December 14, 2025

Fall color isn’t much of a player in central Texas gardens, as much as we long for it. And what there is doesn’t arrive until mid-December. But here we are, and my species Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is doing its thing, coordinating with Santa’s coat, reindeer noses, and Christmas tree balls. 

I inherited this tree, tucked tight against the north-facing wall of the house, and for many years it grew beautifully with little attention from me. But over the last 5 or so years, it’s begun to decline, losing a few limbs to die-back each year. Is it drought or heat stress? Verticillium wilt? Something else?

It gets a little crispy in late summer, but then it rallies with glorious “fall” color in mid-December. How I love seeing this burst of red at the end of the year.

‘Amistad’ salvia is still flowering since we haven’t had a freeze. That may change early Monday morning, but for now I’m enjoying the bounty of Texas fall.

Giant leopard plant (Farfugium japonicum ‘Gigantea’) has just started blooming in the shade of the maple and live oaks.

Its shiny, leathery round leaves are eye-catching, although they do wilt alarmingly in summer if I don’t give extra water, which I’m loath to do. Still, the deer leave this plant completely alone, and that’s worth some pouty wilting. The deer devoured the native river fern I once grew here.

Pollinators are drawn to giant leopard plant’s yellow flowers, including species of flies. See the one zooming in from the right?

Getting a sip of nectar

Wide view of the foundation garden and front patio

A squid agave in a tall pot (with stem-like metal art) looks fantastic year-round.

‘Quadricolor’ agaves cluster in a short steel pipe, making a stripey focal point in the driveway garden. A trio of metal dragonflies I bought at a street fair in Portland soar above it.

They used to hover over my stock-tank pond.

In the island bed, silver Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis var. argentea) offers spectacular texture and form in the dry shade of live oaks. Native copper canyon daisy (Tagetes lemmonii) flowers in front along with ‘Amistad’ salvia.

In the side garden, ‘Opal’ agave reigns like a queen from her pedestal throne over a meadowy planting of Mexican feathergrass (Nassella tenuissima) and garlic chives (Allium tuberosum).

What a beauty — though she’s a little winter tender, especially sitting up high like this. I throw a couple of sheets over her during a hard freeze, and that usually does the trick. She also makes pups, which I’ll harvest before an extended deep freeze and save as a backup in case of loss.

‘Bad Hair Day’ mangave is redder than usual thanks to recent chilly weather. I appreciate the enhanced coloration of cold-stressed succulents.

Soap aloe (Aloe maculata) is also reddish mauve (it’s usually green) due to recent cold weather. Two big bloom spikes are about to pop. I hope I don’t lose them to a freeze on Monday.

The hummingbirds that love these have gone to Mexico for the winter. Dude, you’ve waited too long.

‘Little Grapes’ gomphrena is another late-flowering plant in my garden. Its tufted purple flower clusters look pretty with dark blue plumbago (Plumbago auriculata).

Honeybees foraging on a warm December day enjoy them too.

Forsythia sage (Salvia madrensis) is still lighting up the shady lower garden.

Its buttery yellow flowers gleam against ‘Pale Puma’ purple heart. ‘Pale Puma’ is a compact cultivar of the commonplace, can’t-kill-it, shade-loving groundcover.

I’ll end the tour with a sunset glow on a beautiful December evening.

We’re almost there…

Before you go, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who’s taken a moment to review Gardens of Texas on Amazon. Last week I announced my goal was to reach 25 reviews before the end of the year — and now there are 24. So close! Could we exceed it? If you’ve read Gardens of Texas or even just paged through the pictures, would you please take a moment to share your impressions in a review? You need not have purchased the book from Amazon to review it there, but those reviews count for so much visibility for books. Just a few words saying what readers might get out of it, or selecting a star rating, helps with getting the book seen. Thank you so much!

Where to get a book

Book People in Austin is selling signed copies in-store and online. There are signed copies at Get Lucky Gallery in Lockhart too. You can get it at Whole Earth Provision Company and Barnes & Noble stores across Texas. It’s at Kuhl-Linscomb in Houston, Smith’s Gardentown in Wichita Falls, and Stop & Read Books in Marfa. Anywhere else you’ve seen it, let me know! I’d love to thank every store that’s carrying it.

Some really nice words

This week, Jennie Ostertag, aka @TexasGardening on TikTok, posted a video (you can watch without having TikTok) saying that Gardens of Texas “meets you where you are as a gardener. On the days you want to curl up and rest, it’s full of beautiful photos and real Texas gardens that feel comforting and inspiring. And on the days you want to get up and actually make something happen, it gives you clear, practical advice from one of the best Texas garden experts out there.”

Wow, thank you so much, Jennie, for your kind words and recommendation!

Also, Loree Bohl reviewed Gardens of Texas on her popular blog Danger Garden out of Portland, Oregon. She writes:

“Gardens of Texas isn’t just pretty photos—although it has a lot of them. Reading the book’s deep-dive garden profiles, I felt like I was right there in the garden with Pam and the gardener or garden designer, walking the garden, discussing their challenges and hardships, their inspiration, and their passion. Through Pam’s garden travel and years spent writing/blogging about the gardens she’s visited, Pam has honed the ability to translate the essence of a garden into words….[W]hile Pam’s book appears to be narrowly focused on Texas, its topics and lessons-learned actually go far beyond just the Lone Star State.”

Thank you, Loree, for recommending my book and sharing about it so generously!

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!

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Digging Deeper

My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, is here! Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and 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.