acre, you will find a sunken lawn, a pergola garden, an Italianate folly, outdoor fireplace, dining terrace, a perennial border, and four water features. Although the garden is English in style, Texas native and adapted plants play a large role in this small landscape. The owners do all the planting and organic maintenance themselves.

05/24/11 DALLAS OPEN DAYS pt. II

This is the second garden we saw on our tour.  Here is how the OPEN DAYS brochure described this charming garden:

This garden, owned by a horticulturist and garden contractor, features a variety of plants. The organized chaos of the plantings is anchored by the structure of boxwood hedges. The front garden has both shade and sun areas and is planted to accommodate these different exposures while trying to maintain balance. The backyard is designed for outdoor living. The back garden appears much larger through the implementation of the “garden rooms” concept. There are rooms for entertaining and outdoor dining, relaxing, quiet areas to read or sit by the fountain, enjoy time by the fire, grow vegetables, and even a space for a flock of backyard chickens.

Hope you enjoyed these photos at least half as much as I enjoyed touring the garden.

Tomorrow I'll post the third garden on our tour.  A wonderful garden by landscape architect Susi Thompson surrounding a Tudor style cottage.