August 10, 2025

Conjuring rippling pond water using nothing but gravel is a clever Zen garden trick. Even better with ceramic koi swimming through it! This gravel pond was my favorite moment in the Asian-inspired garden of Laurie and Tom Rieman at the Memphis Fling in June.

Notice too the stair-stepping square planters along the edge, some with pretty shade plants, others with shaggy mondo grass, and a couple with only river rock.

Nearby a pair of herons are spouting water into a blue-glass pond — another illusion of water. The trick is a reservoir and pump hidden under the glass to collect the water and recirculate it up through the birds.

More Asian influence is felt in a red bridge and rock waterfall.

Also a red torii gate…

…and trompe-l’oeil mirror “gateway.” Placed at the end of a curving path, the roofed and bamboo-framed mirror creates the illusion that the garden continues on. (Bird lovers, hang Zen wind curtains to prevent birds from crashing into large garden mirrors (or windows). Acopian BirdSavers are effective and non-distracting, and I don’t think they’d spoil the trompe-l’oeil effect.)

In the center of the garden, a pavilion provides a spot for drinks and food. A planted-up roof is a nice touch.

A funny little creature is doing jazz hands up there.

The back of the pavilion is a light-catching screen made of wine bottles.

The garden also features a long trellis-screen of flexible wire bent into gentle curves. Cloaked with vines, it follows the path between the koi pond and pavilion, separating the Asian garden from a dwarf mondo grass lawn. Red hoops at intervals in the wire provide windows for garden views.

Bee ornaments hang in the windows — a callback to the home’s mailbox, which I’ll show in a minute.

More circular windows appear in a pair of neighborly garden gates. The gate on the left accesses the Rieman garden; the one on the right, their neighbor’s yard.

Glass squares attached to the wire-grid window provide a stained-glass effect.

The neighbor’s gate uses bottoms of bottles — perhaps the bottles used to make the pavilion screen?

Cast lotus leaves in silvery pastels add more circles in the side yard.

A silver gazing globe provided an irresistible selfie opportunity with friends.

Calla lily bouquet

Out front, an evergreen wisteria vine grabbed everyone’s attention — lush, perfectly trimmed over the garage doors, and in full purple bloom.

Shazam!

Herbs were growing along the sidewalk, where a friendly sign and storage box for clippers encourages neighbors to help themselves.

No spot is overlooked, not even the mailbox, turbaned with rope to look like a bee skep. A metal bee decorates the signal flag — the perfect finishing touch for a house on Honey Bee Lane!

Up next: Pam Beasley’s garden with a unique basket arbor and containers galore. For a look back at an eclectic mix of gardens from Memphis Fling — including caimans! — click here.

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Digging Deeper

Want ideas for your yard besides lawn? Sure you do! I’m giving a talk called “Lawn Gone: 8 Great Ideas for Your Yard” on Saturday, September 13, at the Concho Valley Master Gardeners Fall Symposium in San Angelo, Texas. The cost for the all-day symposium with 4 speakers is $30 per person; refreshments and lunch included. Register by 9/10 at this link to attend. I hope to see you there, West Texas homeowners and gardeners!

My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, comes out October 14! It’s available for pre-order now on Amazon and other online book sellers. If you’d like to read it or give it as a holiday gift, please consider pre-ordering. (I’m happy to sign pre-ordered copies at my book events!) Early orders make a big difference in helping new books get noticed. More info about Gardens of Texas here — and thank you for your support!

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!

Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events, so join the Garden Spark email list for notification when tickets go on sale: click this link and ask to SUBSCRIBE. Read all about the Season 9 lineup here!

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