Zilker Gardenfest

A gaggle of garden geeks took over the Zilker Botanical Gardens on Saturday and Sunday for the annual Zilker Garden Fest.

Mom and Dad and I were there bright and early when they opened at 10 a.m. Saturday.  Two wagons in tow, we were prepared to fill them to the brim.

The festival includes everything garden, not just plants.  These gourd planters were among the most creative things I saw.

Love these little birds — I keep thinking I want one hanging in my garden and wish I’d gotten one now that I see my picture!

And then there are the beautiful gardens — being surrounded by all the beautiful plants and vignettes of Zilker would inspire anyone to buy plants and stuff!

East Austin Succulents had a great display of their plants.  I bought one – keep reading and I’ll show it to you.

More of beautiful Zilker Garden.

The plant I didn’t get.  I browse a little first and then sometimes go back to buy things – sadly, someone else had already snatched up all three of these.

But this aeonium did come home with me and found its happy place in a tall copper pot.

This is another of my finds.  I know it’s made for a window – but I’m dying to hang it somewhere in my garden for the light to shine through it outside.

I was wowed by this ceramic art – I kept eyeing the turquoise and copper flower tile, but left without it this year.

Mom and Dad — we’ve been going to this Festival for more than 20 years together.  It’s my favorite event of the year in Austin – a city full of great stuff to do.

Here are more goodies from other festivals and my sentimental memories of our outings there with my now-grown son, when he bought my Mother’s Day gifts there for years as a young boy.

The rose garden was amazing – this was my very favorite rose.

I still want some ligularia in my garden, and I have some yellow columbines just like these … hmmm… now that’s an idea!

These baby blue eyes (Nemophila maculata) were everywhere – a perky ground cover erupting in bloom.

And off we went with our goodies…home to plant and hang and pot.  Until next year…

I had a delightful day yesterday with my parents at the Zilker Garden Festival. It’s the plant event of the year in Austin, and my favorite thing to do. We’ve been going for at least 20 years and I never tire of it.

Vendors come from all around to sell plants and pottery and garden art and other crafts. There is a kid’s corner and music and food and it’s just the most wonderful time.

I filled my wagon this time (I usually do) and am so pleased with the interesting things I found:

Ming Fern
3 Homestead Verbena
2 sedums – 1 variegated no-name and 1 pulchellum Sea Star
1 Mock Orange Philadelphus coronarius
1 spotted Bromeliad
1 Dragon Tongue Bean
2 bags of Tulipa Clusiana bulbs (gave one to my Mom and Dad)
1 Aloifolia Yucca (pink and lime green variegated)

I like to buy unusual things at ZilkerFest, because the nursery vendors tend to bring their best or most interesting specimens to show.

Today I planted bluebonnets, 3 tomatoes, 1 pimiento pepper, horseradish, chamomile, and my Space saver cucumber seedlings. I also planted two passalong Baby Blue Eyes that Bob at Draco Gardens brought to the Design A Go Go.

I still have some Society Garlics from my friend to passalong for any Austin area gardeners who need some. Let me know if you want some!

Another beautiful day is on tap for tomorrow … wonder what trouble I can get into the garden tomorrow? Do you have garden plans for Tuesday? Or the rest of the week?

What a gardening bonanza. I’m still glowing from my wonderful weekend.

The Zilker Garden Festival, formerly known to long-time Austinites as Florarama, was this weekend.

There are so many things to love about Austin, but this is my very favorite event of the year. I think I’ve only missed it once in the last 17 years (I was sick as a dog).

It’s a wonderful garden festival, with garden vendors, craft booths, garden art and accessories, food, informational speakers, bands, a children’s corner with face painting and gardening crafts. You name it, they have it.

And it’s located in the beautiful Zilker Gardens, which were showing off for us in full force this weekend. I gawked at the rose garden, the fern garden, the bulbs and promise of the daylilies to come. It’s an amazing setting. I’m partial to it because my husband and I were married in the Japanese Gardens by the bridge over the koi ponds.
Is this the biggest Ch-ch-chia pet you’ve ever seen? (There, behind that attractive young woman!)

This is the perfect place to pick up daylilies from the Dayliliy Society or exotic plants from boutique growers around the area. I look forward to seeing my favorite garden booths year after year. I have several Plumeria, Desert Roses, Night-blooming Cerius, daylilies and succulents that I have collected from these folks over the years.
Mom watched our two carts while Dad and I took a break. You absolutely have to take a wagon for your haul. Mine is the little red one. See the cute bird house in the foreground, and my Amaryllis, Heuchera Plum Pudding, and a hand-painted hummingbird feeder…look closely — you’ll see it all!
One of many water features in the park — it was so peaceful.
Now, here’s Dad sitting on his wagon waiting while Mom and I look at something for a long time.
This is a local nursery’s booth that I love to frequent. They had some great things, but I’m going over to the nursery to buy this week so I can get more goodies.
And here’s a booth set up by the local Master Gardeners to answer questions and provide great information to new gardeners.
And this is a huge cabbage head from the veggie gardens down by the food vendors. I was so impressed by its size — someone always eats mine before they get this big!