July 16, 2025
I returned to the Front Yard Cruve Garden at Coulson Bruce a few weeks ago and found it to be amazing, breaking and blooming as usual. The cluster of beak yuccas (Yucca Rostratas) that Coulson strategically planted to photograph the city from within the house is bigger than ever and bobbleheads. Look at these beauty!
The bell-style red yucca (Hesperarao campanulata) sends bloom spikes in the summer, similar to a long fishing rod with moonshine yellow and rose flower lures for the hummingbird.
Coulson’s gardening friend and neighbor, John Ignacio, helped me with my plant selection and shared the following:
“These are Hesperarae campanulatas that I grew from specimens from specimens. It is a Mexican species that is much taller than the native parviflora (standard red yucca), with the most open flowers in the genus that places more branched, flower-rich spikes.
A wide view of the garden in front of Coulson’s mid-century modern house
Coulson created two different gap gardens when he overhauled his front yard during the pandemic. The closest to the main entrance is the thick rocks covered in order to create a dry hill. Groundcover from Ocotillo, Small Agaves, Dyckia, Small Palms and Palmettos, and Xeric thrives among the rocks.
Detailed view
And here, from the side, there is an ocotillo on the leaves. Ocotillo is rare here in Austin and Lot if not given excellent drainage. Even in happy times, it is generally a collection of bare, upright, thorny branches – interesting, but perhaps acquired taste? After the rain, we wear clothes with green leaves that are held firmly in themselves.
Hesperaloe Campanulata blooms along the front walk
At eye level of those hook stems, their pretty bell-shaped flowers bob.
Hummingbird’s food
Coulson’s second gap garden consists of limestone slabs tilted and pinched to form tight gaps. This fills most of the curb island beds along the street and hides inside a circular driveway. The gaps provide root cooling microclimate for heat and dry plants.
From the streets, the pride of Barbados and Palmetto (silver saw, I think) screens the gap garden from sight.
The feathery leaves and tropical-style Barbados (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) flowers do not suggest how hard this plant is in Texas Garden summer, but it is.
Once established, most water is required to flower throughout the summer.
Beyond Coulson’s garden, layered cliff walls rise along Bull Creek.
At one end of the house, a vast canopy of 400-year-old oak covers wooden swings and stone tables.
When rainwater reaches the roots, a loose layer of wood mulch that is not stacked on the trunk is better than grass grass.
At the other end of the house, the “Silver Peso” Texas Mountain Laurel offers a cool contrast with the pride of the hot flowers of Barbados and Lantana.
Another peep into the Entry Garden in the glory of all textures
And the sculptured garden
Thank you for visiting the beautiful garden, Coulson!
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