A healing garden in West Texas

A week agone I had the pleasance of visiting a beauteous plot successful Alpine, located successful acold West Texas, 400 miles westbound of Austin. Owner Susan Wallens showed maine astir and told maine however the plot came to be.

Susan’s husband, Mike, is the vicar of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church successful Marfa and serves 4 different churches successful the Big Bend Region. A fewer years agone they hired decorator Michael Eason (author of Wildflowers of Texas) to crook the expansive backyard down their location into a plot for spiritual healing and outreach successful the community.

The bosom of the plot is simply a labyrinth of precisely laid retired Mexican feathergrass spiraling astir a loquat leafage oak (Quercus rysophylla) planted precocious successful the center. It’s a wow moment, brushed and beauteous and waving with tawny autochthonal grasses. I asked if the feathergrass, which likes to effect itself around, was hard to support successful line. But Susan’s gardener, Ben, told maine it’s not excessively difficult.

Father Mike meets parishioners for counseling successful a detached bureau down their home.

The garden, Susan told me, was designed to beryllium a spot of solace and healing for visitors, with flowering plants that pull birds and butterflies, the labyrinth for clearing one’s mind, and a ample arbor for outdoor gatherings.

Sunflowers readying their feast of seeds for birds

The different main focal constituent of the plot is simply a long, U-shaped arbor made of alloy tube and fencing mesh, which wraps astir a half-sunken stock-tank pond and spacious gravel patio.

Can’t you ideate blessed gatherings present nether the stars connected a chill godforsaken evening?

Michael chose respective taxon of vines to clamber up the arbor and, eventually, supply a passageway of shade.

Clematis seedhead

A potted prickly pear makes a elemental focal constituent astatine the extremity of 1 sightline.

The pond indispensable beryllium rather the oasis for birds, bees, and different wildlife successful this beauteous godforsaken garden. And what amended crushed to make a plot than to stock its healing properties with others. Thank you, Susan and Mike, for sharing it with me!

Up next: A sojourn to creator Julie Speed’s workplace and patio garden successful Marfa. For a look backmost astatine masses of flowering sotols successful Marfa, click here.

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