Yet, as intensively gardened as they are, both sites prove that simple, low-maintenance methods can have spectacular results. Amid the rolling landscape of Washington County, Texas, Bill and Diane Welch garden at Cricket Court, a 1906 Victorian cottage surrounded by charming borders. Here the spring is early, the summer hot, the borders sunny, and the soil frequently dry. The Welches' horticultural treasures bloom in orchestrated color schemes, but the effect is not constrained. Instead, they spill over the edge of the beds and lean on one another like old friends.
Bill combs the South in search of heirloom plants.
As a lecturer and author, Bill is known to Southerners as an expert on perennials and antique roses that can take the heat. Virginia bluebells make a spectacular show of pink buds and blue flowers in spring. Diane's special interest is the herb garden. Bill describes the garden as a contemporary interpretation of a Texas cottage garden. Picket fences wrap the gardens cottage style, while gateway arbors echo the gables of the house.