November 21, 2025
Last month I drove to Nacogdoches to kick off book tour events in East Texas. Dr. Jared Barnesa horticulture professor at Stephen F. Austin State University, and his wife, Karen, kindly hosted me in their home, and the next morning I took a sunrise stroll through their garden.
Jared generously shared his garden with me two years ago, in early spring, for inclusion in my book Gardens of Texas. It was nice to see it again at a different time of year. Fall is my favorite season in a Texas garden thanks to cooler weather, grasses in bloom, flowering perennials, and a gone-to-seed mellowness after the blaze of summer.
The meadowy country garden was full of Oudolfian seedheads and tawny stems left standing for bird seed and late-season interest.
Sweet everlasting, aka rabbit-tobacco (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium), in frothy bloom
Pocked seedheads on buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Orange persimmons, not yet ripe, were dangling like little pumpkins. This is ‘Nikita’s Gift’, a cross between native American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) and Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki). In a post Jared wrote on his blog, Meristemhe said, “The fruit ripening is like watching a slow, long burning sunset. The orbs started changing color in September as the green fruit shifted to a bright golden yellow and then made their way through hues of orange in October until they display that last fiery red now that November has arrived.”
Long rectangular beds along the driveway host an orchard of young fruit trees. A scrim of tawny grasses reflects the season.
Hose guide posts are charmingly topped with little terracotta pots.
The log cabin home has a long front porch, along which a breaking wave of inland sea oats crests with dangling seedheads. A galvanized bucket attached to the wall makes a homemade hose reel.
On the porch, stacked pumpkins, a pail of mums, and other homey accents add country style.
Potted succulents hang on the porch posts. Jared wrote about the inspiration and the pot hangers at Meristem.
Annual gomphrena glows in front of the sea oats.
Candlestick senna (Winged Senna) holding upright yellow blossoms like ears of corn
A yellow-and-black caterpillar was noshing on a senna flower, and Jared was excited to realize it’s the larva of a cloudless sulphur butterfly. It’s worth a little munching to have those beautiful yellow butterflies.
‘Flame’ willow with glowing stems
Birdhouse on a fencepost
Drummond’s aster
Another angle on the picturesque birdhouse
Baldwin’s ironweed (Vernoinia Baldwinii) gone to seed
Annual moonflower vine (Ipomoea alba), with a night-blooming flower still open at dawn
From below, it evokes a white parasol.
Persimmon path to a bog planter
Fourpoint evening primrose (Oenothera rhombipetala)
Wand goldenrod (Solidago strict)
Clematis virginiana seedheads
Another view
Persimmons and grasses
Formosa lily seedheads
Savanna gayfeather (Liatris savannensis)
A bell-shaped flower of Clematis pitcheri
A monarch arrived, homing in on sweet almond verbena (Aloysia virgata)…
…to fuel up for the journey into Mexico, for overwintering.
Annual celosia (Celosia spicata) with hot-pink stems and feathery flowers going to seed
It was a pleasure to see Jared’s garden in fall, still so full of life, color, and texture. Thanks for the visit and the hospitality, Jared and Karen!
++++++++++
Come see me
I have a few more book events before the holidays, and I invite you to connect in person and pick up an autographed copy of Gardens of Texas for a gift or for yourself.
Nov. 22, 1-3 p.m – Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin. This is the place that got me started as a Texas gardener! Join me for a slide-show presentation in the auditorium. I’ll show how resilient gardeners are embracing change, shifting their plant palette toward Texas natives, nurturing wildlife, and finding deeper joy in the process. Talk is included with admission to the garden. I’ll have books for sale and signing. (I’m also happy to sign a book you already purchased!) More info here. Location: 4801 La Crosse Ave, Austin.
Dec. 5, 5-8 pm – Book signing at Get Lucky Gallery during First Friday in Lockhart — when businesses stay open late and everyone comes out for a good time! Get Lucky is a uniquely Lockhart gift shop and gallery featuring one-of-a-kind local artists. Come say howdy, pick up a signed copy of Gardens of Texasand check some lucky folks off your holiday shopping list. Location: 113 S. Main St, Lockhart.
Dec. 7, 2-4 pm – Book signing at Joy Gift Shoppe in Austina charming Kerbey Lane boutique specializing in local artists, ethically handmade gifts, and companies that give back. They’re joyously featuring a Gardens of Texas book signing, so come say hi, get a signed copy, and add a little joy to your holiday shopping! Location: 3706 Kerbey Ln, Austin.
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star Stateis here! Find it on Amazonother online book sellersand in stores everywhere. It’ll make a great holiday gift for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. More info here.
Come see me on tour! I’ll be speaking and hosting book events across Texas this fall and into next spring to celebrate the release of Gardens of Texas. Join me to learn, get inspired, and say hello!
Learn about garden design and ecology at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. Subscribe to Garden Spark by clicking here to email — subject line: SUBSCRIBE.
All material © 2025 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
