We visited all kinds of gardens in Texas during our May Bloggers’ Fling, but one stood out for its sophisticated, yet restrained, palette of plants; its geometric division of a relatively small property, making it seem much larger; its bold use of colour; and its functionality, featuring well-designed spaces for outdoor living while offering a sense of leafy enclosure and sanctuary.  That garden, in Austin’s Brentwood neighbourhood, belonged to the eponymous designer behind B. Jane Gardens. The sun was hot and the light was harsh for photography by the time we arrived, but I took note of the drought-tolerant plants in her front garden, including myriad succulents and desert species.

I loved seeing silver ponyfoot (Dichondra argentea) – a plant I’m familiar with in Toronto as a pricey trailer in containers of succulents – deployed as a groundcover with asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’) around whale’s tongue agave (A. ovatifolia), a wonderful species and so popular here, we would see it in virtually every garden on tour. The bowl fountain in the background splashed gently, adding to the street appeal.

A small sign in the front garden acted as business card.

The limestone walk led to generously-proportioned steps leading to the gray house with a pretty orange front door…..

….. and a comfy turquoise glider with orange accents to match the door. I’m a big fan of turquoise-and-orange, and this garden would be a great illustration of that combo.

Heading around the house, the back garden’s prominent feature was a rectangular swimming pool overlooked by a dining alcove, outdoor kitchen….

…. and grill area, with wood stacked nearby for the fire pit in a far corner of the garden.

A grouping of planters arrayed against the walls of one of the poolside home offices added a splash of green (and basil for cooking). One very cool detail is the line of accent tile beneath the pool coping in shades of orange, peach, blue, turquoise and gray, picking up the house colour and hues used elsewhere in the garden.  Speaking of hues…. those floating beachballs in the perfect colours!  What a fun accessory!

Sometimes (especially on a busy tour like the Bloggers’ Fling, and particularly if I’m waiting for people to clear a scene), I focus on the small details and forget the big ones – like a wide angle shot of the back garden. So you’ll have to imagine that the lawn this blogger is crouching on formed a large rectangle beside the pool that is a welcome play area for the family’s two dogs.

And all along the lawn at the property line was this pretty raised planter, perfect for sitting, filled with Knockout roses and a privacy wall of bamboo

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…. under a flowering ghost plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense).

At the far end of the swimming pool was a raised deck with chaise lounges, and accent tables in orange.  I love the inner wall here, not something many gardeners consider, but it can be effective for hiding mechanics (of swimming pools, for example) and creating a dramatic background for a feature.

Here’s the side view, showing the raised planter around the lawn and the very edge of the fire pit.

Is it any wonder that B. Jane’s garden is in the Summer 2018 issue of Garden Design magazine?  (Click here to subscribe to beautiful Garden Design, one of the generous sponsors of our Bloggers Flings.)

Moving around the house to exit the garden after a much-too-short visit, we came to the spa off the master bedroom. What a great privacy screen that bamboo makes.

One of the two family dogs dropped by to bid farewell…..

…. as I took in the succulent design on the table…..

…. and a cool collection of cacti. Note the way all the colours are chosen for that brilliant palette.

The Texas heat was rising as I passed the lovely outdoor shower with the tropical ipe wood floor, and I imagined how welcome this would be after a few hours of gardening.    But for now, it was time to bid farewell to this chic little Austin garden and head back to the bus.