Monday, March 19, 2012

A Visit to Bayou Bend

Last week I noticed that Bayou Bend was having what they called Spring House and Gardens Days on the 17th & 18th. The gardens and Ima Hogg’s house were open for tours. They also had some experts on hand to talk about various garden related topics.

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It’s embarrassing to say it, but I had never been to Bayou Bend. A beautiful garden right here in the middle of Houston only 15 minutes from my house. I have wanted to go on the River Oaks Garden Club Azalea Trail the past few years, but the harsh winters (ha ha, you northerners will get a kick out of that comment) and this year’s rainy weekend have kept me away. Now, finally I have seen Bayou Bend, although I still haven’t seen the azaleas at their peak…maybe next year.

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The gardens closest to the house all have a very formal style. Above is the Clio Garden laid out in 1927)

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I love how they used the bricks to form the steps separating the north terrace (designed in 1928) from the Diana Garden (created from 1936-1939).

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Above is the East Garden designed in 1927.

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The Butterfly Garden is named for it’s shape rather than the flowers that grow here. The bricks in this design were laid in 1942.

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In addition to the many formal gardens there are woodland gardens and winding paths as you get farther from the house. The grounds are 14 acres in total and are a fun place to wander around. This should definitely be on your list of places to visit in Houston. And, if you can only go once, be sure to visit on a day the house is open for tours. It is spectacularly furnished and well worth your time.

One more thing…I don’t normally post promotions on my page, but this one is right up my alley, so I thought you might be interested in it as well.

prizes

Click on the above graphic to register to win the following:

  • 35 packets of organic heirloom vegetable seeds from Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply (an $87 value!)
  • A bare-root fruit tree, also from Peaceful Valley
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        Fruit Trees in Small Spaces
        The Edible Front Yard
        The Kitchen Gardener's Handbook
        Sugar Snaps and Strawberries

Register to win before March 23rd!

(disclaimer: I am receiving one free book in exchange for promoting this on my site. But, I also registered for the contest, cause all that stuff looks great! Smile)

1 comment:

  1. What a beautiful garden! Love the butterfly garden! I would love a 'shaped' garden like that in my own garden. The East Garden is gorgeous! Actually, it all looks beautiful! Next time I'm down that way, I'll put this on my list to see.

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